What is the best way to remove rust stains from fabric?
When you use steel objects for your costume, such as weapons or armor, you may get rust stains on your clothing. We show you how to remove rust stains from fabric.
Lemon juice and salt
Rust stains can be easily removed by mixing lemon juice and salt into a paste and rubbing it onto the stain. Let it sit for about an hour and rinse it out. If you place the garment in the sun while the paste is on, it works even better. After rinsing out the paste, wash the garment as usual.
This method should not cause problems on white or light fabrics. If you want to remove a rust stain from a darker or brighter colour, it is advisable to test the effect of the salt and lemon juice paste on a less visible part of the garment.
Vinegar
Another method to remove rust stains is to use vinegar. Pour some vinegar onto the stain and let it soak for 10 to 15 minutes. Dab the fabric with a white towel and let it dry in the sun.
Once the fabric is dry, rub in some detergent with a clean toothbrush and wash as usual.
As with the lemon-salt method, it is advisable to test the effect of the vinegar first on a less visible spot if your garment has a darker or brighter colour.
