How to Make clean Rust from a Vinyl Floor

Homestead Handyman Service

Homestead Handyman Service

Todd Shrigley Owner

Published October 7, 2022

Rust stains on vinyl are common -- they can come up from metal furniture legs, appliances such every bit the refrigerator or dishwasher, or even metal utility fixtures. Leaving a metal tool, such as a hammer or pliers, lying on the flooring in humid conditions is some other source of these stains. The proficient news is that these stains come up out, but y'all usually demand a fairly strong acidic cleaner to achieve the chore.

Attempt a Balmy Cleanser

The cleaner y'all use for blackened forest also works on vinyl.

Earlier you plow to strongly acidic cleaners, information technology'due south a adept thought to try mild ones to see if they work. Lemon juice is mildly acidic and may remove light rust stains, especially if you combine it with blistering soda. Mix 2 parts lemon juice with 1 function blistering soda to make a paste, and rub the paste on the rusty stain with a nonabrasive sponge. It may accept several tries, simply this treatment tin can be effective. If information technology is, rinse the area with clear h2o when you're done.

Call in the Cavalry

Chances are, a weak cleaner won't take much issue on an old or dark rust stain, and you'll need something that is more acidic. Some acids are too strong to utilize and will damage the flooring while they remove the rust, but oxalic acid, the main ingredient in forest bleach, is just strong plenty to do the task without causing damage. You can buy oxalic acid crystals at hardware stores, but a safer alternative that'due south easier to utilise is wood bleach. Be certain the bleach contains oxalic acid and not hydrogen peroxide, which is another type of forest bleach.

Using Oxalic Acrid

You need to wear rubber gloves and goggles when y'all make clean with oxalic acid. If y'all purchase crystals, mix them with water to form a saturated solution -- one in which no more than crystals volition dissolve; if you purchase wood bleach, use it full-strength from the bottle. Moisten a fabric with the bleach; lay information technology on the rusty area and exit it for x minutes to dissolve the discoloration. Afterwards wiping the stain away, neutralize the floor with a mixture of 2 tablespoons blistering soda per quart of h2o, and and then rinse with clear h2o.

Alternative Stain Removers

If you tin can't get a rust stain out with oxalic acrid, it may not be rust; some dye and tannin stains expect like rust. Mixing laundry detergent with h2o makes an all-purpose cleaner that you lot may detect constructive -- rub it into the stain with a soft, nonabrasive cloth. A solution of 1 office bleach to 2 parts h2o is also constructive against dye stains; similar oxalic acid, it works all-time if you moisture a cloth and go out the cloth on the stain for five or 10 minutes earlier rubbing. Finally, rub out brownish surface stains acquired by paint or boom polish with rubbing alcohol.