7 Best Rust Removers for Around the House, According to Cleaning Experts

Rust stains can happen anywhere around the house, so for our Best Overall pick, we chose a product that not only works well but can be used on the widest array of household surfaces. This Iron Out powder is versatile enough to clean sinks, tubs, tile and toilets, appliances, exterior surfaces and whole loads of laundry and can even be added to whole-home water softeners to minimize the iron content of the water coming into your kitchen, bathroom and laundry room to help prevent staining.

Easy and neat to use, simply add the powder to a damp cloth or sponge and scrub a surface stain. Pour it directly into a toilet bowl and scrub, or pour it into the tank and let it stand overnight or until the stains disappear. Add 1/2 cup to your washing machine's detergent dispenser or as the water fills to help whiten an entire load of stained clothing. For outdoor use, mix it in water and apply it to concrete and other surfaces. Be sure to thoroughly pre-wet nearby grass and plants to prevent damaging them.

Though we haven't tested Iron Out on all the surfaces on which it can be used, it did effectively remove rust from the toilet and sink stains we tried it on. Consumer reviewers on Amazon rate it highly with more than 10,000 users rating it an average score of 4.6 stars.

CLR is a widely available, all-around-the-house mineral stain remover, tackling not only rust but calcium and limescale deposits too. It works on and is safe for a wide variety of hard household surfaces, like bathroom fixtures, glass, chrome and even appliances. However, it's always best to test CLR — and any rust remover, for that matter — on a hidden spot first to make sure it won't cause any damage. CLR warns that it may etch older or worn fixtures and tiles.

To use CLR, simply mix up a 50/50 solution with water and apply it to the stain with a brush, cloth or sponge. Wait two minutes and rinse. For tough stains, use a more concentrated solution. You can even use it at full strength in toilet bowls, for very heavy build-up or when a diluted solution isn't effective. Also, it can soak away rust on tools in only two minutes with the 50/50 diluted solution. Because it's used diluted in most cases, it will last a bit longer, so we've named it our Best Value pick.

In our experience, we've found CLR easy and effective at removing rust and other mineral deposits from inside toilets. It also effectively unclogged shower heads and faucet sprayers, and with over 12,000 five-star Amazon reviews, consumers have been satisfied. We also applaud Jelmar for converting its CLR cleaning products to plant-based and EPA Safer Choice-certified formulas. Unfortunately, CLR is not recommended for use on fabric stains.

Whink has long been a fixture in the specialty ruse remover category. It works just as effectively on hard household surfaces, like toilets and sinks, as it does on soft ones, like clothing and carpets. In a GH Cleaning Lab test, a rust stain on a pair of white jeans disappeared quickly and with just one treatment. Plus, the narrow bottle opening makes it easy to target small stains or surfaces that you don't want to over-saturate, like carpeting.

To use this liquid formula, dampen the stained surface or fabric (or a cloth, if you are using one) and apply Whink. Wait several minutes for the stains to disappear and rinse. For clothing stains, wash and dry the items as usual after using Whink. This version works best on small areas and stains. For large areas, like tubs and tile walls, consider the spray, also featured here, that clings better to vertical surfaces. While it won't likely harm colored fabrics and fixtures, it's always best to test it first on a tiny spot before using it.

A kitchen staple since 1882, Bar Keepers Friend is a multi-purpose cleanser that counts rust among the many messes it can clean. Sprinkle it on sinks, tubs, toilets, cookware and even outdoors on tools or the grill to quickly zap rust, grime, soap scum, mineral deposits and more. First, wet the surface, then scrub with Bar Keepers Friend, rinse and dry.

Bar Keepers Friend is a GH Cleaning and Kitchen Appliances Lab favorite. We've used it for years to clean and shine grimy cookware and stainless steel sinks. Because it contains oxalic acid, it works to remove rust and other stains all at the same time so you'll have fewer products to buy and store. Just be sure to test it on delicate surfaces first as it may etch them.

These Iron-Out tablets are placed inside your toilet tank. They help remove rust from the water entering your toilet, so less of it settles in the tank and inside the bowl as you flush. In-tank products are handy because they work 24/7 and can mean less hands-on cleaning and scrubbing. To better preserve the integrity of the plumbing parts inside your toilet tank, we recommend using an in-tank cleaning product only in toilets that are flushed frequently.

We haven't tested this specific Iron Out product, we have had positive experiences with other Iron Out formulas and many consumer reviewers observed noticeable improvements in the appearance of their toilets. Keep in mind that it will likely not be able to remove old stains, and it may take a few days for you to notice any improvement. It's best to start with a clean bowl before dropping the tablet into the tank. The more the toilet is flushed, the faster the tablet will dissolve and need replacing.

Whink products contain oxalic acid, an effective rust-zapping ingredient, so we're confident that this version works as well as the liquid Whink we have previously tested. What makes this formula unique is that it sprays as a foam that clings to vertical surfaces, like shower walls and vinyl siding, better than runny liquid cleaners. Simply spray the stain, let the cleaner set for 45-60 seconds and wipe or rinse clean. Sprays also make targeting small stains easy, and this one can even be used as a laundry pre-treater for rust stains on colorfast fabrics.

Whink's Foaming Spray is a consumer favorite with very positive reviews at multiple retailers. It's garnered a 4.2-star rating from Amazon buyers and a perfect 5.0 score from Walmart shoppers, though some commented that its performance was lackluster on very heavy stains.

We've used WD-40's spray lubricant to wipe away rust from pliers and power tools, but for hard-to-clean items with small crevices — like bolts and blades — or heavy build-up, a soak is the easiest way to go. WD-40's Rust Remover Soak is water-based and made without acid, so it claims to target the rust without damaging surrounding parts or irritating skin.

To use it, pour it into a bucket or basin and soak items for as little as 30 minutes or up to 24 hours depending on how much rust you need to remove. Scrub, if needed, then rinse and wipe dry. And there's no need to discard the solution if it's not very dirty. It can be reused.

This product needs time to work and cleans more slowly than acidic cleaners, so it's not ideal for something you need cleaned immediately. Plus it only works on metal, not plastic or other materials.