Rust in Bathtub, Toilets, and Sinks: A DIY Guide on How to Remove It

Rust isn’t dangerous, but it sure can be annoying when it stains all your bathroom appliances.

If you have the right tools and know-how, removing rust in bathtubs, toilets, and sinks isn’t hard. But it does take some patience.

We’ve put together this guide to help you get started, so make sure you keep reading below!

How to Remove Rust from Your Sinks and Tubs

Before you do anything about the rust in your bathtubs or sinks, you need to think about what type of material your tubs and sinks are made out of. This is especially important for your bathtub.

Some materials, such as enamel, can be damaged by vinegar or other acids. Other types of bathtub materials, including acrylic, can get damaged by harsh chemicals like bleach.
Make sure you understand your tubs—and sinks—before you try anything. And always spot test a small area of your tubs and sinks before doing a major cleaning.

In this article, we’ll be looking at two different DIY rust removal methods you can do with items you already have lying around the house. If you don’t think these methods will be safe for your tub, you can check out this useful guide for more options.

So let’s get started!

What You’ll Need

Two of the best ways to remove rust from your sinks and showers is with lemon juice or baking soda. Here’s what you’ll need for both methods.

Lemon Juice:

• Lemon juice
• Salt
• Microfiber cloth

Baking Soda:

• Baking soda
• Water
• Microfiber cloth

Both methods are very similar. Once you have your preferred supplies on hand, here’s what you need to do next.

Step 1

If you’re using the baking soda method, start by mixing the baking soda and water together to create a paste. Then rub the paste over the rusted areas.

If you’re using lemon juice, pour some of the juice over the rust. Then sprinkle some salt onto the damp areas.

Step 2

Let the baking soda paste sit on the rust overnight. If you chose to use lemon juice, leave it on the rusted areas for at least four hours.

Step 3

Take your microfiber cloth and gently srub the rust off the surface of your tub or sink. Be careful when you do this, especially if you used lemon juice and salt. Putting too much pressure behind your scrubs might cause you to scratch your tub or sink.

Step 4

Rinse any remaining rust, baking soda, or lemon juice down the drain. Don’t rinse until you’re done scrubbing, though. Otherwise, you might have a harder time removing the remaining rust.

Step 5

If the rust is bad enough, it might not come off in one go. You might have to repeat this process a time or two more.

How to Remove Rust from Toilets

Removing rust from toilets is a little different.

Again, make sure you know the material of your toilet before you try anything. Spot test your toilet even if you think you have a safe method. This will ensure you don’t damage your toilet in the process of cleaning up the rust.

If there are rust spots on the outside of your toilet or above the water line inside your toilet bowl, you can use the baking soda or lemon juice method like you did before.
But if you’re dealing with rust inside your toilet bowl, those methods won’t be very helpful. Here’s what you should do instead.

What You’ll Need

You should have everything you need to remove rust from your toilet in the house already. Here’s a short list of the items you should have on hand.

• Distilled white vinegar
• Toilet brush
• Lemon juice

The vinegar and lemon juice will do similar things to the rust inside your toilet bowl. However, it might not be as effective as white vinegar. So if you have a stubborn stain on your hands, you might want to choose vinegar instead.

Once you have everything you need, here’s what you should do next.

Step 1

Pour two cups of vinegar or lemon juice into the toilet bowl. You can use your toilet brush to spread some of the liquid along the sides of the toilet bowl if needed.

Step 2

Let the vinegar sit in the toilet bowl for at least two hours. If the stains are tough, you may want to leave the vinegar in the toilet bowl overnight.

Since lemon juice is milder than vinegar, you should also leave it in your toilet bowl overnight. A few hours might not be enough to remove the rust—unless the rust is minor.

Step 3

Use your toilet brush to scrub the rust off the surface of your toilet bowl. Flush the toilet when you’re done to rinse any remaining debris away.

Step 4

Again, you may have to repeat this process a few times before all the rust clears up. You might want to switch to vinegar if the lemon juice wasn’t strong enough to get rid of the rust.

Your DIY Guide to Removing Rust in Bathtubs, Toilets, and Sinks

Once you remove the rust in bathtubs, toilets, and sinks, make sure you keep them all clean to prevent it from coming back. You may also want to consider installing an iron filter or water softener in your house. This can pull the iron out of your water, which is usually the culprit for bathroom rust.

Want some other helpful cleaning tips? Make sure you keep exploring the rest of our blog!