Recipe to remove rust or container stains from concrete?

14 years ago

I have a concrete area that has a few rust stains and also some stains left by pots I overwintered there. I have a few circles showing now and would love to find a homemade way to remove them.

Do you have any homemade recipes that have actually worked well for both rust and container stains?

What would you use?

Thank you!

Sort by:Oldest

Comments (11)

bearcat_va
14 years ago
I'm so glad you asked this. I need help getting rust off of ceramic tile in my kitchen. I tried the rust removers (Like CLR) and it didn't work. Maybe someone out there has a good one?
Marilyn Sue McClintock
14 years ago
I need a solution too for my front porch where some half whiskey barrels sat. I have been thinking trying some Bar Keepers Friend and then pressure wash it. I just haven't gotten around to it yet. Hope someone has a good solution. I am not putting the barrels back on there.

Sue
Related Discussions
I Removed Rust Stains on Concrete
Q
Comments (27)
I have stains from washing off golf cart batteries one time in the driveway - they are orange and run all the way down to the street. I found The Works at Walmart and Home Depot in a white bottle and just tested it on a 2' square section - it cleared most of it right off! I poured directly onto the stain - no sprayer or diluting. There is still some difference and the treated area is lighter/yellow than the rest now - it's not perfect but better than it was. I may try diluting some in a sprayer and treating the whole driveway and letting it sit longer next to even things out - or hire someone to acid wash (pool acid) the whole thing and power wash afterwards. It was freaky because it bubbled up and was green - I let it sit 5-10 minutes but that was all I wanted to risk... no way I was going to let it dry. I didn't scrub or even get near it - just bathe the spot in the stuff and rinse. YMMV. This post is 4 years after the original post. This post was edited by karyn on Wed, Jun 12, 13 at 7:18
...See More
removing a rust stain from a quartz countertop
Q
Comments (45)
It might not be the finish that is damaged. The Brillo may have left a cloudy layer. Use a good, non-abrasive cleaning product (even just gentle dish soap and clean water). Scrub hard (but with a non-abrasive towel or sponge). Rinse very well after - even dish soap residue will dry cloudy on the surface. Odds are this will fix the issue. Try baking soda and water as well if you need to. You can get a more aggressive cleaner (Caeserstone recommends Soft Scrub gel cleaner with bleach). Important though that you never use an abrasive sponge (not even the scratchy side of a plastic sponge). If that fails, you can try polishers such as Quartz Renew or Granite Gold Quartz Brite. They don't actually polish though, they just give a temporary shine. Only a true mechanical polish will repair it if it is actually damaged. It would be something best left to the professionals (you risk overheating when you polish mechanically, which would cause other issues).
...See More
Remove vegetable oil from concrete
Q
Comments (3)
Cat litter is an excellent first choice. I've used it on motor oil spills on concrete that were fresh but essentially soaked in. It will actually draw it out. The finer the better. Cheap clay litter tends to have more powdery sized particles which is good. Then detergent and do limit the amount of water at first - it is not your friend here. The paste sounds good, or pure liquid detergent (Dawn is good, about anything will work). I would scrub then let it sit for an hour then wipe it with rags. Finally, a floor or carpet cleaning machine (rental or if you have or can borrow a Hoover steam vac or equivalent). Dishwasher deterg paste probably best as Dawn etc. will be very sudsy for the machine and you'll have foam everywhere. If the machine has brushes do turn those on. Once no soap is coming out in the waste tank, let the floor dry and see how it is. If it's still greasy, repeat the detergent treatment. I bet it will be good after this. Another option at this point if you need it cleaner, is solvent rinsing, but two problems I see: flammability, and concrete is porous, so it may carry it farther IN rather than drawing it OUT. You could use a low flammability solvent like kerosene or mineral spirits (not naptha or gasoline), or the citrus based stuff that smells nice. Ventilation! No flame sources! - where's your furnace and water heater and do they have pilot lights? Do a small area at a time - 3x3 ft. Saturate, scrub the entire area a bit then wipe off with rags. Rags immediately go outside spread out to dry (NOT in a pile or in a container). And don't blame me if you burn down your house. At least the concrete will be clean. LOL
...See More
Help me remove rust from pavers
Q
Comments (1)
What are they made of? Oxalic acid should work....barkeepers friend contains it......but not good for marble or limestone....but fine on concrete.
...See More
iowagirl2006
14 years ago
I use toilet bowl cleaner to get rust stains off - but I don't know if you want to squirt that directly on your sidewalk. You might have some really clean squirt marks!

I think muriatic acid will clean it..use it with caution though. Gloves and safety glasses! Make sure you have a hose handy to wash it off.
nodakgal
14 years ago
Whink! It works!

Here is a link that might be useful: Whink
izzie
14 years ago
I have a good way to remove rust from fabric, maybe it would work on cement also. Wet area with lemon juice, I just use the bottled stuff (remember this is for fabric) rub some table salt in and sit in sun. may have to do a few times. (I never set in sun but it still works.

If you try this let me know if this works on cement.
dilly_dally
14 years ago
Any cleaner with oxylic acid will work. the oxylic acid reacts with the composition of the rust. There is no scrubbing needed but with concrete you may want o 'scrub' to work it into the porous material.

Zud is a good brand for rust removal.
jaybird
14 years ago
Zud is GREAT...it will even take the stains off concrete that a shedding begonia makes!
lattefairy
Original Author
14 years ago
Thank you for the tips, everyone! :)

I just looked up Whink and Zud and it looks like Ace Hardware sells it. I'll have to go get some of that then.

Is this the same Zud?

Here is a link that might be useful: This Zud?
Marcia Thornley
14 years ago
Be careful with these products. Whink is Hydrofluoric acid. It can cause severe burns and do not inhale any vapours. Wear a mask, goggles and gloves when using it.
The suggestion of using a toilet bowl cleaner is a good one. I would try that first. Take the time to read the labels and check the MSDS before using any of these cleaners.
kayjones
14 years ago
They also make concrete paint and dye - you might look in to that.
sharon_fl
14 years ago
Saturate/soak the area with a can of Coke. Let stand several hours, rinse. You may need to repeat.
My deceased Grandma used Coke to de-rust the blades of her old ice cream maker...amazing!

Related Stories

KITCHEN DESIGN Sweet Ideas and a Truffle Recipe from a Chocolatier's Test Kitchen

By CM Glover

A $2,100 budget didn't mean a half-baked kitchen redo; this confectioner just rolled up her sleeves and rolled out the improvements

Full Story

CURB APPEAL Entry Recipe: Warmth, Style and Privacy in Toronto

By Annie Thornton

A front porch dominated by wood and glass rises and pivots toward a side courtyard sheltered from street traffic

Full Story

ARCHITECTURE Design Workshop: A Recipe for Inspiration in the New Year

By Eric Reinholdt, Architect

Attention to craft, humble materials, mystery and more will influence my architecture work in 2015

Full Story

HOUSEKEEPING Out, Darn Spot! Tips for Removing Carpet Stains

By Bonnie McCarthy

Know the right solutions and when to use them to prevent stains from pets, soda, chocolate, blood and more

Full Story

LANDSCAPE DESIGN Garden Walls: Gabion Evolves From Functional to Fabulous

By Olander Garden Design

The permeable rock-, concrete- or glass-filled steel cages are showing up as retaining walls, planters, benches and more

Full Story

FLOORS 5 Benefits to Concrete Floors for Everyday Living

By Natalie Myers

Get low-maintenance home flooring that creates high impact and works with home styles from traditional to modern

Full Story

247

HEALTHY HOME 6 Tips From a Nearly Zero-Waste Home

By Melanie Loftus

Lower your trash output and increase your quality of life with these ideas from a mom who did it to the max

Full Story

136

ECLECTIC HOMES Houzz Tour: A Toronto Home Comes Back From the Brink

By Mary Jo Bowling

Not even squatters deterred an interior designer from turning an abandoned 4-bedroom into a chic, unique home

Full Story

109

HOUSEKEEPING Don't Touch Another Stain Before You Read This

By Mitchell Parker

Even an innocent swipe with water may cause permanent damage. Here's what to know about how rugs and fabrics react

Full Story

129

HOUSEKEEPING How to Clean Grout — Stains and All

By Meg Padgett

If your grout is grossing you out, this deep-cleaning method will help it look new again

Full Story

174

Recipe to remove rust or container stains from concrete?

Comments (11)

bearcat_va

Marilyn Sue McClintock

Related Discussions

iowagirl2006

nodakgal

izzie

dilly_dally

jaybird

lattefairy
Original Author

Marcia Thornley

kayjones

sharon_fl

COMPANY

BUSINESS SERVICES

GET HELP

CONNECT WITH US

Recipe to remove rust or container stains from concrete?

Comments (11)

Related Discussions

lattefairyOriginal Author

COMPANY

BUSINESS SERVICES

GET HELP

CONNECT WITH US

lattefairy
Original Author