The Rust Had Officially Joined the Experiment
If you read my Bathroom Cleaning Products Haul, you already know I purposely allowed my bathroom to go without its usual cleaning for a while. I wanted to put my cleaning haul through a real test, and by the time the experiment began, I certainly had one.
Among the problems waiting for me was rust around parts of my face basin and metal fixtures. Those little brownish-orange marks have an annoying way of making everything around them look dirty, even when the surrounding area is clean.
So, naturally, the rust had to go.
After buying an entire arsenal of cleaning products, however, the solution turned out to involve two of the simplest things I had: baking soda and white vinegar.
Sometimes the simplest solution really is the best one.
My Bathroom Rust-Removal Formula
What You’ll Need:
- Baking soda
- Water
- White vinegar
- Soft sponge or cloth
- Cleaning gloves
Step 1 — Make the paste
Before you start: Check the care instructions for your sink and fixture finish first. Baking soda is mildly abrasive, and vinegar is acidic, so this method may not be appropriate for every metal finish, coating or sink material. I used it successfully on my own bathroom basin and rusty fixture.
Put on your cleaning gloves, then mix baking soda with a small amount of water, adding the water gradually until you have a thick, spreadable paste with a toothpaste-like consistency.
Step 2 — Apply it
Cover the rusty area with the baking soda paste and leave it for about 5 minutes.
Step 3 — Gently scrub
Use a soft sponge or cloth to work the paste over the rust, then wipe or rinse the area clean.
Step 4 — Try vinegar on stubborn rust
If rust remains, apply white vinegar separately and allow it to sit for about 15 minutes.
Step 5 — Scrub and rinse
Gently work the area again with your sponge or cloth, then rinse thoroughly with clean water.
Safety Note: Don’t start mixing household cleaners in an attempt to make them stronger. Never mix vinegar with bleach or bleach-containing cleaners.
Did It Actually Work?
This is the part of the experiment I was waiting for.
Five minutes initially sounded a little optimistic to me. This was rust. Surely it deserved something more dramatic?
Apparently not.
After working on the treated areas and giving the more stubborn spots some additional attention, the rust disappeared. The difference around the basin fixtures was immediately noticeable—and I hadn’t needed some expensive specialized rust remover to achieve it.
That’s exactly why I wanted to do this experiment rather than simply write about products sitting prettily on a countertop. Reading that something might work is one thing. Trying it myself and watching the rust disappear is another.
And yes, I took pictures. If I’m going to purposely neglect my bathroom in the name of an experiment, you better believe I’m keeping the evidence.
One bathroom challenge conquered, with plenty more from this cleaning experiment still to come.
Want to See the Full Bathroom Home Hacks Series?
Bathroom Cleaning Products Haul: I Put These Cleaning Essentials to the Test
This is just one experiment from the series. Visit Bathroom Cleaning Products Haul: I Put These Cleaning Essentials to the Test to see every method, test and result in one place.
Got Some Rust of Your Own?
Before giving up on something because of a little surface rust, see whether this simple method can bring it back. If you try it, let me know whether your rust surrendered too.
