How to Clean Rust on Cement

Wash concrete with soap and water before starting to remove rust. Dust and dirt will get in between the cleaner and the stains, making your job less efficient. Once the concrete surface has been cleaned, you should wait for it to dry before continuing. ^[1]

Pour or spray lemon juice on the rust. Almost all rust cleaners use acids to loosen and scrub the stain. The high concentration of citric acid in pure lemon juice makes it a good candidate for cleaning. Pour lemon juice over the stain and wait 10 minutes before scrubbing it with a wire brush.

Pour or spray white vinegar on rust stains instead of lemon juice to remove stubborn stains. Let the vinegar soak for a few minutes before scrubbing it with a wire brush. Rinse off the rust with cold water and repeat the process again for hard-to-remove stains. ^[2]

Scrub the concrete surface with a brush. Let the lemon juice or white vinegar infuse for about 5-10 minutes. Use a stiff nylon bristle brush if it is a smooth, painted concrete surface. Scrub in small circular motions to remove as much rust as possible.

• Do not use a metal brush as this can remove the grout from the concrete surface and expose the underlying adhesive material.

Rinse concrete with cool water after scrubbing is complete. After rinsing, wait for the concrete to dry. You’ll probably want to re-treat the stain again, as repeated washing is often the best way to completely remove the rust.

Use a sponge and diluted vinegar to scrub damaged or painted surfaces. If you do not want to use a wire brush for fear of damaging the concrete surface, you should use a sponge and warm water. However, you need to test the cleaning product on a small corner of the concrete surface first – many acids can strip or damage the paint. Dilute 1 cup of vinegar with ½ cup of water and start scrubbing gently in a circular motion. You may need to wash 3-4 times, but gradually it will work.