Getting Rust Out of Your Upholstery


by Aazdak Alisimo - Date: 2007-09-27 - Word Count: 444 Share This!

Among the most difficult stains in upholstery fabric on any kind is a rust stain. You can get rust out of your upholstery, but it isn't easy.

Rust can stain upholstery fabric when it comes in contact with a rusting metal object. Vinyl automobile or furniture upholstery is especially susceptible to this kind of stain because of its highly porous nature. Rust removal from vinyl or fabric upholstery can be a tricky process, but help is available from several chemical based cleaners. Most chemical rust removal products contain a substance called oxalic acid.

Oxalic acid is a rather strong chemical compound. It is about 10,000 times stronger than acetic acid. This is the reason that certain precautions must be used when it is used for rust removal from upholstery fabric. As is the general rule in any cleaning of upholstery, the procedure is always to clean a small part of the fabric first. This small part should be in an out of the way spot that is not easy to see. Perform the cleaning procedure on the test spot exactly as you will on the rust stain. Make sure you wait for a long enough period to be absolutely certain that there will be no fading or damage to the fabric.

If you are using a powdered rust removal product, you will need to make a paste first. You then apply the paste to the stain and work it into the fabric. It will take a little while for the rust to be totally dissolved. After it has, you can rinse the spot carefully. You should be prepared to do several reapplications. It will be important to neutralize the acidic substance completely after use to avoid further damage to the fabric. The instructions on the product will give you the proper neutralization procedure.

There are some products available from carpet cleaning companies that are designed to remove rust stains from fabric without the use of harsh acidic chemicals that have to be neutralized after use. You can rinse these products with plain water. Most of them are in gel form rather than power and liquid. This makes it easier to apply directly to the stain.

Rust is usually associated with metal, of course, but rust stains are actually quite common on carpets from furniture legs, file cabinets, or contact with other metal objects. These stains can also get onto upholstery, especially vinyl upholstery in a vehicle. Rust removal can be a hassle, but there are some very good products available to help make it easier. As with all chemical cleaning of upholstery, do not forget to test for damage or fading first.

Aazdak Alisimo writes upholstery articles for UpholsteryandCleaning.com.

Related Tags: car, remove, upholstery, chemical, paste, acid, out, rust, cleanser, stain, oxalic

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