What is the best way to remove rust stains from cement?
Mix 1 ounce of tri-sodium phosphate (TSP) in a gallon of hot water. This chemical can be found at hardware and paint stores. Wet the concrete and use a scrub brush to apply the solution. Scrub vigorously and let the solution soak into the concrete for 10 to 15 minutes. Rinse well. Try a product called Iron Out, which is sold in plumbing supply stores. Combat really bad stains with a pressure washer and muriatic acid. Apply the acid as directed by the manufacturer, leave it to soak for a few seconds, and follow with a pressure washer set at 2,500-3,000 psi. Sprinkle baking soda over the cleaned area to neutralize the acid and wash again. If you can’t get muriatic acid, you could try oxalic acid. This is nasty stuff, as it’s highly toxic, and it’s not easy to find. It’s more commonly used in the woodworking trades to bleach or whiten wood, but it is quite effective at removing heavier rust stains from concrete and some types of stone. It may come as a proprietary “rust remover” in which
Mix 1 ounce of tri-sodium phosphate (TSP) in a gallon of hot water. This chemical can be found at hardware and paint stores. Wet the concrete and use a scrub brush to apply the solution. Scrub vigorously and let the solution soak into the concrete for 10 to 15 minutes. Rinse well. Try a product called Iron Out, which is sold in plumbing supply stores. Combat really bad stains with a pressure washer and muriatic acid. Apply the acid as directed by the manufacturer, leave it to soak for a few seconds, and follow with a pressure washer set at 2,500-3,000 psi. Sprinkle baking soda over the cleaned area to neutralize the acid and wash again. If you can’t get muriatic acid, you could try oxalic acid. This is nasty stuff, as it’s highly toxic, and it’s not easy to find. It’s more commonly used in the woodworking trades to bleach or whiten wood, but it is quite effective at removing heavier rust stains from concrete and some types of stone. It may come as a proprietary “rust remover” in which
