Rust can make a number of metal items unsightly, but you don’t have to turn to a chemical solution to get rid of it. Cleaning fan Georgia, known as Clean with Georgia on TikTok, recently shared ten hacks which will help speed up your “cleaning game”.
Included in her compilation is a simple and no-fuss method for combatting rust, especially when it forms on radiators. Rust forms when iron reacts with oxygen and water, and can be exacerbated by factors such as hard water and condensation, making bathrooms prime breeding grounds for it. However, Georgia suggested you only need one staple item from your kitchen to get rid of it.
How to remove rust marks
If you want to avoid commercial cleaners, Georgia recommended aluminium foil. In a video from May, she said: “Remove rust on your radiator with tin foil.”
Simply scrunch up the aluminium foil into a ball and rub it onto the affected area. Some professional cleaners recommend wetting the aluminium foil beforehand as it could help with a quicker and more effective clean.
If the foil becomes dry, re-wet it. Once the rust has been removed from the radiator, follow by wiping down the surface with a clean, damp cloth and buff with a dry towel to polish.
The hack works by performing a chemical reaction that essentially reverses the oxidation process that caused the rust in the first place, according to Better Homes and Gardens.
Karina Toner, cleaning expert at Spekless Cleaning, told Homes & Gardens why aluminium foil helps get rid of rust.
She said: “All rust is iron that has combined with oxygen to form a brownish-orange layer on a surface. When aluminium is rubbed against the rust, the aluminium loses electrons, while the iron oxide (the rust) gains electrons, turning back into metal.
“The aluminium acts as a reactive surface that removes the rust while also creating a layer of oxide that prevents the metal from rusting further.”
Foil can also help get rid of rust from other metals such as chrome and steel. As there could be a possibility of scratching, dip the foil in a saline solution before polishing.
