Tuesday, June 11, 2013

Removing Rust from Stainless Steel

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About a year ago, I started using white vinegar in place of my rinse-aid in the dishwasher. It works better than Jet-Dry ever did---no kidding. And then, a month or two after that I started using it in place of fabric softener in my washer. You'd think everything would come out with a vinegar-y smell, but it doesn't. It is effective for keeping the laundry soft, helps to control static cling, and keeps my washer cleaner, as well.

I tell you this to prove that I know there are a ton of uses for white vinegar, I just didn't expect the one I discovered yesterday.

We are in the process of preparing our basement apartment for someone to stay there for a couple of months. Because we aren't down there that much, I don't clean it very often. Imagine my dismay when I discovered rust stains on my stainless steel sink. Someone had laid something on it that had rusted. I have no idea what because the culprit had disappeared, leaving only the rust stains behind.

First I tried my homemade cleaning solution. It does a great job on many things, but didn't make a bit of difference on the rust stains. Then I got out my magic eraser and my Comet and started scrubbing. And scrubbing. I stared in dismay, as I saw the rust still glaring at me.

I was beginning to think it would be there forever, but decided to give one more thing a try: I googled the problem. I was directed to a webpage that suggested four different things to try. The first thing was to dab a sponge in white vinegar. The author assured me the rust would wipe right off.

Now, if I am being honest here, I didn't really believe her. I had just sprinkled and wiped and scrubbed for 15 minutes. I know white vinegar is useful, but this problem seemed to be a little beyond this useful liquid's capability.

But it was the simplest thing to try and I decided it couldn't hurt. So I got a cupful of white vinegar and a sponge and headed back downstairs.

The result was as painless as it was amazing! I didn't even have to scrub! I dipped the sponge into the white vinegar, wiped it on the stainless steel, and the rust disappeared like magic.

I now have a beautiful sink that looks almost new again, thanks to a 99 cent bottle of white vinegar.

Life is just full of surprises...even silly ones like this one. Hope you have a great day-

~Leslie


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