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Beautifying your backyard or patio with metal patio furniture undoubtedly enhances the overall appeal of the house. However, one of the biggest problems of using metal patio furniture is that it tends to rust very quickly. Living in a climate where the humidity is very high only means that the furniture rusts even quicker.  Once this happens, most homeowners seek professional help to remove rust from their patio furniture. Although professionals do a thorough job in cleaning the furniture, you can actually remove the rust stains yourself! There are many household items that can help in remove rust from your patio furniture.

Here are a few ways to remove rust from tables, chairs, outdoor umbrellas, or any other outdoor furniture that is damaged due to rust.

Method 1 – Baking soda

Baking soda, the universal cleaning agent, can be used to remove rust from outdoor furniture. To do this, mix baking soda with water (for moderate levels of rust) or hydrogen peroxide (for hard rust) and prepare a paste. Apply the paste onto the rusted area using a cloth or pad. Let it sit for 15-20 minutes.

After it sits, scrub the rust well with an abrasive. If you see that the rust has not disappeared completely, repeat the process one more time.

Method 2 – White Vinegar

To clean the furniture using white vinegar, rinse the rusted surface with white vinegar and leave it for some time. If you want, you can even add salt to increase the acidity.

After 10-15 minutes, scrub the metal furniture with an abrasive or scrubber. This will remove all the rust from the furniture.

Method 3 – Potato

Yep, you read that right. The oxalic acid in potato helps to remove the rust from furniture. To use this unconventional method, cut the potato in half and add salt or dish soap on it. Scrub the rusty surface with the potato/salt mixture, which will create a chemical reaction which helps to loosen the rust.

The rust can then be cleaned with a cloth. This method can be used to remove rust from scissors and pliers as well.

Method 4 – Salt and lemon

Mix lemon and salt in a bowl and apply it onto the rusted surface. You can also apply the lemon first and top it off with salt.

While the acid in the lemon helps to loosen the rust, the salt acts as an abrasive and helps remove the rust. Once the mixture is applied, leave it for about 20 minutes. You can then scrub and clean the surface with an abrasive.

Method 5 – Aluminum foil

It’s obvious that aluminum foil is mostly used for wrapping food, but most people don’t realize it can be used for cleaning rust as well. First you need to make a mixture of water and salt. Make a ball of aluminum foil and dip it into the mixture. Use this to scrub and clean the rust. Repeat this step a few times to remove the rust completely.

When aluminum is rubbed against rust, it creates a certain material that can easily be cleaned off.

Removing rust from your patio furniture is definitely a DIY project. You just need these household products, which are probably already in your house!