What Is a Natural Cleaner for Rust Stains on Grout in the Shower?

Salt and Lime Juice

• Place some salt over the rust stain on the grout and soak it with lime juice. Allow this mixture to sit for about three hours to dissolve the rust. Rub the remaining rust stain with a lime rind to remove any lingering material. You can wash the mixture down the shower drain without any issue. This might seem counterintuitive if you are familiar with rust. Salt and acids, like lime juice, increase the rate of corrosion. The reason this is not an issue is because the grout itself cannot rust. These substances actually do remove rust on an iron surface, but they also cause more rust to form, so it is not a viable cleaning method.

Baking Soda

• A mixture of three parts baking soda and one part water can be used to clean grout. The paste formed by this mixture is applied directly to the rust stains. The paste is brushed away with a grout brush or sponge to clean the stains. The baking soda in the paste serves as an abrasive. As you clean off the paste, the baking soda rubs the rust stains, pulling them away from the grout.

Organic Cleaners

• The term organic has a large number of meanings, which means there is a large amount of potential variance in organic cleaners. Cleaners do not necessarily fall under the same category as food when labeled “organic.” Many of these cleaners can be used to clean rust stains. If you want to use one, you should look for one that is specifically marked for use on grout. The exact process, environmental effects and materials vary extensively, so it only serves as a broad category of cleaners rather than a specific type.

Sealer

• Grout sealers usually are not made from natural components. From a health perspective, the grout cleaner is going to prevent anything from bonding to the grout. In addition to rust stains, mold, mildew and other stains are stopped by the sealer. Most consumer grout sealers do not contain any harsh chemicals, but some of the professional, heavy duty ones are harsher. From a pollution standpoint, the decreased need for cleaning is better for the environment than using natural cleaners to get rid of stains. Natural cleaners and even water have a minor negative impact on the environment when used. The small impact over a period of several years ends up exceeding the slightly larger impact of the sealer. Sealing the grout to prevent rust stains in the first place saves time, effort and potentially is better for the environment in the long run.