Rust stains from furniture legs and plant stands

Rust on carpet comes from metal furniture legs, plant stands, radiators and the occasional tool left on a damp floor. It looks like a stain and behaves like a dye: it has bonded to the fiber.

Household cleaners, and especially bleach, make rust stains permanent by oxidizing them further. The right product is a rust remover based on oxalic acid or a similar reducing agent, applied carefully, neutralized and rinsed. It is a professional step because the chemistry can damage some fibers if left too long.

Prevention

Put felt or plastic caps on metal furniture legs on carpet, and put a saucer with feet under plant stands. Rust stains form where metal sits on damp carpet, which in Puget Sound is any carpet in winter.