Kitchen countertops are hard to keep clean even with normal use. But when the mess goes beyond tomato sauce splatter to rust stains, cleaning the countertop can be even more difficult. Removing the stain as soon as possible is important. While many commercial cleansers are available to combat this common problem, you can create a simple solution at home to return your countertops to a clean state.

Create a paste by mixing lemon juice and baking soda. Alternatively, you can mix drugstore-strength hydrogen peroxide (3 per cent) and talcum powder.

Place the paste onto the rust stain and rub with a cloth. Allow the paste to remain on the countertop for at least 30 minutes.

  • Kitchen countertops are hard to keep clean even with normal use.
  • Place the paste onto the rust stain and rub with a cloth.

Rinse off the paste with a nonabrasive cloth and warm water. There should be no sign of the stain. Repeat if necessary.

TIP

Commercial rust stain removers sold at hardware stores also can remove such stains from countertops.