This morning, I noticed that a couple of components of my husband's spare helmet had rust on it. Because I was unsure how to clean it, I decided to turn to the internet. The top results mostly involved vinegar. However, I wasn't too keen on the thought of using vinegar because of the smell and the effect the acidity might have on the metal.

That's when I came upon a suggestion given by a blog commenter. Her idea? Using aluminum foil and water. Basically, all you have to do is take some aluminum foil, dip it in water (or place it under running tap water), and then rub the rusted spots on your item. The rust will turn into sort of a brownish liquid, so keep some tissue paper handy so you can wipe it away.

If you're interested in reading about why aluminum foil plus water works on rust, this web page explains it pretty well.

Here are some "before" pictures.



How effective was this method? Very effective. I didn't even have to rub very hard to remove the rust. I did have to keep going back to the bathroom to wet the aluminum foil, though, so for convenience, I suggest you just keep a small cup of water close by to wet/rinse the aluminum foil in.

Here are the "after" photos, for comparison. There is still some discoloration, but it's not because of rust.



Do you have other go-to solutions for rust? Let me know in the comments below!