Prep first
Before you start
- Figure out the cause first: orange-brown and hard usually means iron, while slimy pink-red in a bathroom usually means a bacterium.
- Pretest any rust remover on a hidden area, because these removers are strong acids.
- Hold off on washing or drying until you have checked the stain in daylight.
Orange stains don't always share a cause, and the same shade can come from very different sources. Orange to reddish-brown marks are usually iron from water or rusting metal, pink-red slime in bathrooms is usually a bacterium, and blue-green marks on fixtures come from copper dissolved by corrosive water. Chlorine bleach makes iron stains worse, so identifying the stain comes before choosing a product.
A red stain on fabric usually responds to a fabric-safe rust remover, but test it on a hidden seam first. Before you start, think about what touched the item, since foods and dyes like red 40 can leave a similar tint. If the stain has set or the fabric is delicate, a dry cleaner is safer than a stronger remover.
Identify the stain first
What's causing it?
Iron (rust) in water
Orange-brown or reddish-brown stains in sinks, toilets, tubs and on laundry, often on many items. Well water may look clear at first and then form orange-brown particles on standing. Soap and detergent don't remove it, and bleach intensifies it.
Iron bacteria
Slimy red-brown or brown gelatinous growth in toilet tanks or where water stands, sometimes with a foul odor. It can appear even at iron levels too low to stain.
Serratia marcescens (pink or red bacteria)
A pink to red slimy film or line in toilet bowls, shower stalls, tub enclosures, sinks, tile or pet dishes where soap or other residue builds up. Often worse in summer or with a carbon filter that removes chlorine. It wipes off but comes back.
Copper from corrosive water (blue-green)
Blue-green stains in sinks and bathtubs, with a metallic taste, especially in the first water drawn in the morning.
Rust from a washer or metal
Orange spots appearing on shirts, pants or towels after washing, especially with an older washer. Look for rust inside the drum and around the basket drain holes.
Sunscreen with avobenzone plus hard water
Orange, rust-colored marks at necklines, straps, towels and swimwear after sunscreen use in hard-water areas. Synthetics hold them more than cotton.
Dye transfer or colored drinks
Whites turned pink after washing with a red garment, or red, blue or green spots from fruit drinks, sports drinks, Kool-Aid or food coloring.
Benzoyl peroxide acne medication
A rusty-yellowish spot that looks bleached on towels, pillowcases or shirts. It cannot be removed.
Ammonia on mustard (turmeric-colored) stains
A yellow mustard stain turned red after cleaning with ammonia.
3 items
What you'll need
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- Commercial rust removerMade for iron stains. Follow its label for strength and time. (opens Amazon)
- Rubber glovesRust removers are strong acids and oxalic acid is poisonous, so keep your skin covered. (opens Amazon)
- Clean white clothTo dampen and blot the stain and to check the color afterward. (opens Amazon)
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6 steps
Step by step
Step 1 of 6
Work out what is causing the stain
Orange to reddish-brown stains are most often iron, from water or a rusting metal part. Look at the stain in daylight: if it is hard and orange-brown, treat it as rust.
If the mark is slimy and pink-red, it is usually a bacterium, and it needs a different approach than rust.
Tip. If several items are stained, check the water or a rusting metal part nearby.
Step 2 of 6
Test the remover on a hidden spot
Dab a little rust remover on a hidden seam or inside hem, then wait and look for any color change. Rust removers are strong acids, so do this before you treat the stain itself.
Careful. Wear rubber gloves for this and every step after it, because oxalic acid is poisonous.
Step 3 of 6
Dampen and treat the rust
Dampen the stain with water so the remover can reach it. Apply the commercial rust remover to the stain and leave it for the time its label gives.
Tip. Work from the back of the fabric so the rust does not spread into the clean fibers.
Step 4 of 6
Rinse the remover out completely
Rinse the treated area under cool water until no remover is left in the fabric. Leftover acid can keep working on the fibers, so take your time with this rinse.
Step 5 of 6
Check the color before drying
Hold the fabric up in daylight. If any orange or brown color remains, repeat the rust remover step on that spot and rinse again.
Careful. Keep the stained fabric out of the dryer until the color is gone.
Step 6 of 6
Machine wash and air dry
Once the color is gone, machine wash the item as its care label allows. Air dry it, and only move it to the dryer after you have confirmed the stain is gone.
If you'd rather buy than mix
Best products for orange
Choose a rust remover made for the material you are treating, and read the label for how long it should sit.
Bar Keepers Friend Cleanser
RUST AID Bathroom Rust Remover
CLR Calcium, Lime & Rust Remover
How we picked these: each product is made for this type of stain, its maker doesn't warn against using it on these surfaces, and its directions fit the steps above.
Finished the steps? How does it look?
Nice work. Let it dry completely and check it again in good light. Here is what done looks like:
How to tell it's really gone →A faint mark usually needs one more round, not a stronger product.
See what to do for what you're seeing →Heavy buildup usually takes more than one round.
Heavy or long-standing buildup →When to call a professional →Pick what it is on
Orange on every material
Clothes & laundry1
Kitchen & bath7
Bedding & linens4
Carpet & rugs1
Shoes & accessories3
Walls1
Leather & suede1
Furniture & upholstery1
No match. Try the main search for anything else.
How to tell it's working
You're done when the spot matches the fabric around it in daylight, with no orange or brown tint. If a faint shadow remains after the wash, repeat the rust remover on that spot and rinse again before the item goes near the dryer.
What changes for yours
Adjust for where the stain is
Orange in bathrooms and showers
Orange and reddish-brown marks on a toilet or shower are usually iron from the water, so reach for an acidic lime-and-rust toilet cleaner. Treatments for fabric don't suit fixtures, so don't carry them over.
For the bowl itself, see the Toilets guide, and for tile and glass doors, see the Showers & Glass Doors guide. Pink-red slime in a shower is a bacterium, not rust, so it is a separate job.
Specialty fabrics and items
Baby bottles are usually plastic, so use the plastic guide for them instead of a fabric method. Diapers and other items with an unclear fiber need the same caution: don't guess at what the material can take.
Check the care label first, and if there isn't one, skip the rust remover and any bleach until you know what the material is. Then follow the Clothes guide for the washing steps that suit that fabric.
Heavy or long-standing buildup
An old orange stain has often been through a few washes, so it may need a second round of the rust remover. Repeat the treatment on the same spot and rinse well each time before the next round.
Once it has dried, dampen the spot again before you apply the remover, since dry rust is harder to lift. For bleach-safe white cotton or linen, you can also try salt and lemon juice dried in the sun, or boil the item in 4 teaspoons cream of tartar per pint of water.
If the color survived the dryer, don't put the item back in until it is gone. If the color is still there after several rounds, a professional cleaner is a better next step than stronger products at home.
Vinegar, baking soda, peroxide and more
Do home remedies work on orange?
Most common household remedies don't belong in an orange-stain fix, and some can make the stain or the fabric worse. Skip anything that isn't a rust remover.
Helps1Skip5Avoid1
What makes it worse
Mistakes to avoid
Don't use chlorine bleach on rust
Chlorine bleach sets rust and makes the mark darker and harder to lift. Until you know the stain is not iron, keep bleach away from it.
Don't mix bleach with acidic cleaners
Chlorine bleach mixed with acidic rust or toilet bowl cleaners, vinegar or lemon juice releases chlorine gas. Keep these apart, and rinse every surface well before any bleach goes near it.
Don't leave bleach in a toilet tank
Bleach sitting in the tank damages the rubber valves and seals. For rust in a toilet, use an acidic lime-and-rust toilet cleaner instead.
Troubleshooting
If the stain is still there
Pick what you're seeing:
Orange spots appear on laundry after every wash
Check the washer drum and the basket drain holes for rust. If the drum is clean, the iron is likely in the water supply.
Pink film keeps coming back in the shower
That is typical of Serratia. Scrub and disinfect whenever the film reappears, and wipe surfaces dry after use.
Blue-green stains spread across several fixtures
Corrosive water is dissolving copper from the pipes. Have the water tested and treated rather than relying on cleaning alone.
When to call a professional
If the stain is on a carpet, upholstery or a fixture you can't test on, call a professional cleaner. They can judge what is safe for the material, which home steps can't do. Ask them to look at it before you try stronger products.
Questions
Do these foods, dyes, and products stain?
Most orange stains come from iron in water or from rusting metal rather than from food or dye, so check the source first. Red and pink marks can have other causes, such as bacteria in bathroom slime.
How can I tell if an orange stain is rust?
Rust is usually orange to reddish-brown and hard, and it often shows up near water or a rusting metal part. Pink-red slime is a different problem and is usually a bacterium.
Can I get a rust stain out of a white shirt?
Yes, if the shirt is bleach-safe white cotton or linen. Use the rust remover per its label, rinse well, machine wash and air dry.
What should I use to get orange stains out of a toilet?
Use an acidic lime-and-rust toilet cleaner, since that is the product built for rust in the bowl. The Toilets guide covers the rest of the cleaning.
Can an old orange stain still come out?
Often yes, but it may take a second round of the rust remover. If it is still there after several rounds, a professional cleaner can judge what is safe for the material.
What causes pink slime in a shower?
It is usually Serratia marcescens, a bacterium, not a dye or rust. It needs a different treatment than the rust steps above, and the Showers & Glass Doors guide covers the cleaning.
Does a blue-green stain on a fixture come from copper?
Yes, blue-green stains on fixtures come from copper dissolved by corrosive water. Check the water source first, and use the Bathtubs guide for cleaning the fixture itself.
Related
How we know this
Every method, amount and warning here comes from university extension services, industry bodies and product makers. We read them, check every step for unsafe combinations and changed amounts, and write it up so you can follow it.