How to fix dull spots left on metal legs after removing rust
Abrasive brushing strips away rust but leaves behind dull, scratched patches on the surrounding finish. Restoring the metal to a uniform shine requires using an ultra-fine abrasive like 0000 steel wool to polish out the dull spots without scratching the clean surface further.
What the numbers show
Counted from the threads quoted below. How we count
- The most recent one is from October 2026.
- This comes up 13.8× more often in r/CleaningTips than across the site as a whole.
What people tried
Every workaround mentioned in the threads below. We haven’t tested any of them — and nobody here is claiming they worked.
Found another way around this?
Share your steps and trade-offs so fellow engineers don't have to reinvent the wheel. No account required.
- 1Using various brushes, Clorox wipes, and paper towelsDid this help you?
- 2Scrubbing with a metal wire brushDid this help you?
- 3Using barkeeper's friendDid this help you?
- 4Using vinegarDid this help you?
- 5Using citric acidDid this help you?
- 6painting over the stains with a good hiding primer and paintDid this help you?
- 7using iron removal tools designed for showersDid this help you?
- 8using CLR to dissolve the stainsDid this help you?
- 9Scrubbing hardDid this help you?
- 10Lightly sanding and using a metal polish like AutosolDid this help you?
- 11Replacing the metal part entirely with a new oneDid this help you?
- 12watching instructional videos like This Old HouseDid this help you?
- 13using brush-on naval jelly and different grades of sandpaperDid this help you?
- 14Chipping heavy flakes off with a screwdriverDid this help you?
- 15Using a wire wheel or wire brushDid this help you?
- 16Applying rust converter and protective films like Fluid Film or Cosmoline BlackDid this help you?
- 17Using Bar Keepers FriendDid this help you?
- 18Trying vinegar and salt solutionsDid this help you?
- 19Using chemical rust removers like CLRDid this help you?
In their words
Unedited, grouped by where they were said, most upvoted first within each place, each linked to the thread it came from.
“I tried so many recommended solutions to remove hard water stains from my fixtures and the ONLY thing that finally worked was 0000 steel wool.”source ↗
“I've been struggling with the exact same spots on my fixtures.”source ↗
“I’ve been trying to fix this since I moved into my apartment just over a year ago.”source ↗
“I want it as close to “like new” as possible. What can I do to remove all of the rust and bring these legs back to its shining glory?”source ↗
“I used a metal wire brush but it made the surrounding area dull.”source ↗
“really struggling to get the old stains removed.”source ↗
“Hello! I am moving out from my rental property in a few weeks and need to properly clean these window openings.”source ↗
“I attempted a deep clean a month or so ago and managed to remove quite a bit definitely not all! I scrubbed so hard it left some marks on the metal.”source ↗
“Nah not really just wanna remove the rust.”source ↗
“Can I treat this with a wire wheel, rust converter and fluid film? Or is it too far gone.”source ↗
“Should I take a small wire brush to it? Or just chip the flakes off with a screwdriver before rust converter and fluid film?”source ↗
“Treatable. Wire wheel, rust converter, and Cosmoline Black.”source ↗
“I tried BKF to no avail and have read about vinegar/salt… wondering if anyone has pro tips on how to remove the tarnish - I’d seems like it’s been there for a long while.”source ↗
Where this came up
People with this problem also raised
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- 7Cheap ways to remove rust stains without buying CLR
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