Dealing with rust and limescale can be a real pain, right? They show up everywhere - from your bathroom to your kitchen appliances.

A lot of people use CLR (Calcium Lime Rust) for cleaning this stuff and it's pretty effective, but there are plenty of other substitutes you can use to get rid of these stubborn buildups.

Most of them are probably sitting right in your kitchen or garage!

In this post, I'll show you 8 great CLR alternatives for rust and limescale.

#1 White Vinegar

White vinegar is the best CLR substitute. It's great for the environment and it's super effective at breaking down rust and limescale. 

The secret? It's the acetic acid in it. This acid will react and break down both iron oxide (rust) and calcium carbonate (lime scale) into water soluble compounds.

Also Read: CLR vs vinegar

Using white vinegar is pretty straightforward - just soak whatever you're cleaning in pure vinegar for a few hours or leave it overnight. 

Got a really tough stain? Try warming up the vinegar a bit before you use it. 

After it's done soaking, give it a good scrub with a brush or sponge, then rinse it off. 

White vinegar works wonders on things like coffee makers, shower heads, and faucets, and it’s perfect for small items like screws, tools, and kitchen utensils too.

#2 Lemon Juice

Lemon juice is another natural cleaner that does an awesome job, especially on limescale. 

Like vinegar, it's the citric acid in lemons that makes them so good at dissolving mineral deposits and getting rid of rust stains. 

To use it, just put the lemon juice right on the spot you want to clean and let it sit for about an hour.

If you're dealing with something really stubborn, mix the lemon juice with some salt to make a paste. After you've let it sit, scrub it with a brush or sponge and rinse it off. 

Lemon juice is especially great for smaller items, and it leaves everything smelling fresh and nice.

#3 Baking Soda

Baking soda is pretty gentle as far as abrasives go, which makes it perfect for cleaning rust and limescale without scratching up your stuff. It's particularly handy when you're cleaning delicate materials or when you need to take it easy on a surface. 

Using baking soda is simple - just mix it with some water to make a paste. Spread that paste on whatever you're cleaning and let it sit for about half an hour. 

Then, grab a brush or sponge and start scrubbing, focusing on those stains. When you're done, just rinse it off with water. 

Baking soda is fantastic for cleaning sinks, bathtubs, and tiles.

Also Read: Cleaning a tarnished faucet

#4 Hydrogen Peroxide

Hydrogen peroxide is another good CLR alternative when it comes to getting rid of rust stains, though it's not as great with limescale.

It's the way it oxidizes that helps it break down rust really quickly.

Using hydrogen peroxide is easy - pour it right onto the rust stain and watch it bubble for a few minutes. For those really tough stains, you can mix hydrogen peroxide with cream of tartar or baking soda to make a paste.

After you've let it do its thing, scrub the area with a brush and rinse it clean.

Just be careful when you use hydrogen peroxide on colored surfaces - it might make the color fade.

#5 Coca-Cola

Believe it or not, Coca-Cola can be used to remove rust, thanks to its phosphoric acid content.

While you might not think of your favorite soda as a cleaning product, it's surprisingly effective at breaking down rust. It's not exactly the greenest option out there, but it can be pretty handy in a pinch.

To use Coca-Cola, just pour it over the area you want to clean or soak the item in it for a few hours or overnight. The acids in the soda will work on dissolving the buildup. 

After it's done soaking, give it a good scrub and rinse it off thoroughly. 

Coca-Cola works great on things like outdoor metal furniture, tools, and even toilet bowls.

#6 Muriatic Acid

Muriatic acid, which is also called hydrochloric acid, is some pretty heavy-duty stuff. 

It's a good CLR alternative, and it can clean up rust and limescale super fast - but you've got to be really careful with it because it's seriously corrosive. 

Always make sure you're wearing protective gear - gloves and goggles are a must - when you're working with muriatic acid.

You'll need to dilute it according to the instructions on the package. Then, apply it to the area you're cleaning, let it sit for a short while, then neutralize it with baking soda before you rinse it off.

Because it's so strong, muriatic acid is best for those really tough cleaning jobs on surfaces that aren't porous.

#7 Evapo-Rust ERO12

Evapo-Rust ERO12 is a store-bought rust remover that's safer to use than a lot of other chemical options. It's non-toxic, biodegradable, and doesn't have any acids in it. 

Using Evapo-Rust is pretty simple - just soak the rusty item in the solution for a few hours or overnight, depending on how rusty it is. 

After it's done soaking, rinse it off and dry it really well. 

Evapo-Rust is especially good at removing rust from tools, car parts, and antiques without damaging the metal underneath.

#8 Viakal

Viakal is a popular choice for removing limescale in many parts of Europe. It's specially made to deal with tough limescale and soap scum buildup. 

Using Viakal is easy - just spray it directly on the surface you want to clean and let it sit for a few minutes. Then, wipe or scrub the area and rinse it off thoroughly. 

Also Read: will scotch brite scratch glass

Viakal works really well on bathroom fixtures, tiles, and glass shower doors. 

However, it might not be easy to find everywhere, it can be a powerful CLR substitute for those stubborn limescale problems.

Wrapping Up

While CLR is pretty well-known for dealing with rust and limescale, these eight alternatives give you a bunch of options to choose from, depending on what you need to clean and what you prefer to use.

Before you pick one, think about what material you're cleaning and how bad the buildup is.

Our personal favorite is vinegar and lemon juice!