Supplies for removing excess rust using the soak method: gloves, tongs, long spoon for stirring, bucket, warm water, baking soda, plastic to protect work area, rusted fabric.

Remember all items used for this project are NOT to be used again for genearl cooking/eating purposes. Please use studio dedicated tools ONLY for safety's sake!!! Wear gloves and old work clothes if you do not wish to stain your hands or your clothes.

Add to your clean bucket 1 quart of hot water and then mix in 1/4 cup baking soda.

The water will become fizzy, this is ok.

View of your baking soda water, this is what you will use to reduce the rust on the surface of the fabric

Push your fabric into the warm water solution and thoroughly wet out the fabric making sure the fabric is beneath the waters surface, add more warm water if needed.

This is what your fabric will look like in the bucket, after about 3-5 minutes your water will start to change color as the baking soda knocks the rust/iron oxide particles loose from the fabrics surface. I genearlly allow my fabric to soak overnight, if the rusted area is excessively heavy I will change the baking soda solution. You can save this solution as a mordant for dyeing other fabrics, you could pour it into an old soda bottle for later use.