Hydrochloric (muriatic) acid is an excellent and effective way to clean rusty steel.Click to see full answer. In this regard, what acid is best for rust removal?Hydrochloric acid works great as a rust remover. It’s available in Home Depot, Lowe’s, and ACE Hardware as muriatic acid.Beside above, does Citric Acid get rid of rust? Citric acid is one of the easiest, safest, and least abrasive ways to remove surface rust from old steel tools and accessories. Citric acid allows you to easily and safely remove rust without damaging the steel finish. Citric acid is the main ingredient in many biodegradable cleaners and also used for baking. One may also ask, does muriatic acid get rid of rust? If you are going to use muriatic acid to remove rust despite the heath risks, dilute it 1 to 10 with water. Use a brush to scrub off the rust. Then, because of the power of the acid, the material has to be immersed in water to take off the remaining acid. If rust still remains, the process can be repeated.What chemical will remove rust?The old standby rust remover chemicals contain either phosphoric or hydrochloric acid to dissolve the rust. They’re harsh chemicals that give off some pretty intense fumes, so suit up with rubber gloves, goggles and a respirator. Find them in the paint department at any home center.