Question

Which of the following will use to remove rust stains on cloth?
A.Alcohol
B.Oxalic acid solution
C.Kerosene oil
D.Lime

Answer 1

Hint:Rust is primarily the oxides of iron formed by the reaction of iron and oxygen in presence of moisture and is mostly reddish in color. Cloth tends to get the stain of rust if they come in contact with rust that forms on iron.

Complete step by step answer:

If we discuss alcohol as an effective means to remove rust stains, it is very difficult to remove rust stains using alcohol and we need to use other soap-based agents to remove the stains.
Kerosene oil can be used to remove rust stains from metal tools and may not be as effective to remove rust stains from cloth
When using Lime to remove stains from the clothes, we would require additional items such as vinegar, salt, and washing powder to ensure the stains are properly removed.
Oxalic acid (\[{H_2}{C_2}{O_4}\]) is a reducing agent and is mainly used as an industrial cleaner and it is best in removing the rust stains from clothes. To remove the stains from clothes we would mix a solution of oxalic acid and warm water in equal proportions and apply the solution to the target object. It is also known as Wood bleach.
Hence the correct answer is option D.

Note:
Oxalic acid also known as ethanedioic acid is highly corrosive and also is highly toxic. It is also found naturally in certain fruits and vegetables such spinach and almonds. The various other uses of the acid other than being used a bleach are:
-Remove calcium deposits from water in case of wastewater treatment.
-Used in developing photographic films.