# Does Coke really clean rust from bumpers? Does that make it special in any way? **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [December 1, 2003, 8:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-coke-really-clean-rust-from-bumpers-does-that-make-it-special-in-any-way/216334 "2003-12-01T20:34:25Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 8\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Chuck82](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/34f0e0/32.png) [@Chuck82](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chuck82)\ **Post date:** [December 1, 2003, 8:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-coke-really-clean-rust-from-bumpers-does-that-make-it-special-in-any-way/216334/1 "2003-12-01T20:34:25Z")
I’ve heard that a lot. But would any other acid work as well, say vinegar, or even Hi-C? ---
**Author:** ![belladonna](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/9fc29f/32.png) [@belladonna](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/belladonna)\ **Post date:** [December 1, 2003, 9:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-coke-really-clean-rust-from-bumpers-does-that-make-it-special-in-any-way/216334/2 "2003-12-01T21:18:22Z")
I watched an episode of MythBusters a couple weeks ago that tried this out. Their conclusion was that it _did_ work somewhat, most likely due to its slightly acidic composition. Whether vinegar or Hi-C would work was not addressed. Perhaps you could pack a bag and head to the junkyard (or your neighbor’s driveway) and perform an experiment for the benefit of the teeming millions? 😃 ---
**Author:** ![Number](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/number/32/242_2.png) [@Number](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Number)\ **Post date:** [December 1, 2003, 9:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-coke-really-clean-rust-from-bumpers-does-that-make-it-special-in-any-way/216334/3 "2003-12-01T21:22:56Z")
Snopes’ [Cokelore](http://www.snopes.com/cokelore/cokelore.asp) section has answers to many common questions on the subject. The [acids](http://www.snopes.com/cokelore/acid.asp) article covers this one in particular. ---
**Author:** ![Number](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/number/32/242_2.png) [@Number](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Number)\ **Post date:** [December 1, 2003, 9:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-coke-really-clean-rust-from-bumpers-does-that-make-it-special-in-any-way/216334/4 "2003-12-01T21:25:47Z")
Whoops, I forgot to include the relevant quote. > [@](#): > > Nearly all carbonated soft drinks contain carbonic acid, which is moderately useful for tasks such as removing stains and dissolving rust deposits (although plain soda water is much better for some of these purposes than Coca-Cola or other soft drinks, as it doesn’t leave a sticky sugar residue behind). Carbonic acid is relatively weak, however, and people have been drinking carbonated water for many years with no detrimental effects. ---
**Author:** ![Ice97531](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/bb73d2/32.png) [@Ice97531](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ice97531)\ **Post date:** [December 2, 2003, 2:34am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-coke-really-clean-rust-from-bumpers-does-that-make-it-special-in-any-way/216334/5 "2003-12-02T02:34:37Z")
I saw that Mythbusters show too Save your money and drink the coke ---
**Author:** ![Bad\_Samaritan](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/ac8455/32.png) [@Bad\_Samaritan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bad_Samaritan)\ **Post date:** [December 2, 2003, 2:40am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-coke-really-clean-rust-from-bumpers-does-that-make-it-special-in-any-way/216334/6 "2003-12-02T02:40:49Z")
I discovered (accidentally) that coke appears to clean the grout in our tile floor. Or at least lightens it up a bit. ---
**Author:** ![Balthisar](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/balthisar/32/2825_2.png) [@Balthisar](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Balthisar)\ **Post date:** [December 2, 2003, 10:40am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-coke-really-clean-rust-from-bumpers-does-that-make-it-special-in-any-way/216334/7 "2003-12-02T10:40:04Z")
Try hot sauce. I know that Valentina specifically works, and I imagine others may work, too. My wife just showed me this trick by polishing a copper crab ashtray with the hot sauce. She save me $3 and the time it would have cost me to run out and buy Brasso. ---
**Author:** ![Small\_Clanger](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/9fc348/32.png) [@Small\_Clanger](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Small_Clanger)\ **Post date:** [December 2, 2003, 11:56am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-coke-really-clean-rust-from-bumpers-does-that-make-it-special-in-any-way/216334/8 "2003-12-02T11:56:34Z")
Yes it works, I have used it to get rust spots off a chrome bumper\*. It’s the phosphoric acid. And I think there’s probably something dubious about the science in the Cokelaw link. It’s not all about the concentration, there is more to acids than that (can a chemist help us out please?) Some acids are intrinsically more powerful than others. \*the rust was in the steel _under_ the chrome. Just to pre-empt the nit-pickers.