Though it’s a stain many homeowners fear they won’t be able to clean, one Los Angeles house cleaning expert says rust is actually the “easiest thing in the world to remove.”

Rick Sicro, of Holly Maids in Rancho Santa Margarita, Calif., says if rust builds up on the sink, on carpeting or clothing, a rust remover from any local home improvement store will work and be safe to the surface.The inexpensive quick-fix also works like a charm when trying to remove the stubborn rust ring created by a can of shaving cream left in the shower, he says.

"You put it on there, within 5 minutes it removes it and you wash it off,” Sicro says.

While rust on the surface may not post a challenge, rust that is nestled in scratched material can prove to be quite difficult. If you find rust hiding in a scratch on a stainless steel sink, Sicro says it’s best left to a professional.

“If you get steel wool and you go with the grain of the stainless, you may possibly buff it out,” he says, but warns the wool must be “ultra, ultra fine,” or it could create additional scratches.

Chicago house cleaning professional Teresa Cleary of First White Glove sticks to natural products when cleaning her clients’ homes. Her go-to solution is a mixture of liquid Castile soap and baking soda.

“If I did have any kind of rust, I use that product on it and it usually takes it off,” Cleary says, adding she follows-up with a stainless steel polish if focusing on the kitchen sink.

Tampa house cleaning expert Joanne Braccio, owner of Maid to Order in St. Petersburg, Fla., uses a combination of lemon juice and baking soda when working on rust on stainless steel.

“Create a paste from equal parts lemon juice and baking soda, then scrub with damp sponge,” she says. “For tougher stains, leave the paste on for 15 to 30 minutes then wipe clean.”

Lemon juice and cream of tartar soup also creates a mix you can use to clean rust spots, Braccio says. Rub the mix over the stain with a soft sponge and then rinse clean.

Cleary says the best way to prevent your household surfaces from rusting is to keep them dry.