Purpose – To study the effects of the sodium salts of molybdate, tungstate and monovanadate as well as some derivatives of Neville‐Winter acid azo dyes on the corrosion of carbon steel in 3.5 percent NaCl solution. Design/methodology/approach – Open circuit potential measurement and potentiostatic polarization techniques have been used. Findings – It was found that all the compounds had inhibition effects on carbon steel dissolution. Inhibition efficiency (IE) increased with increase in inhibitor concentration. The process of inhibition was attributed to the formation of an adsorbed film on the metal surface, which protects the metal against the corrosive medium. The adsorption of these compounds on the steel/chloride interface was found to follow Freundlich adsorption isotherm behaviour. Originality/value – Proves the effectiveness of the sodium salts of molybdate, tungstate and monovanadate as well as some derivatives of Neville‐Winter acid azo dyes on the corrosion of carbon steel in 3.5 percent NaCl solution.