An environmentally friendly phosphating process was proposed, which used the synergistic action of citric acid and sodium citrate to form a uniform and dense phosphating film. Compared to the phosphate coating without sodium citrate, the |Z_0.01 Hz| of the coating with 0.8 g/L sodium citrate was approximately double. The friction coefficient and wear rate decreased by 29.25% and 94.8%, respectively. The phosphating treatment method reported in this study is expected to become an important way for the anti-corrosion field to environmental protection and economic benefits development.