Rust on the blade of your knives means that they would become blunt, unattractive, and not useful to the kitchen.
But then, you love and treasure these knives, and you can’t think of throwing them away because they got rusted.
How can you get it cleaned? Is it possible to get the rust to disappear from the surface of the knife completely without leaving any trace at all?
Yes, it is completely possible to get the rusted part cleaned and sparkling clean. You can try using baking soda to get the job done!
Baking soda is one of the most wanted cleaning agents after vinegar. This is because it possesses the cleaning ability to give your appliances a shiny look that they once had.
Table of Contents
General rules for Cleaning your rusted knives
First off, you cannot mix baking soda with extremely harsh chemicals. If you want to use baking soda alone to clean the rusted knives, then go ahead.
If otherwise, then you can mix it with other milder cleaning agents such as; lemon, vinegar, and liquid washing soap.
These agents are usually mild when they come in contact with dishes and other kitchen utensils.
Another thing you need to know is that you cannot use a soft cleaning tool to handle this project.
If you have been used to cleaning the knife and other utensils with a soft sponge, well, it’s time to switch to something that would scrub out these chemical buildups.
Meanwhile, you need to be extremely careful while dealing with knives.
Be careful with the pointy edge to be on the safe side. So simply place it on the counter to apply your desired treatment.
Products to use in cleaning the rusted knives
There are a variety of products you can use, but then, you need to explore the various ways the baking soda is being prepared to clean the rust and the various processes involved.
Among these products is Baking soda. Baking soda, like it was said above, is a unique cleaning product, and you must be careful when using it.
Baking soda is quite durable and useful for cleaning purposes.
There is also vinegar. Most times, these cleaning products help to transform the faded appearance of an appliance or utensil when used, and vinegar is one of them.
There is also lemon; the mild liquid washing soap is also a typical cleaning agent that should be included at all costs.
For the cleaning tool, you cannot use a soft cleaning tool to scrub off the rusted part. It will never succumb to scrubbing.
However, if you used a strong sponge or a coarse scrubbing brush, the rust will be out in no time.
These abrasives are used because the rust is a result of chemical buildup that has been stuck on the knife over time.
Therefore, it needs something hard to wash out the hard dirt. Otherwise, it would still remain stuck to the knife or utensil.
How can you remove rust from your kitchen knives?
It’s not as difficult as you think. Rusted knives can be switched to clean knives only if you use the proper cleaning agents and products.
Method 1
In this method, you will need to get baking soda and vinegar. When both cleaning agents are mixed together, they form a reaction that works pretty well for the surface you are about to clean.
So get a small bowl and pour some baking soda in it, add some white vinegar to it and mix well to form a pasty consistency. Once this consistency has been formed, begin to rub it on the rusted part until it is fully coated.
Once this has been done, spray the knife again lightly with vinegar, then allow it to sit for a few hours. You can leave it to sit overnight if you wish.
When that has been done, spray the knife again with some vinegar, then get a coarse scrubbing brush, dip it into the warm soapy water and begin to scrub the rusted area.
Apply pressure and scrub until the rusted part is all out. Now get a soft sponge, dip it into the warm soapy water and wash the surface of the knife; rinse afterward with clean water, then dry using a dry microfiber cloth.
Ensure that there is no trace of moisture left on the knife.
Method 2
You can decide to mix baking soda, mild liquid washing soap, and lemon water. However, the lemon water helps to give the knives a nice fragrance after the rust has been cleaned.
Then the lemon also aids in cleaning as well. Cut the lemon into half and put it in a pot of water, then bring it to a boil.
Once it is boiled, leave it to cool. After that, remove the lemon and pour the water into a bowl. Add some squirts of washing soap and add some baking soda to form a pasty mixture.
Once this has been achieved, rub the mixture on the knives, especially on the rusted part. Then allow it to sit for 6 hours or more, depending on how long the knives have been rusted.
After that, get a scrubbing brush and begin to scrub off the rust thoroughly.
Once this has been done, rinse the knives with clean water and dry them with a microfiber cloth.
Method 3
What if you don’t have liquid dishwashing soap or vinegar? If you don’t have any of these, then you can use just baking soda and water.
Mix baking soda and water to form a pasty mixture.
Rub the pasty mixture on the rusted area thoroughly. Now leave it to sit for a few hours or overnight. You can even keep it in the non-freezer part of your refrigerator.
This part is not necessary if you do not feel like keeping it there. Just keep it in a cool place so that the baking soda will not wear out or get hard.
Afterward, get a scrubbing sponge and scrub the area thoroughly until the rust leaves. After this, rinse the knives with soapy water, then rinse again with clean water.
Finally, get a dry microfiber cloth to dry the knives.
How often can you remove rust from your knives?
As often as you can. Rust is inevitable, but you must do all you can to prevent it from coating your knives.
As soon as you find any rust on your knives, follow the due process to get it removes immediately instead of leaving it to keep building up.
Prevention?
To do this, you must always avoid getting rust on your utensils no matter what.
Always clean your knives immediately after use. Get a kitchen towel on standby and clean your knives using a dry towel because moisture has a way of allowing chemical buildup, which results in rust.
Is a rusted knife dishwasher safe?
Sliding your rusted knife into the dishwasher is a welcoming idea; however, when you want to put it in the dishwasher, ensure that your fine china dishware is not included; otherwise, the rust from the knife might stain the fine china.
It is better, however, if you keep the rusted knife out of the dishwasher to attend to them manually.
Because the dishwasher may not be able to give it the maximum attention required to get the rusted part out of the knife completely.
So instead of throwing the rusted knife into the dishwasher, focus on cleaning the rusted knife using manual methods first.
Afterward, when the rust is all out, you can now toss it into the dishwasher for further cleanup.
Non-stick-coated knives?
To remove rust from these kinds of knives, you have to be careful because non-stick-coated knives should be treated delicately.
Instead of scrubbing the knives with a hard sponge, you should use an old toothbrush instead to do the job.
Do not use a soft sponge because it just might not get the rust out. Then be careful about the pressure you add to washing these knives.
Reduce the pressure when it comes to cleaning non-stick rusted knives.
In conclusion, your rusted knives didn’t get rusted overnight.
You must have caused it directly or indirectly, but it would be better if, after using your knives, they are thoroughly washed and cleaned with a dry cloth, and they are stored safely in a knife pack or hanger in your kitchen where knives can be kept.
When this is done, it means that you have successfully combatted rust for a long time!