The likelihood is that you have faced a terrible surprise with rust on knives, whether you unintentionally left it out in the wet.
Or found it sitting in water someplace, or spotted it in one of the old storage boxes that you haven’t opened in a while.
Rust on a knife used to be thought of as a quality indicator in the past, indicating that the blade had endured long enough to develop rust. However, a rusty knife is not only deadly and ineffective; it is also unsightly.
What is rust?
Iron oxide, the reddish-orange flaky material that you see developing on metal, is also known as rust. Iron and oxygen react with moisture to form iron oxide. Additionally, it doesn’t even have to be water; if there is moisture around, your kitchen knives will still rust.
The hidden component of the steel used to make the blades of kitchen knives is iron. So you have a formula for rust when the iron in your blades is exposed to air and moisture. But what about blades made of stainless steel?
Stainless steel is more stain-resistant. It is still regarded as steel since it contains at least 10.5% chromium. It’s preferable to think of stainless steel as containing an additional layer of protection that makes it possible for it to be “stain-less” rather than “stain-free.”
How to clean the rust on knives
Now that we are clear on what rust is and how it forms, we can explore the many ways to get rid of it and restore your blades to their original, beautiful state.
For knives with a lot of rust, you can apply any of these techniques repeatedly in combination with one another. To maintain a sharp and stable blade, just sharpen the kitchen knife after use.
Baking soda for rust on knives
Knives with minor rust spots or thin bits of metal respond well to the cleaning power of baking soda.
Prior to beginning the rust removal process, be sure to thoroughly clean and dry your kitchen knife. When eliminating dirt, use a cleaning solution and a towel rather than water because moisture is what first led your knife to rust.
Spread a thick paste over the metal, being sure to thoroughly cover any corroded areas, by combining water and baking soda. Allow the paste to rest for about an hour.
Then, scrub the rusty areas with a toothbrush. Use steel wool or a mildly abrasive sponge to remove excessively rusted blades, but be careful not to apply too much pressure, as this might harm your knives.
After that, properly dry with a cloth after removing the paste with water. Apply some mineral oil, such as camellia oil, on your kitchen knife to prevent rust and keep it oiled.
Vinegar Solution for rust on knives
Acetic acid, which is present in white vinegar, combats rust. Other kinds of vinegar shouldn’t be used since they could leave stains.
Begin with about five minutes of soaking your knife in white vinegar. If you wait too long, your knives can get damaged.
If any rust remains after five minutes, continuing with the baking soda procedure should get rid of any residual bits of rust. Then, to help prevent further rust, we advise polishing your knife with camellia oil. Or simply use water to wash the vinegar off and a towel to clean and dry.
Salt and Lemon for rust on knives
Small rust patches can be removed by combining the salt’s abrasiveness with the acidity of lemons.
Your blade’s rusty portions should be covered with salt, then lemon juice should be applied. Give it roughly two hours to sit.
Then use the lemon rind to clean the spots. Use steel wool or an abrasive wire brush to scrub the spots if you need something a little more abrasive. Clean the blade with water before patting it dry.
Onion Technique for rust on knives
Another product that works well to organically clean blades of rust is onion.
The rust will just come off on its own if you simply slide the blade back and forth when chopping onions.
The same sulfuric acid that makes your eyes tear up while cutting an onion is also the main component in the cleaning solution for kitchen blades.
