How to clean a rusted knife?

Discover how to remove rust from your kitchen knives!

If you've been using a kitchen knife for many years, it may rust without you even realizing it. Moreover, depending on the material of the kitchen knife, rust can easily appear if not careful. If it's rusted, it won't be sharp and you wouldn't want your ingredients to be in contact with it. Here, we will present the causes of the rust on kitchen knifes and howToRemove rust from kitchen knives.

What causes a kitchen knife to rust?

When a kitchen knife rusts, the most frequent cause is "moisture". The "steel" used in kitchen knives will oxidize when exposed to air if left with moisture attached. This occurs in the form of rust. Moreover, stainless steel knives, which resist corrosion, often use steel for their blades in certain products, so there's a risk of rust. In other words, if you wash the kitchen knife and store it without drying it, or leave it in the sink without washing it, it can rust easily.

How to remove rust from a kitchen knife?

If rust forms on the kitchen knife, how can I remove it? Here are some ways to remove rust. Therefore, if you have any problems with rust, try these out.

How to remove rust with cleaner + cork?

Powder or cream cleaners polish the kitchen knife. When rubbing, it is recommended to use a "cork stopper" that adheres easily to the kitchen knife and removes the rust.

Prepare a cork stopper and a cleaner, put on rubber gloves, and then begin. Work on a chopping board.

For steel knives, you can use a nylon scrub brush to remove the rust.

In the case of stainless steel, the surface treatment will peel off.

For powder cleaner, moisten the kitchen knife with water (for cream cleaner, apply as is).
Fix it on a chopping board and rub it with a cork stopper.
Rinse off the cleaner, wipe it dry, then leave it to dry.
Apply a thin layer of cooking oil before storing (prevents rust).

How to soak in vinegar and remove the rust?

Vinegar decomposes the "iron oxide" which is the source of the rust, which makes it easier to remove the rust.

Put vinegar in a container (long, vertical glass, etc.) wherein the rusted part of the kitchen knife will be soaked.
Leave the kitchen knife to soak for several hours up to a day.
Remove it from the container and scrub it with a brush.
Wash the kitchen knife with water. After wiping it, apply a thin layer of oil and store it.

How to use a rust remover?

These are sold in hardware stores. It's a handy item that enables you to remove rust simply by rubbing it, so it’s very convenient to have one. For rust in a narrow area, rust can easily be removed by being careful.

Let's prevent rust after removing it from the kitchen knife

After removing the rust from the kitchen knife, take measures to prevent it from rusting again.

Immediately wash your knife after using it.
After washing, wipe it dry and store it.
Apply a thin layer of cooking oil before storing it.

If you firmly adhere to these three points, rust is less likely to occur.

A kitchen knife is an indispensable tool for cooking. Moreover, the better the knife you use, the more important it is to take care of it so it lasts longer.

Also, if you know how to remove rust, even if rust occurs, you can immediately deal with it.