How to remove rust from a kitchen knife – 5 easy methods

Are you wondering how to remove rust from a kitchen knife? If you take out a knife that you haven’t used for a while, it’s full of rust… You’ll be disappointed. This time, I would like to explain 6 ways to remove rust from kitchen knives. In addition, we will also introduce preventive measures such as tricks and rust prevention, so please find a way to remove rust from the kitchen knife that suits you.

I was disappointed that I took out a knife that I hadn’t used for a while and it was rusty. The sharpness will be poor and it is not good for hygiene, so you have to start by removing rust.

The easiest way is to use a cleanser and scrubbing brush with strong polishing power to remove rust. After polishing and removing rust, wash it with water and wipe off the water completely with a cloth.

Also read : 6 easy steps for carbon steel care.

5 Easy methods to remove rust from kitchen knives!

Here are the 5 easy methods to remove rust from a kitchen knife:

Preparation before removing rust from kitchen knives

It is very dangerous to remove rust from kitchen knives, so be sure to wear “rubber gloves” to avoid injury. Let’s do the rust removal work on the cutting board.

Method 1: Remove rust from the kitchen knife with a cleanser

What we need:

• Powder cleanser
• Sponge scrubbing brush, wine cork, or rust remover sponge

* Wine cork sticks to the kitchen knife and is easy to apply force, so it is easy to scrape off the rust.

How to remove rust from a kitchen knife using powder cleanser and scrubbing brush

1. Wet with water: Wet the knife with water and place it horizontally on a cutting board.
2. Sprinkle cleanser: Sprinkle powder cleanser evenly on the rust of the knife.
3. Rub: The back and handle of the knife should be pressed against a cutting board so that the knife does not move, and the rust is scraped off with a hard surface of a sponge soaked in water, cork, or an acrylic scrubbing brush.
4. Rinse off: When the rust has fallen, wash it with water and wipe off the water with kitchen paper or a towel.
5. Let it dry: Place it on a dry towel, leave it to dry, and it’s done.

Method 2: Remove rust from kitchen knives with citric acid and baking soda

What we need:

• baking soda
• citric acid
• Spray bottle
• Sponge scrubbing brush, wine cork, or rust remover sponge

How to remove rust from a kitchen knife

1. Sprinkle baking soda: Wet the knife with water and sprinkle the baking soda evenly on the rust of the knife.
2. Polish the rust: Polish the rust on the kitchen knife with a sponge scrubbing brush. (Do not rinse with water at this point)
3. Make citric acid water: Put 200 ml of water and 1 teaspoon of citric acid in a spray bottle and shake to dissolve the citric acid.
4. Spray citric acid water: Spray citric acid water over the baking soda.
5. If bubbles come out from the rust, wash it with water and wipe off the water.
6. Place the knife on the towel to dry, and when the knife is completely dry, you’re done.

Method 3: Remove rust from the kitchen knife with vinegar

What we need:

• 2 bottles of vinegar (grain liquor or rice vinegar, etc.)
• A container that is longer than the length of the kitchen knife, or a container that can hold a kitchen knife

How to remove rust from a kitchen knife – method 3

1. Ventilate: Turn the ventilation fan to improve ventilation.
2. Add vinegar: Add vinegar to a frying pan.
3. Bring to a boiling point: Bring the vinegar to a boiling point over a fire. When it boils, it smells like vinegar, so be sure to ventilate it.
4. If you can put the rust part of the knife in the frying pan, just put the knife in the frying pan. If the rust part of the kitchen knife does not enter, put boiling vinegar in the prepared container.
5. Leave it for 5 to 10 minutes.
6. Rinse off Rust should be rinsed off with water as soon as it is removed. If there is any unrinsed residue, it may cause rust, so remove the vinegar completely.
7. Wipe off the water from the knife, place the knife on a dry towel, and when the knife is completely dry, you’re done.

Method 4: Remove rust from the kitchen knife with a rust eraser.

What we need:

Rust eraser

How to remove rust from a kitchen knife using a rust eraser

1. Rub the rust on the kitchen knife in the same way as erasing letters with an ordinary eraser.
2. After removing the rust, wash the knife with water and wipe off the water.
3. Place the knife on the towel and when the knife is completely dry, you’re done.

Method 5: Remove rust from kitchen knives with rust-removing cream.

What we need:

• Rust removal cream (sold at 100-yen shops)
• Sponge or cloth

How to remove rust from a kitchen knife using rust-removing cream

1. Apply rust removing cream to the rust part of the kitchen knife.
2. Leave it for 10 to 20 minutes. (The leaving time may vary depending on the cream, so check the instructions for the cream you purchased.)
3. Scrape off the rust with a dry sponge or cloth.
4. After removing the rust, wash the knife with water and wipe off the water to dry it.
5. Place the knife on the towel and when the knife is completely dry, you’re done.

Things you should keep in mind before removing rust from a knife

Don’t try to scrape it all at once, let’s drop it little by little. Be careful not to use too much force and scrub at high speed as the knife may slip and cause injury.

If there is rust on the surface of the kitchen knife, we recommend using a rust eraser.

If there is rust on the blade, a whetstone and cleanser are recommended.

Rust and sharpening are completely different depending on the material of the kitchen knife, “steel, stainless steel, ceramic”. Also, the method differs depending on which material the rust is removed, so check the material.

How to care for kitchen knives to prevent rust

There are five ways to prevent rust on your kitchen knife.

① Wash immediately

Wash the knife as soon as you finish using it. Leaving the kitchen knife with dirt, moisture, or food liquid on it may cause rust. Let’s wash it immediately without saying “Let’s wash it later”.

② Dry

After washing the kitchen knife, wipe off the water from the kitchen knife. You’ve probably seen sushi restaurants and cooks wipe off knives after handling fish, but it’s the same. After wiping it off, we recommend placing a knife on a dry towel to dry it completely. Even if it looks like there is no moisture at first glance, it may cause rust due to the remaining moisture, so be careful. A well-ventilated kitchen knife stand is also recommended.

③ Store in a dry place

Store kitchen knives in a dry place or in a well-ventilated place. It is best to wrap a kitchen knife with a newspaper when the knife will not be used for a long time.

④ Apply oil

When storing kitchen knives that are not normally used for a long period of time, it is recommended to apply oil to the knives. Applying oil has the effect of preventing oxidation of the surface of the kitchen knife, so it protects it from rust. The oil used can be salad oil. Oils and creams for rust prevention are also sold on the market.

⑤ Polish diligently

Even if you store a kitchen knife that you do not normally use in a dry place, it may be said that it was rusted when you noticed it, so check it frequently and scrape it off immediately if it is rusted. If it’s just rusted, you can remove it with dish soap.

Precautions for removing rust from kitchen knives

If the blade of the knife has rust, it is very dangerous to rub it with a sponge or cork, so it is recommended to sharpen it with a sharpener or whetstone to sharpen the blade of the knife to remove the rust. You can easily find knife sharpeners at Amazon or other local stores.

If you use a soaked rust remover, your skin may become inflamed, so be careful not to get it on your skin or in your eyes. Also, be careful when washing rubber gloves with liquids.

For kitchen knives that are not rusty

Stainless steel knives, which are said to be rust-free, may get fine rust if left untreated. Also, be aware that some stainless steel knives are made of copper only at the cutting edge. Make sure that the materials that are said to be rust-free should not be properly maintained.

Final words: How to remove rust from a kitchen knife

The rust on the kitchen knife becomes harder to remove as time goes by. If you wash the knife immediately after using it and it rusts, the storage area may be damp, so store it in a well-ventilated place.

If the kitchen knife is still rusted, it is not good for hygiene, so remove it as soon as you find it. However, please note that the work of removing rust from kitchen knives is extremely dangerous.