How to Remove Rust From Cutlery

How to Remove Rust From Cutlery
Written By
Jess Jones
Jess Jones
Published: Sep 10, 2010
Updated: Nov 20, 2021
1 minute read

Things You Will Need

  • White vinegar
  • Shallow dish or pan
  • Cloths
  • Water
  • Salt
  • Lemon juice
  • Mesh scrubber

Rust can weaken metal, so to keep your cutlery in the best possible shape, remove any rust spots as soon as you notice them.

White Vinegar

  1. Fill your shallow dish or pan with white vinegar. Do not add water.

  2. Place the rusty cutlery in the vinegar, and let it soak for 30 minutes.

  3. Wipe down each piece of cutlery with a damp cloth to remove any residual rust. Rinse with warm water to remove the vinegar, then dry well with a clean cloth.

Salt and Lemon Juice

  1. Place the affected cutlery in a single layer in a shallow dish or pan. Sprinkle liberally with salt.

  2. Pour lemon juice into the dish, enough to cover the cutlery. Let it sit for 2 hours.

  3. Scrub the cutlery with a mesh scrubber to remove all of the rust. Rinse well with warm water, and dry with a clean cloth.

Check out this related video from Homesteady on Youtube.

Photo Credits

cutlery image by Zbigniew Nowak from Fotolia.com

cutlery image by Zbigniew Nowak from Fotolia.com

Jess Jones

Jess Jones has been a freelance writer since 2005. She has been a featured contributing writer for "Curve Magazine" and she teaches English composition at a small college in Ann Arbor, Michigan. She received her Master of Arts in English…

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