How to Clean Rust from a Pocketknife

Step-by-Step Guide

1. 1

   Step 1: Clean your knife with water.

   Before you remove rust, make sure that the knife is free of dirt and oils.
   
   You can just hold your knife under some warm running water to clean it.
   
   Work slowly and be patient – if you rush the job, or scrub too vigorously, you risk damaging your knife.Use regular water to clean away any dirt or stains.
   
   Be sure to wipe away all traces of fingerprints, as the natural salts present in human skin can cause a blade to rust.
   
   Avoid getting water into the gaps between the handle and blade, where it may create new rust spots that are difficult to reach.
   
   Thoroughly dry your knife with a soft, clean rag after you finish cleaning it.
2. 2

   Step 2: Soak your blade in white vinegar.

   White vinegar contains acetic acid, which will often dissolve rust.
   
   Dampen a rag with white vinegar and apply it directly to the rust spots, or soak the blade in a shallow bowl of white vinegar for tougher stains.Once the rust has dissolved, rinse the blade thoroughly with water to remove the vinegar.
   
   Then, dry off the knife with a clean, dry cloth. , Lemon juice can dissolve rust stains on metal surfaces, but it may work even better when you use it with some salt or baking soda.
   
   Try using a mixture of lemon juice and salt or baking soda to remove rust stains from your knife blade.Sprinkle baking soda or salt onto the rust spots, then wipe the blade with a clean rag soaked in lemon juice.
   
   Rinse away the lemon juice with warm water after a minute or two and then dry it with a clean cloth.
   
   Be careful not to leave lemon juice on your blade for more than a few minutes, because it can damage the metal. , Baking soda can remove rust stains, although you may need to repeat the process several times.
   
   Baking soda is used in cooking and for many house cleaning chores – you may already have some in your kitchen.Make a thick paste by mixing baking soda with water.
   
   Put about a quarter (1/4) cup of baking soda in a glass bowl, and add a small amount of water to create a paste.
   
   Continue to add water in small increments, until you have a paste that is thick enough to stick to the surface of the blade.
   
   Apply the paste to the blade, and allow it to soak for two to three hours.
   
   Scrub the paste off of the blade with a wire brush or fine steel wool to remove the rust spots.
   
   Rinse away the rest of the paste by holding the knife under running water.
   
   Then, dry the knife thoroughly with a clean cloth. , A raw potato may remove rust stains from metal surfaces.
   
   Potatoes contain oxalic acid, which can dissolve rust.Stick the rusted blade directly into a potato and leave it there for a few hours.
   
   Then, remove the knife from the potato, rinse away the potato juices, and dry the knife with a clean cloth.
   
   Throw away the potato after you are finished with it.
   
   It might have small pieces of rust stuck in it, so it is not suitable for eating. , Dishwashing soap mixed with vinegar can also remove rust stains from a knife.
   
   Get some regular dish soap and mix it with white cooking vinegar, or clear cleaning-grade vinegar.Mix one part dish soap with one part vinegar, and apply it to the blade with a soft rag.
   
   Then, rinse away the solution and dry off the knife.
   
   For stubborn rust stains, soak the blade in the vinegar dish soap solution for an hour.
   
   Then, remove the blade and rinse off the vinegar dish soap solution under running water.
   
   Dry off the blade with a clean, dry towel.
3. 3

   Step 3: Apply some salt or baking soda and lemon juice.

4. 4

   Step 4: Use baking soda.

5. 5

   Step 5: Stab the rusty knife into a potato.

6. 6

   Step 6: Mix white vinegar and dishwashing soap.

Detailed Guide

About the Author