How To Remove Rust From Carbon Steel Knife? Reveal The Proper Techniques!

Nowadays, rust is a common problem, and it’s usually caught in steel, iron, and copper. If you Put your carbon steel knives in a wet place or dirty place for a long-time, rust can easily catch your working equipment. Carbon steel knives are made of steel so that the rust can also catch it easily. On the other hand, some stainless steel knives can also be affected by rust if not maintained properly.

Rust weak, breakage, and damage the sharpness of carbon steel knives. So, try to remove rust as soon as possible. In my personal experience, I am used to removing rust from my carbon knives. I am sharing my thoughts and techniques on how to remove rust from carbon steel knives.

How To Remove Rust From Carbon Steel Knife?

There are many techniques you find online on how to remove rust. But the techniques I will share with you will be the easiest way to remove rust from any material.

The most effective way to remove rust is to use baking soda, toothpaste, and vinegar. But some other things you need to make it more effective such as clothes, water, a brush or sponge and mineral oil.

After removing rust from the carbon steel knife, sharpen the blade, and then you are ready to cut whatever you want.

[The notable thing is that while cleaning, try to wear gloves and don’t use any ingredients much on the knife’s blade because that will create a chemical reaction on the blade and that can acidic your food also.]

Using Baking Soda

First, you have to use a cloth to clean the knife, clean as much as you can. Then pick a bowl; in the bowl, take baking soda and water in [1:2] ratio, mix it properly. After that, paste the mixture on the knife’s blade.

Here you can do two things: paste the mixture all over the knife’s blade or paste the mixture where the rust is on the blade. I suggest you paste it all over the blade.

The mixture should stay on the knife’s blade for 30 to 40 minutes. Then pick a brush and start scrubbing one side of the blade. Scrub until it doesn’t shine or seems clear. Scrubbing one side does the same on the other side of the blade.

Then lightly soak a cloth in water and keep rubbing it on the blade to clean the rest of the rust. Then wipe well with a dry cloth so that the iron does not contain water.

After drying, apply the mineral oil all over the knife blade to create an extra layer of protection.

Using Toothpaste

I know toothpaste is used to clean teeth. Toothpaste contains a lot of alkalies, which is very useful for removing rust from a carbon steel knife!

Clean the knife properly with a cloth. Then take the toothpaste; you can use your hand or a brush to apply the pasted property on the knife. Leave the paste on the knife for a minimum of 30 minutes.

After that, lightly soak the brush with water and start rubbing the whole surface of the carbon knife. The water I told you to take on the brush will create foam which helps to clean smoothly and remove rust fast.

Rubbing property on both sides of the knife, use a cloth to clean the rest of the rust, and also use a cloth to dry the knife surface. After cleaning the knife, use mineral oil on the knife’s blade for an extra layer of protection.

Using White Vinegar

Vinegar is the most effective but the most dangerous thing to use on any material. As a result of applying for a very long-time, vinegar can weaken or damage your material. But if you have a serious issue of rusting problem, then you can use this white vinegar.

Do the same as I told you on the first two techniques. Clean the knife blade properly. This time take a paper towel and soap it with vinegar, then wrap it around the blade.

Here is something you have to focus on applying the paper towel on the blade for not more than 5 minutes. Neither cleaning the rust vinegar will damage your knife blade. After removing the paper towel, start scrubbing the blade carefully with a brush or sponge.

Then clean the blade using soaking water on the cloth and use a dry cloth to dry the blade. After that, use mineral oil on the knife’s blade to protect it from future rust.

Another thing is that white vinegar can’t fully clean a knife with too much rust. So, you can use baking soda after cleaning with white vinegar. Baking soda will clean the rest of the rust and make your knife new.

Other Sprays On The Market

There are many rust removal sprays in the market, such as rust 911, WD-40, evapo-rust, POR-15. These are the common and most effective rust removal for carbon steel used worldwide by people.

Using a spray is the easiest way to remove rust from a carbon steel knife. First, clean the knife blade using cloth. Then use spray on both sides of the blade. Keep it for a while, and then scrub with the sponge gently.

After scrubbing for a while, the clean blade starts to get visible. Then clean the knife’s blade with a dry cloth to clean the rest of the rust. After that, gently use the mineral oil to get extra protection for the blade.

Keep it in your mind that, in these sprays, manufacturers use various types of chemicals that can also damage your equipment, and while cutting, those chemicals can also cause acidic food.

So please read the instructions on how much time it should be applied on the blade, or you can use water or not while cleaning. You will find all the instructions attached to the spray’s body. So, read it properly.

Rust Prevent Techniques

It is tough to prevent rust from carbon steel knives because not using them for days or not cleaning properly can easily cause rust. But you can take some actions to make your knife safe from rust problems.

You can use mineral oil on the blade when you go outside for days or on vacation for a long time.

After using or cutting, make sure that the knife doesn’t remain dirty or wet. To clean and dry the knife’s blade, use clothes.

The most important thing is never to keep the knife in a dirty or wet place and try to keep it at a normal temperature.

These steps will help you to keep your knife free from rust and help you to remain new and strong for a long time.

Final word

Rust creates a great impact on our food and our body. While cutting with a Rust knife, it chemically reacts with food and damages the food nutrition. Another thing is that if the rust knife blade somehow injures you, that can give you serious health injury.

So, if you see rust on your carbon steel knife, as soon as possible, remove the rust using these techniques I write in this article. I hope that you will be benefited and get rid of the rust.