This Common Ingredient Is The Answer To Your Rusty Kitchen Tools

Sometimes, even if we try our best to prevent rust, it can still occur, especially with our metal utensils. While rust on your kitchen tools is rather unsightly, it's quite simple to fix. Rather than tossing them away, a TikTok hack by @lassarets shows how you can use a simple pantry staple to get them sparkling once again. As a result, you should end up with utensils that look brand new and are ready for immediate use. What more could you ask for?

Even better, this particular item is a great natural alternative for chemical cleaners, so it's also perfect if you're looking for something that's sustainable and kinder to the environment. Secondly, it's also an incredibly cheap hack — all you need is a lemon. Below, we'll take a look at how you can use this common staple to clean your rusty kitchen tools to like-new shine. Let's take a look.

For this hack, all you need is a lemon, a knife, and some cleaning gloves, although these are optional (but nice if you've got any paper cuts). If you don't mind getting your hands citrusy, then you can ditch these and go in bare-handed. Now, you just need to cut the lemon in half and rub it across the utensils in question, focusing on the rusty parts, ensuring that you let the juices coat the surface entirely. Work the lemon in with your hand until you notice the rust start to dislodge, using your fingers (carefully if dealing with sharp utensils like knives) to remove any excess. If you're struggling, you may find it useful to use some form of abrasive cloth. Once it's all come off, simply give them a rinse in your sink to remove the lemon and rust before drying. Of course, you can repeat the process on as many kitchen utensils as you like. 

One of the main reasons lemon can remove rust is because of its abrasive nature, according to FineWoodworking, making it much easier to get off than if you tried to use water — though moisture is likely how the problem began. Luckily you can try this hack out on any rusty cutlery you have. It's suitable for use on copper and various types of silverware. However, if you want to prevent any future rusting on your kitchen tools, you should ensure you keep them as dry as possible. Alternatively, you could also try using aluminum foil to remove rust. Between that and lemons, you should be able to keep the problem at bay.