How to Remove Rust from Silverware

No one ever thinks about properly caring about stainless steel silverware in your house until you see the dreaded rust stains tarnishing their surfaces and ruining their pristine condition. Whether it's your stainless steel flatware or stainless steel utensils, we all want to keep our household silverware free of any nasty rust spots.

This article will be going through all the different steps and ways of how to remove rust from silverware with everyday items like baking soda, lemon juice, vinegar and more cleaning products to help the metal surface of your silverware stay in great shape.

How to Remove Rust from Silverware

Here are the different methods that you can use to remove rust spots:

Method 1: Lemon Juice

A very popular method of removing rust involves lemon juice. This method is also the easiest and safest way to remove rust since the only thing that you'll need is something you can find in your fridge.

1. Squeeze some fresh lemon juice into a container
2. Submerge your tarnished silverware completely. As your flatware is soaking in the lemon juice, the citric acid of the juice will help loosen the rust.
3. After a while of soaking, remove the flatware from the lemon juice and gently scrub and rub off the remaining rust stains.

Method 2: Bar Keepers Friend Powder Cleanser

Another way to remove rust is by using a cleaning product like Bar Keepers Friend Powder Cleanser, which has oxalic acid that helps wash away any rust stains.

1. Bring your rusted silverware under the sink and gently hand wash it to get it nice and wet.
2. Pour a good amount of Bar Keepers Friend Powder Cleanser onto a non abrasive soft cloth or sponge
3. Gently scrub and wipe the silverware to remove the rust spots for no longer than a minute
4. After all the rust stains have been removed, give the silverware a final rinse under the water to make sure that all the cleaning powder has been washed away.
5. Gently dry the silverware with a soft cloth

Method 3: Vinegar

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Yet another versatile household product, vinegar can also help remove rust. The acetic acid found in white vinegar reacts with the rust and makes it much easier to clean and remove.

1. Pour enough white vinegar into your tall cup and submerge your silverware.
2. Place your silverware in the vinegar and let it soak for at least five minutes
3. After removing the silverware, scrub away any remaining spots with a sponge and gently rinse it off with water.

Method 4: Baking Soda

Baking soda is also another accessible household staple that can be used to take away any rust ruining your silverware.

1. Pour half a box of baking soda in a small bowl and mix it with water until it forms a paste.
2. With a clean cloth or sponge, use the paste and gently spread it over the rusted silverware. The time you spend cleaning the rust off will depend on the severity of the rust and can range from around 30 seconds to 10 minutes.
3. After all the rust has been removed, gently rinse the silverware under cold water before properly drying it with a dry cloth.

When using baking soda, it's important to make sure that you've removed any remnants of the paste from the silverware, especially around the edges and other crevices.

With a variety of household ingredients and staples to choose from, these methods will undoubtedly help the silverware in your house retain their lustrous shine, especially silverware that are frequently used and abused in the kitchen like knives.

Also Read: How to Remove Rust Stains from Glassware Effectively

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