Does Baking Soda Clean Rust?

Rust is the number one enemy of the metallic objects in your kitchen. From kitchen knives to spoons and forks, rust can quickly form when they are often exposed to water. Every time this happens, don’t fret. With baking soda within your reach, rust can easily be removed.

Yes, you read it right. You can clean a rusty-metal object with baking soda. Baking soda cannot only be used as an ingredient but also as a powerful cleaning agent. Whether it is a thin or thick metal kitchen object, baking soda has your back.

But to answer how does baking soda clean rust, read on to know more.

How Does Baking Soda Work to Clean Rust?

Baking soda is a bit abrasive. It provides scrubbing power to remove rust. It also utilizes its chemical reaction to clean away rust. This cleaning agent is also alkaline, so it reacts well with acids like vinegar and lemon, making this substance more powerful.

Baking soda works on other stains too. Hence, you will find that most homemade cleaning recipes utilize baking soda. 

How to Remove Rust with Baking Soda?

So, how does baking soda clean rust? Well, to remove rust in your kitchen utensils, follow these easy steps:

Materials you need:

• Baking Soda
• Water
• Scrubbing pad

Instructions:

1. Pour some water into the rusty object or the affected.

2. Sprinkle baking soda 

3. Get a scrubbing pad and use it to eliminate rust

4. Apply some oil or paint the object to avoid further rusting

As you can see, there’s no need to buy expensive cleaning tools, especially if the object is slightly rusty. You can make every metal item as good as new with baking soda.

Can Baking Soda and Vinegar Clean Rust?

While you can use baking soda alone to remove rusts, the substance is more effective when you pair it with vinegar. This hack is suitable for hard-to-remove rust on any object.

Materials you need:

• Baking soda
• Vinegar
• Water
• Salt
• Plastic container

Instructions:

1. Get the plastic container and pour 1/2 vinegar and 1/2 salt.

2. If it is hard-to-remove rust, use white vinegar to create a solution. Once you’re finished making the solution, put the rusty items inside the container. Leave it around 10 to 12 hours. After the lapse of time, remove the water while keeping everything inside.

3. Rinse off all materials to remove all residue. Now, use the same plastic container but this time, fill up 1/2 baking soda and 1/2 water. This will help the vinegar become neutralized. Leave it for about 10 minutes.

4. After the time has passed, rinse off all the material and dry them carefully. You should see the results instantly.

Can Baking Soda, White Vinegar, and Aluminum Foil Clean Rust?

If the previous option is insufficient to eliminate rust, you might need to try this alternative. But unlike the other option, you don’t need to submerge the rusty object in the solution. You only need to deal with specific rusty areas.

Materials you need:

• Baking soda
• White vinegar
• Aluminum Foil

Instructions:

1. Spray some white vinegar to the particular location you wish to treat

2. If you think you have sprayed enough white vinegar on the rusty area, now sprinkle some baking soda on top of it.

3. Once you have applied both ingredients, you can use the aluminum foil. Form the aluminum foil into a ball and use it to clean the rusty area. Be gentle in using the foil as it may leave scratches or damage the object.

Can Baking Soda and Hydrogen Peroxide Clean Rust?

If you want to remove stubborn rust, then you might want to try the baking soda and hydrogen peroxide solution. However, for this solution, you will also need tartar as it will aid you in removing rust efficiently.

Materials you need:

• Baking soda
• Hydrogen peroxide
• Tartar
• Bowl

Instructions:

1. Put baking soda and tartar unto the bowl. There’s no exact measurement. Just make sure that you put the same amount of these ingredients. 

2. Pour the hydrogen peroxide until you create a paste-like consistency with all three ingredients. You can now use the solution to remove the rust or let it sit in for a while.

3. Whether you use the solution later or immediately, make sure to leave the solution at least an hour after you put it into the affected area.

Can Baking Soda and Lemon Juice Clean Rust?

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Do you still want to know other options for how baking soda cleans rust? Mix baking soda and lemon juice to produce a more powerful cleaning solution. The acidity found in lemon gets the job done in a heartbeat.

Like the other solution, this cleaning recipe does not require particular measurements. So long as you put equal ingredients, you can successfully create a paste.

Materials you need:

• Baking soda
• Lemon juice
• Bowl

Instructions:

1. Combine the baking soda and lemon juice in a bowl.

2. Mix them thoroughly until you achieve the consistency of a paste. 

3. Apply the paste or solution to the affected area using a soft cloth. You can soak the item directly into the bowl if it’s a smaller object.

You can also make a solution to clean rust by combining baking soda, lemon juice, and vinegar. However, the mixture may be too strong and may damage the object.

Things You Should Not Do When Removing Rust

It’s not enough to just understand how baking soda cleans rust? It’s also best to know what to avoid when cleaning them. 

• Leaving Lemon on Surfaces

Lemon is also an effective way to remove rust. However, lemon juice is more powerful and acidic than baking soda or vinegar. It may damage the item once you let it be exposed to lemon juice for an extended time. They are only suitable for cleaning stains on ceramic and porcelain.

• Cola

Cola is likewise a good cleaning tool like baking soda. But it’s such a hassle to use it because it leaves a sticky mess. Once you’re done cleaning the rust, the next problem would be to clean the cola. You will need a lot of soapy water. It will also be hard to clean them if they have a lot of crannies and nooks.

How to Prevent Rust to Avoid the Hassle of Removing It?

Now that you know how to clean rusts on metal objects, how can you keep them rust-free? 

• Keep Metal Objects Dry

Well, water is the primary perpetrator of why an item is rusty. So you must keep all metal objects clean and dry. Kitchen utensils should be dried as soon as possible after washing them. Store all metal items in a dry place with low humidity.

• Apply Coating

A protective coating helps prevent rust from developing on the metal surface. You can apply some oil to the metal object to avoid moisture. 

Conclusion

Rust in any object is truly an eyesore. It can also make you panic when it’s forming in your favorite items at home. Fortunately, there is baking soda that can solve your problem in a heartbeat. Its abrasive properties make it an effective cleaning agent. 

However, when tackling stubborn rust, it’s crucial to use other cleaning options. Mix the baking soda with white vinegar, hydrogen peroxide, or lemon juice to create a more efficient solution. 

We hope you have learned enough about how baking soda cleans rust. If you want to prevent dealing with rust completely, paint the object or apply oil. It will protect the surface every time it gets wet.

If you’re interested in learning what else baking soda can clean in your home, check out our post – Can Baking Soda Clean Dishes?