How Wine Corks Can Give Old Kitchen Knives A New Lease On Life

Owning a few good quality kitchen knives definitely makes cooking easier and more efficient — giving you better control and precision for cutting anything from herbs to veggies to meat (though you don't need 16 different knives to make a meal). But if you want your knives to last, maintenance is crucial, and if you have a few rusty ones sitting in your drawer, the wine cork from your next bottle is all you need to give them a refresh.

A wine cork has just the right surface to gently remove any rust or water stains without scratching or damaging the knife, as opposed to something more abrasive. And its small size makes it easy to hold and target specific spots, leaving your knife looking shiny and new. Using the flat part of the cork, you can rub it along the clean, dry blade until any signs of rust or discoloration are removed. Rinse and wash your knife as you usually would, and make sure to dry it well to avoid further rusting.

If you typically break off the cork in the wine bottle, or only have screw cap bottles in the house, there are a few other ways to get rusty knives looking good as new. White vinegar is key for cleaning plastic chopping boards and countertops, so it might not come as a surprise that it can remove the rust from your knife, too. Just soak the blade in vinegar for a few minutes, before rinsing and drying. Another easy fix is making a paste with baking soda and a little water, and letting it sit on your knife's rusty spots for a few hours before gently cleaning the blade with a soft cloth.

Believe it or not, you can also use a potato to remove rust from your knife — it's as easy as sticking the blade into a raw potato and letting it sit for a few hours, before cleaning with water. The oxalic acid naturally found in potatoes can clean your knife without any harsh products. So whether you're using a cork or a potato, keeping your knife shiny and clean has never been easier.