How to Easily Remove Rust From Tools

4 Materials
$1
12 Hours
Easy
Have you ever accidentally left a tool out in the elements to rust? I knew I had a pair of red handled clippers but had not seen them for a long while. A few weeks ago, while digging out compost to apply to my vegetable garden, my clippers appeared in the compost.
Hurray for finding my clippers! Boo to the rust that covered them.

I learned that there’s an easy way to remove rust from tools with vinegar. Yes, vinegar, the kind that you probably already have in your pantry.
When I found these in my compost pile I wondered if I would ever be able to use them again. Thanks to the magic of vinegar and a chemical reaction, my clippers now are back in service.
Soak clippers in a vinegar solution overnight. (Get the correct proportion to use on my blog post.)
Rinse off the clippers and use a wire brush, steel wool, and if you have it, a wire brush attachment for a drill to clean off the rust. I inherited many of my grandfather's tools and was lucky to find his old drill with a wire brush attached to it in one of our storage cabinets. This old Craftsman drill still works like a charm.


After their spa treatment, my clippers look like new. To prevent future rust, rub a drop or two of mineral oil onto the clipper blades.


I sure am glad to have these clippers back in service.
Suggested materials:
  • Vinegar   (grocery store)
  • Wire brush   (hardware store)
  • Steel wool   (hardware store)
See all materials
Paula Skulina
Want more details about this and other DIY projects? Check out my blog post!
Go
Frequently asked questions
Have a question about this project?
Comments
Join the conversation
4 of 9 comments
  • William William on Aug 04, 2017

    Yep! Coca Cola works. Used to take rust off car bumpers when the were steel and chrome with Coke.. For small tools I use WD40 and steel wool. For larger tools I sell on Ebay I use electrolysis to remove rust.

    • Paula Skulina Paula Skulina on Aug 05, 2017
      I remember my dad using Coke on my car battery terminal one time.
  • Becky Partain Becky Partain on Aug 04, 2017

    Great tip. Thanks for sharing.

    • Paula Skulina Paula Skulina on Aug 05, 2017
      You are welcome! I was glad that it worked so well on these clippers.
Next