The knife is one of the earliest tools invented by humans. This tool has one or two sharp edges. We use knives to deal with many purposes. People use knives from the kitchen to even the warzone. There are many types of knives, and these serve different purposes. Without taking proper care, it is not possible to get the most of it from any knife.
Usually, we use knives to cut vegetables, meat, fruits, etc. The army uses knives for survival and combat. But we must take care of a knife for longer shelf life. Every time we use a knife, it gets dirty. We need to clean it properly or else it will get rusty. Today we are going to discuss how to clean a knife properly.
3 Effective Ways to Clean a Knife
If you do not clean a knife after you use it, soon, it will become rusty. It will dull the edge, and soon it won’t be cutting anything. So, you need to clean it regularly. Now let’s see how to clean the knife most efficiently and safely.
Method 1: Clean your kitchen knife
Step 1: Remove sticky food and debris
After you use a kitchen knife, wipe it right away with a dry clean cloth. Kitchen knives are harder to clean when it gets dirty. If you cut something that gets stuck on the knife, quickly put the knife under clean water. Food or dirt will get softer, and then you can easily clean them. If you can still see anything stuck on the blade, use a sponge and wipe it off. Put the knife in a dry place until you need it again.
Step 2: Use a water-soaked sponge to clean the blade
Sometimes, a knife gets too dirty after excessive use. Cleaning the knife thoroughly will make it clean again. First, maintain a safe distance from the blade. You will need soft dish soap or detergent and a sponge to clean it. You can use a knife cleaner also if you like. Secondly, mix the soap or detergent in clean water. After that, soak the sponge in it. Now, clean the entire body carefully. Make sure that there’s no food or debris on it anymore. But do not scrub the blade carelessly. If the knife slips, you may get an injury.
Step 3: Soak the knife in water
Many foods are sticky. If you use a knife to cut them, they are more likely to get stuck on the blade. They will not get cleaned with an ordinary effort. You need to soak the knife in clean water for a minute or two. If you do that, you can clean the food from its body easily with a scrub. Use detergent if necessary. If the knife is a unique and costly knife like a cutlery knife, you should use reputed cutlery cleaners instead of detergent.
Step 4: Dry the knife
Do not ever forget to dry the knife after cleaning. A water-soaked blade will get rusty. Use a towel to clean it. If you dry the knife with only air, it will get rusty slowly but surely. Point the tip away from your body when you clean it.
Method 2: How to clean a pocket knife
Step 1: Wear rubber gloves
Always remember that you must wear rubber gloves before cleaning a pocket knife. It is because pocket knives are very sharp. Cleaning them requires some skin-sensitive cleaners. A pair of rubber gloves shall protect you from that.
Step 2: Avoid dishwasher
First, clean the blade with soft dish soap or detergent. Never use your kitchen dish soap as it can damage the knife.
Step 3: Clean rust
Check for rusts on the blade. You need to use lubricants like WD-40 to remove rusts from it. It works effectively on the knife blade. Get some oil also. After cleaning the knife, dry it properly. Then lubricate the knife with the oil to prevent rust.
Step 4: Clean the pocket knife after it is fully opened
Open the pocket knife completely when you are ready to clean it. There are some special pocket knives, such as the Swiss army knife. You need to learn how to clean a Swiss army knife before you can clean it. These knives have multiple tools attached to them. You must know how to open them so you can clean all parts of the knife.
Method 3: Maintain your knife properly
A knife is a sharp tool. Without proper maintenance, it will catch rust and get dirty over time. The Simplest method of keeping a knife clean is to maintain it properly. If you do not know how you can do it, please proceed with the following instructions-
- Never keep the knife in wet places such as a kitchen sink. Your knife will get rusty if you keep it near water for too long. Also, there’s a chance that you will get cut when you try to clean dishes near an open kitchen knife.
- Keep your knife dry. Always dry it after cleaning it. You can lubricate it to prevent rust.
- Never use a dishwasher to clean a knife. It can damage the blade. Expensive knives will not do well if you use a dishwasher to clean them.
- Store knives separately for your safety. It is for the best you get a separate drawer for them. They can put a scratch on other tools. If you can’t get a safe place, cover them in a plastic or leather cover.
- Always close your pocket knives after you dry them. An open blade can deal fatal damage. So, save a life, turn in your knife. You can use sanitizers on a dry knife. It makes it clean and sanitized.
- Put knives away from the children. They aren’t aware of its danger. They can harm themselves if they get their hands on a knife.
Conclusion
A knife is a practical yet dangerous tool. You need these, but these can also harm you. It will be much easier to keep the knife clean if you do this regularly. Abid safety precautions while cleaning the knife and be safe. So, you must learn how to clean a knife to clean it safely without causing any harm. We hope you can clean your knife and keep it in good shape by following our instructions.
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