How to Get Rust off Cookie Cutters?- 5 Sure-Fire Solutions!

Cookies are an essential item whenever we consider a snack item. Who doesn’t love cookies right?

But one essential tool for cookie making is cookie cutters. Otherwise, how would you shape them? But, these cookie cutters get rusty every now and then.

So you’re asking how to get rust off cookie cutters?

Well, you can rub lemon and salt on the rusty part. Or just use citric acid on the rusty cookie cutter. You can give your cookie-cutter a vinegar bath. Also, try mixing potato and dish soap to get rid of the rust.

While these instructions may sound vague, why don’t you check them out in detail? For that, scroll through the next segments.

Why Do Cookie Cutters Get Rusty?

Cookie cutters can be made from different materials. But the most common ones are steel-made. 

Just like other steel products, cookie cutters also get rusty at times. Actually, we all have old cookie cutters that we threw away because they got rusty. But have you ever thought about why does your cookie-cutter gets rusty?

Well, the reason can be that moisture got into your cutters. That means you kept the cutters wet after washing. Or you stored the cookie cutters in a wet place. Hence, the cutters got in touch with moisture. And the rust started to develop on the steel.

So when rust starts to develop on one spot, it spreads quickly to the whole thing. And if it remained unnoticed, it might make the steel substance weaker and prone to break.

When the whole cutter is rusty, there’s no way you can use it. So you’ll have to get the rust out of them before using them.

How to Get Rust off Cookie Cutters? -5 Alternative Ways!

Well, there are a few alternative ways to get the rust out of your cookie cutters. We’ve mentioned that just below. So, just check them out.

But wait, we’ve got a short trailer on these alternatives. Why don’t you check that first?

Alternative Methods	Effectiveness	Time Consuming
Baking soda	High	Quick to Medium
Vinegar bath	High	Slow
Potato & dish soap	Medium to High	Medium
Ketchup	Medium to High	Fastest
Lemon & salt	Medium	Medium to slow

Well, now you can have a look at the detailed version of the alternatives.

Baking Soda

Well, baking soda has various uses. When it comes to cleaning stuff, baking soda is first in line. Now you can use baking soda in 3 different ways to remove the rust.

Let’s have a look at them.

Use Baking Soda And Water

To use baking soda as a solution, first, cover the cutters with it. And then keep it that way for 3 hours. After that, dip a sponge in water and scrub with it. And when the scrubbing is done, just rinse with normal water.

Again scrub the sponge with just water. You’ll see that the rust is coming out.

Try Baking Soda with Lemon Juice

Another way is that you can sprinkle baking soda on your cookie cutters. Then cut a lemon in half and rub it on the cutters.

After that, keep the cutters like that for 4 hours straight. Then just scrub the cutters with the sponge. So that the remaining rust comes off. Then you’ll be able to clean it with soap and water.

Apply Baking Soda with Vinegar

Removing rust with vinegar and baking soda is a popular and effective method. For that mix half cup baking soda with half cup white vinegar. Pour that mixture on the cutters and let them soak for 6 hours.

After that, wash the cutters normally. So that the rust is out of the cutters.

Vinegar Bath

Another method that is really effective is the vinegar bath. Previously, we talked about using vinegar and baking soda. But for this method, we have to give the cutters a vinegar bath.

So you have to take a large bowl. Then fill that with white vinegar. Soak the cutters in the vinegar overnight. After that, the next morning, just take the cutters out. Then, use a toothbrush to remove the rust.

Rinse with water to see clean and new-looking cookie cutters. You can use this method on both steel, copper, and old metal cookie cutters.

Speaking of cutters, here’s a quick suggestion. Have some metal cookie cutters. Because you never know when your cookies turn to be tough as smoked brisket while baking. In that case, metal cutters will help you to cut through a tough dough.

Potato And Dish Soap

This method is another good one. First, grate a potato and then squeeze it. Now mix 2 tablespoons of dish soap with the potato juice.

And then mix them all together. Then soak the cutters on the mixture. And after 3 hours, just scrub and wash the cutters.

Ketchup

This is one of the easiest methods to get rid of rust from metal cutters. Also, this is the only effective method for antique cookie cutters. So you have to cover the cutters with ketchup. And then keep it covered in the ketchup for 5 hours.

And then take a towel to wipe off the ketchup. Then wash the cutters with dish soap. And you’ll be amazed how the rust is gone by that.

Lemon And Salt

Now another easy solution is this one. You have to cut a lemon in half and then dip the lemon in salt. After that, rub the lemon on the cutters. If you feel like the salt dissolved, then dip the lemon again on the salt.

And again rub on the cookie cutters. And eventually, you’ll see that the rust came off. 

But if the cookie cutters are fully rusted, you should throw them out. In that case, you can look at these cookie cutters that we’ve been using. 

These cookie cutters will definitely serve you well. We’re still using ours! Now, if you’re still doubting yourself, why don’t you look at how to keep them?

How to Clean And Dry Cookie Cutters Properly?

Well, cleaning and drying cookie cutters are one of the most important parts. Because if you make a mistake at this stage then your cookie cutters will be rusty. 

And once rust starts to build up, it won’t stop. And you’ll have to opt for the rust removal procedures that we mentioned before. So it’s always better to prevent your cookie cutters from getting rusty in the first place.

These cutters get rusty, so preventing that beforehand is a much easier task.

Step 1: Wash The Cookie Cutters

The first step is to wash the cookie cutters. But don’t put your cookie cutters on a  wet sink with other dirty dishes after using them. Because that way it still will be left in moisture for too long. The chances of the cutters getting rusty will be higher.

So after you use the cookie cutters, just keep them dry. Try not to get them before you’re ready to wash them.

Now when you’re ready to wash, take 1 tablespoon of liquid dish soap. Mix it with ½ cup warm water. Then dip your sponge on the soapy water and rub the cutters with it.

Or you can take a large bowl. Fill it halfway with warm water and add 2 tablespoons of dish soap to it. Give it a good mix and soak the cutters in the water for a minute. Finally, use a sponge to clean.

Or you can take a toothbrush to rub on the corners of the cutter. Make sure you’re acting fast and not keeping the cookie cutters on the water for more than 15 minutes.

After you’re done with cleaning, just rinse them with tap water. Shake off the excess and move to the drying process.

Step 2: Dry The Cutters

After that, dry the cutters by wiping them with a dry towel separately. Then place the cutters in a butcher’s paper. Because that will soak up if any water is there. Now don’t just get wrapped up in the butcher vs kraft paper.

Because in this case, butcher’s paper is the one you need. After putting them on the paper, warm up your oven.

Once you’re done, place your cookie cutters inside the oven. And then close the oven door. Keep the cutters in the warm oven for 10 minutes. In between the time, the warmth will soak up any remaining moisture.

So the cutters will be completely dry. After that, move on to the storing process.

Step 3: Store The Cutters Properly

The last step is to store the cutters properly. For that, you’ll have to keep the cutters in a place where there’s no chance of water leakage. So we suggest not putting the cutters on a shelf where you put wet plates.

Rather, you can put them in a kitchen drawer. You can also wrap them in a dry towel. So that they stay dry until the next usage.

If you can ensure zero moisture exposure, your cookie cutters will be rust-free. 

So you’re aware of why cookie cutters get rusty and the solutions to it. And that being said, we’re done with today’s article. 

FAQs

Question: Are there any rust-free cookie cutters?

Answer: Well, all the cookie cutters are rust-free when you buy them. But after some time if not cared for properly they can get rusty.

Question: Is it okay if I store the baking trays and cookie cutters together?

Answer: No it’s totally fine. You can also wash these two together. But in order to store them together, you’ll have to dry both of them properly.

Question: Is it okay if I keep my cookie cutters unwashed for the weekend?

Answer: Well, we believe in doing the dishes on a daily basis. Even if you want to keep them unwashed for 1-2 days, make sure they’re not wet. Give them a good cleaning. 

Bottom Line

The article ends here today. But by this time you got to know how to get the rust off cookie cutters. Hope you’ll be successful in getting the rust off your one. 

If you face any difficulties just let us know by commenting.

Bye!