Store Tools With Uncooked Rice so They Don’t Rust.

Given that the places where we usually store our tools, such as basements, garages, and sheds, are often a bit damp, it’s no surprise that metal objects start to rust. While there are ways to clean rusty tools , an even better (and more convenient) option is to prevent them from getting rusty. One way to do this is to store them with uncooked rice. Here’s what you need to know.

How to Store Raw Rice Tools to Prevent Rust

Basically, the idea is that because moisture causes metal tools to rust, you can prevent this by storing them with uncooked rice, which acts as a desiccant by absorbing moisture. There are a few different ways to use uncooked rice’s rust-preventing power – some more messy than others. Here are three to consider:

Sachet

Place a handful of uncooked rice in a porous bag, but not so much that the rice can fall out. A sachet will do – like the one in a potpourri – making a small bag of gauze, a small sock, or stuffing the bottom of a pair of pantyhose or pantyhose (provided it doesn’t have large holes) will also work. ), cutting them at the knee and tying the material at the open end with a knot.

Put the sachet in the bottom of the tool box or in the drawers of the tool box. When the uncooked rice seems wet , either replace it with a new bag or open the one you have, pour out the old rice, let the bag dry completely, then (provided it doesn’t smell moldy) fill it with fresh uncooked rice. .

Loose in toolbox

Instead of spending a few minutes making a bag, some people prefer to toss a handful of uncooked rice straight into the toolbox. Technically, this should get the job done, but you’ll have to deal with sticky grains that can get stuck inside the contents of your toolbox. Also, when the rice eventually gets wet, cleaning is no fun.

Immersed in a vat

The final method comes to us from an article in House Digest : “If you don’t have a toolbox, try filling a canister with rice and placing the tools inside, making sure the metal is submerged in the grain.”

While the science and end goals differ, this setup is essentially a variation on the already-debunked advice to revive a wet smartphone by placing it in a bowl of uncooked rice. It’s not the most convenient way to store tools and uses more rice than other strategies, but it might come in handy in a rust prevention emergency.