I wanted to share with you how to keep steel wool pads from rusting. I can’t tell you how many times when I was teaching Foods class (Home Economics) that we would throw away a rusted steel wool pad. I quickly decided to do a little research as we had a tight budget and found that the best way to stretch the life of your steel wool pad is to soak it in cold water. This is a great kitchen tip that will save you time and money!

How to keep steel wool pads from rusting

Step one: Find a small clear jar with a lid (we used baby food jars).
Step two: Remove the label and clean thoroughly.
Step three: Fill with cool water and 1 TBSP baking soda.
Step four: Place lid on and shake until dissolved.
Step five: Place steel wool pad completely immersed in the water mixture.

Replace with fresh water mixture approximately every 2 weeks.

Another alternative is that you can FREEZE the steel wool pads between use and they will not rust.  Just drop them into a plastic bag and place in your freezer and you are good to go when you are ready to use them. This is my personal favorite method when you are not using the steel wool pads often.

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