Mason jar lids vary from company to company, but many popular brands are made of steel. This means they can rust — but thankfully, there's a safe, natural way to scrub away the spots.
The scoop
TikToker Juliana Deliberais (@julianadeliberais) runs a channel dedicated to the environment and creating less waste and pollution. She shared this tip in March, hoping to help every viewer who uses Mason jars.
"I love using Mason jars for everything, but I hate it when my lids get rusty," she says in the video, showing a badly rusted lid and ring.
@julianadeliberais Replying to @brianabartiztana Give this a try. Hopefully it will be enough to remove all the rust from your lids. #masonjar #masonjarlids #rustylids #rustremoval #naturalproductsthatwork #naturalproducts #bakingsodadoesthat #bakingsodahack ♬ Chrysanthemum Tea - Prod. By Rose
Luckily, Deliberalis says she has an easy way to remove the rust with common kitchen items: baking soda and lemon.
"I just pour some baking soda right on the lid, squeeze a little lemon juice on top, and with the abrasive side of a sponge, I get to scrubbing," she says.
Admittedly, the method does take some effort to scour away all of the rust. But afterward, Deliberais shows off clean, shiny lids.
"If the mouth of your jar also has some rust like mine does, you can give it a scrub with the baking soda and lemon, as well," she adds.
How it's helping
Allrecipes said that Mason jars are the gold standard for reusable food containers because they can be refilled almost endlessly, have an airtight seal, and can even be used for pressure canning to store food long-term.
The glass and metal are even recyclable at the end of their life span, unlike plastic options such as Tupperware, which are difficult for recycling facilities to process. Since they also eliminate the need for disposable plastic, they help reduce waste and pollution.
However, even Superman has a weakness, and rust is the kryptonite to any Mason jar lid. Badly corroded lids aren't airtight or food-safe. An easy at-home way to salvage rusty lids extends the life of each set, saving owners money.
Even better, baking soda and lemon are gentle, natural ingredients commonly used in food. This makes them a much safer choice compared to other harsh chemicals used for rust removal.
What everyone's saying
"Thank you so much!" said one commenter. "I came across your video because I got rust on a Stanley tumbler; something in the dishwasher leaked on it. It worked!"
Juliana replied, "So glad this worked for you."
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