How This Everyday Cleaning Habit Destroys Knife Blades

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Maintaining a sharp edge on your kitchen knives isn't just about making life easier when you're cooking, it's also a matter of safety. Blunt knives require more force to use and are more prone to slippage when cutting. If you want to avoid reaching for the knife sharpener so often, consider the habits that might be making your knives dull in the first place.

You might know that washing sharp knives in the dishwasher is a no-no, but something as seemingly innocuous as soaking kitchen knives is another bad habit. Knives should be hand-washed to keep them in top condition, but be careful not to expose them to water for too long. Leaving knives to soak might seem like the best way to remove stubborn food particles, but it can also cause rust on carbon-steel blades. Extended exposure to water will break down the adhesive that connects the blade and the handle, and wooden handles can become waterlogged and eventually crack. Some knives are made of a single piece of metal, but these can also be damaged during soaking, as the blade knocks against other metal utensils or ceramic dishes in the soapy water.

Perhaps most importantly, leaving knives to soak can be a huge hazard. At some point, a hand thrust blindly into the suds is going to have an unpleasant encounter with a blade.

Soaking sharp knives isn't the only thing that will dull them — there are plenty of other common kitchen habits that are messing with the blades. While you're at the sink, using a metal scrubber to remove stains will more likely remove the sharp edge.

Leaving your knives to air-dry can be just as detrimental due to the prolonged contact with water. Knives should be dried immediately after washing to prevent rust, patina, or water damage to the handle. Apart from this, leaving them to dry on the dish rack can be problematic as the blade knocks against other metal items.

Putting knives away in a drawer loose with other utensils is the next mistake, as they'll become dull and even chipped over time. If you don't want to clutter up your counter with a knife block, you can use in-drawer options like this Utoplike knife organizer, or individual knife guards if you only have a few.

The way you use your knife can also ruin its edge. When it comes to your choice of cutting board, anything harder than wood or plastic is going to dull a knife blade in no time. Save those marble, glass, and metal cutting boards for serving.