Home improvement tools – like the renovations they help make a reality – are investments. Tool rust prevention doesn’t have to be pricey, but it is necessary if you hope to use those saw blades, drill bits, plies and hammers more than a few times.

Home improvement spending has been off the charts in recent years, growing by double the rate of the rest of the retail sector even before the COVID-19 pandemic spurred a boom of renovations over the past year. Data from the U.S. Census Bureau found home improvement-related retail sales grew nearly 12 percent last year, even as overall retail sells fell by about 4 percent. One study by Consumer Specialists revealed that in the last year, an increasing number of homeowners were planning or in the midst of home renovations, many involving bathrooms, kitchens and landscaping/gardening.

Projects like these can’t be completed without the proper tools – and few are dirt cheap. Tools, like renovations, are investments, and they require care to ensure they don’t become. Here, we offer our Top 3 Tool Rust Prevention Strategies from Zerust.

How Zerust Tackles Tool Rust Prevention

Before drilling down into the specifics, it’s important to explain why all of our Zerust tool storage solutions are superior. It has to do with the vapor corrosion-inhibiting (VCI) formula with which all our products are made.

VCI is a non-toxic, harmless vapor that released into the air around a metal item in an enclosed space. These tiny molecules settle on any exposed metal surfaces to shield the area from the electrochemical processes that can cause corrosion (including rust, one of its most common forms, which is the result of iron/alloys + oxygen + moisture). This microscopic shield is invisible, but offers long-lasting protection and doesn’t impact the mechanical or electrical properties of your tools.

No. 1: Toolbox Drawer Liners

One of the easiest and most cost-effective tool rust prevention strategies Zerust offers is the toolbox drawer liner. Solid or mesh, they come in three standard sizes, but can be easily cut to fit any toolbox, drawer or cabinet space where you keep your tools. (Smaller pieces can easily and safely be reused in a silverware drawer, jewelry box or gun safe for corrosion protection.) The VCI offers the greatest benefit of up to five years of protection – not just from rust but also the kind of corrosion that can be caused when dissimilar metals are stored together. The added bonus is the no-slip PVC rubber that keeps your tools in place and helps prevent the surface damage frequently caused when tools are jostled against one another.

No. 2: Rust Prevention Capsules

There’s no need to buy a pricey tool storage unit. Just use the one you have and put a VCI capsule in it. Our VCI rust prevention vapor capsules come in a range of sizes (depending on the size of the space) are inexpensive and simply adhere to the inside surface of your toolbox, storage cabinet or even plastic tote.

VCI capsules offer up to two years of protection against rust and corrosion, and they’re great too for bait and tackleboxes, ammo boxes, electronics and other home and sporting goods.

No. 3: Multi-Purpose VCI Poly Bags

These little bags are great for storing individual tools you want to keep in top shape. They also come in eight different sizes, closed with self-sealers or zip ties, inexpensive and will protect any ferrous metals typically susceptible to rust or others vulnerable to galvanic corrosion for up to five years.

VCI poly bags are especially great for tools that get a great deal of use because they offer excellent rust prevention if your items have holes or chips or are designed with hard-to-clean recesses.

Additional Rust Prevention Solutions

If none of these fit your exact needs, we have others, including a table saw cover and plastabs (the latter for smaller items). If you aren’t sure which option will work best, our experienced, friendly customer service staff can help answer your questions.

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“>Contact Zerust for information on how to prevent tool rust by emailing us or calling (330) 405-1965.

Additional Resources:

Why Home Improvement Has Surged And How It’s Changing America, Sept. 11, 2020, By Frank Morris, NPR

More Blog Entries:

Prevent Garden Tool Rust in Prepping for Winter Storage, Nov. 14, 2020, Zerust Tool Rust Prevention Blog