Q:

How can I extend the life of steel wool used for cleaning?

How can I prevent or reduce the rate of rusting for a piece of steel wool used for cleaning things like greasy pots and pans?   If I use it once and then put it away somewhere, it is usually beginning to have rust the next time I take it out to use.

A:

One way of extending the lifespan of steel wool is to put it in a ziplock bag and then put it inside the freezer.  The ziplock bag reduces the oxygen it is exposed and prevents it from touching anything else in the freezer, while the freezer's low temperature reduces the rate at which it oxidizes further.  Whenever you need to use it, just take it out of the freezer and the bag, clean it a bit after using it, and then put it back in the bag and in the freezer.

A:

I've never tried this, but you could dry it thoroughly with a blow dryer before you put it again. That should remove all the water from it and limit or prevent rusting.

