question for quilters in humid areas
 

I live in the northeast, so high humidity is not a problem for me...until this summer. I have actually gotten rust on some of my scissors! How do people that live in high humidity areas deal with this? My scissors have always been stored in a caddy, kind of like a pencil holder, only larger. All I can think of is to put them in a plastic shoebox with a dessicant! Also..what do you do to deal with rust on scissors once you've gotten some?? Thanks all.

Can't help with storage, but to clean the rust already on the scissors, gently "polish" the scissors with a light oil (sewing machine oil, 3-in-1 oil, etc). Keep polishing until the rust comes off. I do this with my husband's tools using WD-40. If you absolutely have to, use an ultra fine steel wool (not SOS/Brillo pads) with the oil to remove the rust. If rust is on the cutting edge of scissors, you may want to have them professionally sharpened which will also remove the rust. Hope this helps.

You may need to keep a dehumidifier running in your home.

I run dehumidifiers on every floor in my home 24/7 during the warmer months. The one in the basement (where my studio and longarm are) drains directly to a floor drain so I never have to empty it. It also helps my HVAC system run more efficiently since its not always trying to cool moist air. I have zero issues with rust or musty smells, I could not live without them.

We lived in the deep south for over 40 years. I think central a/c helps but realize that is not an option in some houses in the northeast. Also suggest a dehumidifier. Maybe a minisplit if feasible.

I live in northern Minnesota. When I was a kid...nobody had air-conditioning. We would just open the windows in the evening and by morning, the house would be cooled down. we would then close the windows and the shades on the sunny side of the house....well...all the began to change about 20-30 years ago and now all but one house in my neighborhood has installed central air....thank goodness we had forced air for heating as it made installing the central air so much easier as the air ducts were already installed. Yep....Climate change is real folks. See changes in the vegetation around here too...getting too warm for conifers, being replaced by maples. We can now grow plants from zone s 4-5...used to be zone 3, 4 was very iffy and usually would only last a year or two. Oh, I am living in my the house I grew up in so have seen the changes over that past 70 years.

Climate change is real. Climate has been changing since the beginning of time. We were not populated as much during the last big changes to be concerned over it. I live in the south and the sometimes the humidity makes the air like a steam bath. I've never had a problem with rust on items inside my home. Our AC comes on when the temp gets in the low 70's and stays on until the temp gets to the high 60's. AC in the south summer is as important as heat in the north winter. Most homes in my area have the in house generator not for winter so much as for ac in the summer if the power goes out. In winter we have to add moisture to the air. It's always something no matter where you live.

I live in Vermont, where most houses don't have AC either. But I have it in my sewing room and run it on the dehumidify setting on humid days, just to dry things out.

When I lived in Florida the central air kept my house from getting too humid inside. I rarely ever opened the windows down there. Now I live in Iowa where I find the humid conditions to be almsot nil except during are rainy season. Then I turn my dehumidifyer on. I have whatever it's called gadget that shows me the humidity in the room I keep all my machines and if its too dry I fill a washtub with hot water when I go to quilt and/or sew so I don't get zapped. In my garagae worshop with power tools I keep a cover over all my power machines to keep the dust, bugs and moisture away from them. Did this in Florida and it seemed to work find. No rust on any of my tools.

I totally agree. We have 3 a/c units in our home and 2 a/c vents in my sewing room because of the iron and steam. I've never had trouble with my scissors rusting. My husband uses the little bag of dessicant on things in the garage and he never has trouble with rust.

I live in Arkansas where the humidity sometimes gets so high you almost need a snorkel to breath outside. I've never had any of my sewing things to rust. But of course like one poster said, when it just starts to get 'warm' I switch my unit from Heat to Cool. Never open the windows because of allergens.

Your location says upstate NY... I'm wondering how far upstate? I live in the Finger Lakes, between Rochester and Syracuse.

I've never been a lover of heat and humidity, so am very thankful for AC - but we did not have it until 10 years or so ago. We do have 2 dehumidifiers in the basement as well.

Even before the AC, though, I don't remember anything inside getting rusty. Is it possible that there was something in the caddy that wasn't stainless? Maybe that's how rust got on them?

I grew up in Utica and it was rare for anyone to have central AC. However, if I went back I would get it. Yes, climate change is real.
My brother lives in Syracuse and got central AC last summer. He said he can't believe what a difference it makes.

If I didn't have the AC on I'd be the biggest witch of the Midwest!!! Ugh, we have really hot, humid summers. I don't care what the bill is each month. It's so worth it.

Growing up we didn't have AC and the climate wasn't any different then then now. We sweltered with only fans to use. I hated summer nights and vowed to have AC where ever I lived. So far I haven't broken my vow and I have lived on the west coast and east coast and many areas in between.

I'm only about 30 miles from Utica...it's not the money at all...either the initial cost or the monthly bill..it's a fear that I will stay inside on nice days...I love my gardens, and "sort of" acclimate..and just soldier on. We've only had about 2 weeks total of unbearable days...but I am so afraid that if I get AC, I'll just more and more opt for the comfort!

peace and joy....I'm near Utica...no there was nothing in the caddy but my scissors. I've been sewing since I was 9 and joined 4-H...50+ years now, and never had my scissors rust...I just hope this isn't a trend!

donna- I know what you mean. Living where I do now (Columbus) it's hot and humid all summer. We don't seem to get a break.
Not so in upstate NY, although my cousin said it seems to be a lot hotter than when we were kids.

I miss apples more than anything ! (except my brothers haha). New York State apples are beyond wonderful. My Mom used to go to the apple orchards all the time and probably spent thousands in her lifetime on those wonderful fruits! I go to orchards here but the apples are nowhere near as good.

I would never live without AC. Growing up in the 50s noone had AC except a few grocery stores. I always longed for it.

Curious....what brand of scissors were they? Were they new?. The only scissors I have seen rust have been a couple of really old pairs of my mothers. I use them to cut anything not fabric. The old dull fiskers, and ELK (says chrome coated) have not rusted but an old pair solongen made in Germany is the pair with rust....they are very old

My sewing room is in the basement. Every spring through fall I hang a product called DampRid in my sewing room and throughout this level in our home. DampRid comes in several different forms. It does a wonderful job of keeping my room and everything in it dry as I want it. Too much dampness, I hang two. DampRid is easily available in places like Home Depot, Walmart, Meijer, and even Amazon.com.

I live in South Texas along the Gulf of Mexico and high humidity goes with the territory. I have not had an issue of scissors rusting. We do run our AC which keeps the humidity down in the house.

I live in Arizona and it is very dry here.

I don't know why anyone would not have AC during the summer in high humidity. A small window unit cost little of nothing and will keep one room cool at least. No need for duct work for those.

Onebyone, when we lived in Annapolis, MD our little Cape Cod style house had 3 window units. 1 took care of downstairs and we had 1 in our bedroom (hubby kept our door closed, he liked it really cold) and the girls had the other in their room. Our heating was baseboard and a small gas fireplace.

I use a product called "Naval Oil" made for rust removal. It is gentle on the blades and wipes right off.