Cacao pod husks were used as raw material to obtain anti-corrosive extracts. The extraction was performed by adding 50 g of grinded husk to 300 mL of solutions of deionized water and ethanol, varying solvent concentration from 0 to 50% v/v, temperature from 28 to 50°C and extraction time from 2 to 5 hours. Then, the extracts were filtered and submitted to characterization tests. The anticorrosive activity was studied by weight loss analysis on A36 steel plates in 1M hydrochloric acid with variations of extract concentration (0, 1, 3, 7 and 10% v/v). A maximum corrosion inhibition efficiency of 91.13% was achieved with an extract concentration of 10% v/v. This extract was obtained with 16.1% v/v ethanol, at 50°C and during 5 hours of extraction time. The results proved that cacao pod husk is a suitable raw material for the production of corrosion inhibitors. Phenols were the predominant components in this extract and mainly account for its anticorrosive activity. The adsorption mechanism of the inhibitor on the metal surface was studied by Langmuir isotherm analysis and the results suggested the occurrence of a physisorption.