I've got a cast iron dutch oven, and the bottom of the lid has rusted. I've also got one cast iron frying pan where there is rust on the bottom. All my other cast iron is fine. :mad: Does any body have a suggestion how to get the rust off?
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I've got a cast iron dutch oven, and the bottom of the lid has rusted. I've also got one cast iron frying pan where there is rust on the bottom. All my other cast iron is fine. :mad: Does any body have a suggestion how to get the rust off?
I have had some luck with putting my iron skillets on a fish cooker and getting them real hot. It burns the buildup off and it should help on the rust. You will have to season it immediatly after it cools.
just sand the crap out of it electic sander would be better
Heat it, buff it, and cook a lot of fish in it, and wipe the inside and cover with oil when finish.
"gene"
Thanks for the advice, but it will be hard to cook something on the bottom of the dutch oven lid and to make matters worse it has little inset dimples that would be tough to sand. I'm going to give all of the above a try and let you know how it turns out. Thanks again!
theres rust converter you can get after you clean it the best you can just brush it on supossed to turn rust back to metal
Heating the cover directly over the fire will make the rust pop off. A steel brush should be able to get the rest off. You don't have to cook on the cover. Always wash a iron pot in hot water only, no soap or soap pad. If there is residue that won't wipe out, put water in the pot and boil. While boiling use something to rub the residue off, you are really deglazing the pot. Once that is accomplished, pour out water and return to fire heat only enough to dry pot. At once wipe it with oil of choice or Pam. Make sure you do the same to the cover. Before use, run some hot water only in pot and scrub lightly and rinse, then wipe dry. Add oil and cook, cook, and cook some more. Call me when it done.
"gene"
Use a coarse salt and rub the rust away. Have always used coarse salt bought in grocery store to clean old cast iron pots then heated them up & treated with crisco or spam as said above.
Great idea!
Go here
PowerVideo - How to's, Car Guys, Mustang, Corvette, Camaro, Nova and more... | PowerblockTV
Go to the "How to" section. Scroll down till you see the vid titled rust removal tip.
I found the "how to" section but never could find the rust removal tip, not even after doing a search in the site.
blairarnoldI could not find it either, was curious if it is a chemical agent as You do not want to use any chemical, liguid rust remover etc. on your cooking pan, it could transfer to food in cooking later on, probably won't kill you but food will get a nasty taste. We scorched a cast iron pan once and just cleaned it with coarse salt & water works fine same thing my Grandma always did as all she cooked with was cast iron. Bought a big Lodge fry pan about? 20" dia at garage sale cheap cause of rust, salt cleaned it up in no time.Quote:
I found the "how to" section but never could find the rust removal tip, not even after doing a search in the site.
... the "how to" link icon (wrench) is on the left slide bar window ... but after you click on it, go over to the right slide bar window and scroll down to the "rust removal tip" video. (about 3/4 of the way down)Quote:
Originally Posted by blairarnold
You'll need :
12V battery charger with constant 2amp current capability
plastic container big enough to hold cast iron pan
water (measured in pints, and enough to cover cast iron item)
steel rod
Sodium Carbonate (1tsp to each pint of water)
What the tip tells/shows you to do :
Add Sodium Carbonate to water in plastic container (measured as described)
Place cast iron item into solution
hook negative lead to cast iron item (below the solution surface)
hook positive lead to steel rod (above the solution surface)
place steel rod into solution (standing upright and not touching cast iron)
turn on battery charger
MAKE SURE you have this setup in a VERY WELL VENTILATED area, as there will be hydrogen gas produced by the dissolving rust !! No flames or sparks anywhere near this setup !!!!! (SERIOUS explosion potential)
But ... don't take my word for it :p .. watch the video ;)
... cp :cool:
I have access to a sandblaster at work, that does a great job. I have done several like that. Just season them soon after so they won't start rusting again.
Here's what we do - burn it off in a campfire. Next time you go camping, or in your backyard, build a good fire, put your cast iron in it and burn it off. Afterward, wash and scrub it up good, put it over heat to get it completely dry and then coat it with a light film of oil.
I really appreciate every one's suggestions. I've kind of bumped my forehead and wonder why I hadn't thought of several of them though I would have never thought about the trick on the website.
I am going to ask another stupid question. I have cleaned cast iron by rubbing it with salt using a paper towell. It worked but the salt ate through the paper towells pretty quickly, and I'm not sure they would get all the rust off. What do you use to rub the salt against the rust?
Well U could use a sponge, a dish rag, or we use a ALL PURPOSE NYLON SCOURING PAD, its a sponge covered with a couple layers fine nylon mesh sold at Trader Joes food stores, but I have also seen similar in auto section of dept stores. $2.59 for a mesh bag of four, Ideal for non-stick cookware,baking pans,Glass doors, stove tops, etc. I also use one on car windshield to remove bugs. Its about 21/2 inches square
Thanks for all the replies. I've gotten some great ideas from all of you.
try this
tie a rope to it and next time your out fishing throw it out in the water and drag it while your fishing, you might even have a fish on it when you bring it in :D
Actually i would try to have it sand blasted, Ive done that before or use a wire brush then wash with warm water and season it :)
good luck
Scotchbrite. You can find it at Lowes or Walmart with the paint & wood finishing supplies.Quote:
Originally Posted by blairarnold
Quote:
Originally Posted by Mrs. Crappie Stalker
This is also exactly how my grandfather showed me and have been doing it for 30 years this way, with all the CI I got from him, and Lord only knows how long he cooked with it.... Only difference, I started using garlic oil to season with ;) makes for better flavor of everything, lol
The campfire is good, but I've found that a Chore Boy scrubber is the best. It's a metallic copper colored wad that really cuts.
I keep saying thanks for the suggestions, and I keep meaning it. Keep them coming!
Hi blairarnold, with all these suggestions for cleaning your cast iron I think you may have to go BUY about 50 CI pots, pans, & Dutch ovens so U can try all these ideas.:D:D Hey it was a great question to ask;)
If I had the time and money, I'd do it, but I don't. Love the sand blasting suggestions! Boy would that take care of it quickly. Love the burn them real good suggestions because that ought to be pretty easy. Love the rub them with salt suggestions because salt is cheap. Finally, I really appreciate every one's suggestions.
I tempered all of my cast iron pots and skillets in stump fires but when/if any rust gets into any of them Ive always boiled salt water in them to remove the rust. It'll remove the rust from any pits you may have too. Go plentiful with the salt and let 'er roll for awhile and do a second time if necessary. As far as the lid...have it sandblasted if possible. (Beadblasting should work too.)
my uncle worked in and retired from a glass factory and a few times a year they would put up signs outside the place 'pilgrim glass' that people could bring in cast iron for cleaning all they would do is get it really hot grab it with gloves hit it on the ground then smear a super thin coat of cooking oil on it when the oil dried repeat process until clean it also takes off any build up the iron may have while your cook stove may not get as hot it will do the same thing just put it in the oven on high for a long time and turn off your fire alarms keep an eye on it just have gloves handy and a spot to hit it on concrete outside i have seen my grand parents do that same thing i told you to do and it worksQuote:
Originally Posted by blairarnold
Quote:
Originally Posted by painterfish
I WOULD NOT USE THAT ON COOKWARE EVER!:eek:
Burn it in a wood fire. After cooling scrub clean. Dry on the stove top. Then apply bacon grease all over and heat in the oven. When it cools the cast iorn is porous and will be drawn into the metal.;) I still use the fry'n pans my mother had passed down from her mother. Nothing cooks better without burning food than cast iorn.:D
I used a body shop sander on mine to get it smooth and wash it out then put some cooking oil in it and cook the pot on a fish cooker out side.
Rowdy
This is the only way to clean cast iron. Don't us any rust coverter. I have cleaned several antique cast iron cookware with this process and it works very well. Good look and be careful. How to Clean and Season Cast Iron - Learning to Clean and Season Cast Iron
easy if you have a self cleaning oven put your cast iron in close oven turn on self cleaning let the oven and your cast iron clean at the same time.
once cooled season it with veg oil all over good. ready to go.
~sticko~
Man, the hits just keep on coming. I thank all of you.
Quick & easy...
First, get the rust off using steel wool and/or wire brush (plain steel wool, not the soapy brillo-pad kind)
once the rust is off, wash it - go ahead and use soap and water, because you're going to need to season it anyway. I recommend using one of those green scrubbie pads.
dry it thoroughly.
Season it:
I've found that the best way to really season cast iron without smoking up the house, is to use a gas-grill (a tip I learned right here). Coat the entire pan, top, bottom, inside, outside - with shortening. Fire up the grill on high and put the cookwear on the grill, and close the cover. 20-30 minutes later, or when the smoke starts to subside, shut the grill down, open the cover, and let everything cool down. When it's cool enough to handle, rinse under hot water, dry with paper towels, the apply a light coat of cooking oil or Pam.
All done.