How to Remove Rust from Cast Iron

There are several benefits of cook ware made of cast iron. It is said that cast iron cook ware lasts for a lifetime. However, it is possible only if you handle them with proper care. Sometimes, due to improper storage of cast iron get rusted and is no longer fit for use. Instead of discarding the rusted cast iron cookware, you should gather some information on how to remove rust from the cast iron and implement it on your cookware. Here we have shared such tips with you in the following sections.

How to Remove Rust from Cast Iron Cookware?

Mild Rust Removal: Before you start removing rust from cast iron cookware, you should dress yourself with proper protective gear like rubber gloves and goggles, because most of the cleaning products are harmful for the skin and the eyes. You can use an oven cleaner to get rid of mild rust from the surface of the cast iron cookware. Spray some oven cleaner generously on the cast iron and then put it in a large-sized zipped plastic bag and seal it up. Keep the cookware in that condition for one or two days. It is kept inside the bag so that the cleaner does not dry up and will continue to be effective in cleaning up the rust. Then take it out from the plastic bag and scrub the rusted surface well with the help a fine wire wheel on an electric drill. Then rinse it with a mild dish washing soap and warm water.

Thick Rust Removal: We often find it difficult to remove rust from cast iron pot as the rust forms a crust on its surface. You can get rid of this type of rust with the help of distilled vinegar. Begin the task of rust removal by washing the cooking pot thoroughly. Prepare a mixture of equal quantities of water and vinegar, and soak the pot into the mixture for a few hours. Store the cookware in this condition in a dark corner anywhere outside your house. The garage is the safest place for this purpose.

This cleaning process should be carried out in an outdoor place for two major reasons. The chemical reaction that goes on between the vinegar and iron gives out a foul smell. Secondly, the resultant foam of the reaction can stain the surface of the floor permanently. Do not soak the pot in the vinegar for too long as it can cause corrosion to the iron surface. Then soak the pot in a mixture of water and mild dish washing detergent for a few hours so that all the acid gets neutralized. Then scrub the pot well to get rid of the rust and wash off thoroughly. You can repeat the process a number of times if required.

Seasoning: When the cast iron cookware is free from rust, then you have to season it up. Seasoning of cast iron will prevent formation of rust on the cookware all over again. Another reason for which cast iron is seasoned is that it helps to give a nonstick surface while cooking on the cookware. For this, the cookware is mildly heated for a few minutes by placing it on the oven. Then you have to apply a little vegetable oil with a brush on the cookware to form a thin layer of oil on it. After application of oil on the cookware, you have to place the cookware on the oven all over again and heat it at 225° F for half an hour. Then re-apply another coat of oil and heat it again at the same temperature for another half an hour. Then remove it from heat and wipe off all the excess of oil from it. Initially, after every use you have to season the cookware following the same procedure.

How to Remove Rust from Cast Iron Pan?

Potato is effective in scrubbing out rust from cast iron pan. First of all, put some oven cleaner on the pan. Cut the end of a potato and rub it vigorously on the rusty surface of the pan. Continue to rub the pan till all the rust is cleared from the pan. Then wash off the liquid with mild dish washing detergent and water, and let the pan dry up thoroughly. Another cleaning option is to sprinkle 2 - 3 spoons of salt on the pan, and then pour the same quantity of vegetable oil on it. Then scrub the pan with a thickly-folded paper towel. Rub more intensely on those areas which have rust. In case the rust is a severe one, you can scrub it with steel wool. When all the rusted spots are gone, wash it off with liquid soap and water. Dry it thoroughly and season it in the same process as has been discussed in the previous section. Each time you do such a type of cleaning, you have to do the seasoning.

Now that you have learned how to remove rust from cast iron, you will utilize your knowledge in getting rid of the rust from cast iron. After that, you should store it in such a way that it does not get rust all over again. For storing cast iron, the right method is to put a paper towel into the cast iron to absorb the atmospheric moisture which causes rust. Do not cover it up with lids while storing. Also, do not keep two cast iron cookware in direct contact with each other while storing them.