Author Topic: need help cleaning rusted cast iron (Read 3212 times)

kevin.303 · « **on:** May 21, 2003, 06:12:29 AM »

a somewhat stupid friend of mine left my cast iron skillet in a snow bank(afteri told him not to borrow it) and when i got it back the inside is bright orange with rust is there any way to save it or is garbage? i found the best way to clean my pie iron(a cast iron clamshell that you can make sandwiches and such with over the fire) is to let it set in the fire for a while and then when i'm done i use a vegetable based cooking spray and it seems to repel the water. i think this might work but i don't use cast iron a whole lot and i'm sure that with some of you guys it's all you use :?:

flatlander · « **Reply #1 on:** May 21, 2003, 08:19:48 AM »

Don't worry--it isn't ruined at all. There is a post down below about keeping your cast iron looking old and he says you can sand blast it. I've had one get slightly rusty and come clean using a wire brush or wheel. Just be sure when you get done cleaning it, you reseason it again.

rwng · « **Reply #2 on:** May 21, 2003, 01:00:50 PM »

Kevin,
I know straight vinegar will take rust off of tools, don't see why it wouldn't work on skillets. :wink:

BigMike · « **Reply #3 on:** May 21, 2003, 05:45:44 PM »

I've restored cast iron pots & pans by going to the
hardware store and getting one of those Scotch-Brite
pads that fit into your drill. Use the ones that have
an abrasive for really pitted dutch ovens & the like.
Absolutely have to re-season after you clean up the finish

I did a whole set I picked up for a song at a yard sale
in about a half hour, inside and out.

If you want to do it chemically, use Naval Jelly or a radiator
scale remover containing Oxalic acid. Just be sure to
wash throughly with soap & water, then re-season

Big Mike

savageT · « **Reply #4 on:** May 30, 2003, 08:22:39 AM »

Hey Kevin!
If you have Brillo or SOS Pads up there, that's what I'd use on that rusty pan. Who's to say you need to get all the rust off anyway? Just oil her up after you have washed it with the Brillo and hot, soapy water and give it an hour in the oven on low/med. oven to recoat. Good as new!

Jim

lakota · « **Reply #5 on:** June 04, 2003, 03:04:29 AM »

I just restored the finish on mine and it had gotten pretty rusty. I sprayed it with WD-40, then I hith the rust and old seasoning with 50 grit sandpaper. After I got the rust off, some of the old seasoning refused to come off, so I washed the WD 40 off and "cooked" it on my gas grill on high temp for about a half hour. All of the old seasoning turn to ash and was easy to was off. After this I buffed it with #1 and #0 steel wool and 110 grit sandpaper. After all was said and done the pan looked like a new pan in the gray. I then seasoned the pan as normal. It was a pain in the butt , but it was better than tossing it out.

Scott.

rickyp · « **Reply #6 on:** June 04, 2003, 04:27:42 PM »

I would make the friend clean it

Huntrap_MT · « **Reply #7 on:** August 28, 2003, 03:38:11 PM »

There are so many ways you could go about getting your cast-ware back in order. Last winter I had a nice Dutch oven and a great passed down cast frying pan stashed in the hills at a winter camp. Problem was that snow storms locked that country up and my big tent and several pieces of equpiment had to stayed entombed in snow till late spring. By the time I could get back up in there my cast-ware was as orange as the sun! I simply shoved a circular wire brush in my cordless drill and sprayed WD-40 all over the outside and brushed it all over, wiping all of the liquid rust off periodicaly and apply more WD-40 until it started to come clean. I, however, did not use the WD-40 on the inside of either cookware for food saftey reasons. I just wetted the inside with water and used the brush and drill and did the same process that I did with WD-40 until I was getting little rust. I then boiled water inside of them for several minutes and when the cast-ware dryed I rubbed them up real well with mineral oil and baked. I would oil and bake at least two times to restore them well.

maddmaxx · « **Reply #8 on:** July 25, 2004, 04:26:50 PM »

If it's really bad, sandblasting works real good. If you leave it in the fire till it glows, that works good too, but leave it till it cools slowly.

Rustyinfla · « **Reply #9 on:** August 14, 2004, 03:32:12 PM »

if you have a self cleaning oven, pu the dutch oven in the self cleaning oven and let it take a ride. When you get it out season it as if it were brand new.
Rusty <><

bgjohn · « **Reply #10 on:** August 14, 2004, 04:11:54 PM »

Campfire works good. Just bury it in hot coals. The next morning it'll look like new. Wash off the ashes and re-season iy and your in business.
JM :-)

Mitch in MI · « **Reply #11 on:** September 02, 2004, 02:01:39 PM »

Here are interesting links I found on electrochemical
rust removal:

http://myweb.tiscali.co.uk/andyspatch/rust.htm

and

http://www.htpaa.org.au/article-electro.php

Rustyinfla · « **Reply #12 on:** September 02, 2004, 02:23:10 PM »

Actually this should be termed reverse electrolysis. Electrolysis would be the act of bonding another metal to a base metal. Now that you bring this up, there used to be a place here in town that did the reverse thing for people who wanted to restore old classic cars. They would take the car apart and put the parts in a big bath of some kind and apply the current. The next morning there would be the parts, in a metal basket minus the rust. It would remove paint too.

You can do the same thing with silver at home to remove the tarnish. Disolve a good amount of Arm & Hammer washing soda in some very warm water. Put the water in an alum. pan of some kind. when the silver touches the pan, tarnish will bwgin to come off.

Rusty <><