How to Clean Cast Iron Rust? – (Before Using Do This)
Ignoring the maintenance of your cast iron pan for some time now? Has your cast iron cookware developed some serious rust which is difficult to remove now? Cast iron cookware is difficult to maintain and calls for regular maintenance. You can clean and dry the cookware after every use and season it thrice annually. However, if your cast iron cookware has developed rust and you are looking for ways on how to remove rust from cast iron skillet, then you are at the right place.
How to Clean Cast Iron Rust- Making Way to Clean Cast Iron Cookware
So, if you are looking to resurrect an old, rusted cast iron cookware, we are here to assist you with the right, easy and effortless methods. Don’t need to worry over that immense rust developed as that is fully treatable. You can make the cast iron pan as good as new. You need to let a sign as the methods we are going to tell you are not going to consume a lot of time and effort. They are truly uncomplicated. Here;’s how you can remove all the rust the cookware has developed like a true expert.
1. Vinegar Soak
If the cast iron cookware you own has developed just which is just prevalent on the surface and doesn’t have a serious depth, you can simply proceed to the next step. This step is specifically for the pans whose rust have extended to half an inch or more. If you have cast-iron cookware that is serous;y busted out, this is what is going to make it alright. The vinegar soak is a great, highly effective and time-efficient method to treat cast iron rust surfaces.
Make a mixture of vinegar and water taking both of these in equal quantities. By ensuring a 1:1 ratio of these, put these in a sink that is clogged. Take the rusted cookware and submerge in this mixture. Ensure that the cast iron cookware is completely submerged into this mixture. Let this be soaked for around 60 minutes. You can increase the time till 8 hours depending upon how hardened the rust is.
After the rust starts to flake off the cast iron cookware, you can take it out of the vinegar soak mixture. Flake off the rust and see how wonderful your rust-free cast iron cookware looks. After this, you are ready to move on to the next step, the scrubbing.
2. Scrubbing
The rust is removed off the cast iron cookware and so is the seasoning. Don’t worry as we are going to tell you how to re-season it in the next step. Now, it is the time for gentle and thorough scrubbing. This will ensure deep and effective cleaning. To do that, you need to take a mild formula dishwashing soap along with the lukewarm water. Next, you need to take a plastic scrubber and start gently scrubbing it until all the dirt particles are removed.
Avoid the use of abrasives or coarse scrubbers as cast iron is sensitive to those. However, if you are straight off moving to this step since the cookware is covered with surface rust, then you can adopt the use of coarse abrasives until the upper layer is removed.
Drying is an essential step that is followed after this step. You need to dry the cast iron cookware thoroughly and perfectly. You can use a paper towel or a clean cloth to dry the cookware. This will ensure that the seasoning is effective and will also reduce the risk of corrosion. You can dry it by baking it in the oven for 30 minutes or either by putting it on flame for 10 minutes. This will ensure complete moisture removal and effective drying, making the pan ready to be seasoned.
3. Re-seasoning
Let us now get to the reseasoning of the pan. For this you need to choose any cooking oil. This can be chosen based on what is available to you. However, one should not neglect the effectiveness of the oil. To choose any effective oil for the seasoning process, go for the one having a high smoke point.
After you have chosen the oil based on convenience and effectiveness, you can apply a thorough, even, thin layer of that on the cast iron surface. Make sure that the ;ayer is very thin, just to cover up the surface. Moreover, make sure that the complete cast iron surface, whether it is the interior or the exterior is covered.
Once you have covered the surface with oil, bake it in a preheated oven at 375 degrees Fahrenheit. After you put the cast iron cookware inside the oven, increase its temperature from 375 to 450 Fahrenheit. Continue baking it till 45 minutes or more. After that, allow the cookware to cool by switching off the heat. Once it is cooled, reapply the oil and heat it again for an hour. Repeat this process thrice or more and the pan is cleaned of rust, ready for use.
Final Verdict
There are multiple methods that can be used to remove the rust off the cast iron surfaces. These methods are based on the hardenability and the extent of rust formation. If the rust develops mildly and is easy to take off, you can just use a scrubber with a dishwasher or salt with potato to remove that rust. However, if abundant rust is developed, you need to consider the vinegar soak method. Both of these methods are described in great detail above. Adhere to them to achieve rust-free cast iron cookware.
Frequently Asked Questions
