[Teresa]

Hi everyone, I recently inherited a cast iron pan that has been neglected and is covered in rust. It’s clear that it hasn’t been taken care of for quite some time. I’m eager to salvage it and bring it back to its former glory, but I’m not sure where to start.

Do you have any tips or advice on how to effectively remove rust from a cast iron pan? Are there any specific cleaning methods or products that have worked well for you in similar situations? Additionally, what steps should I take to properly season and care for the pan once the rust is removed?

Any insights or suggestions would be greatly appreciated! Thank you in advance for your help.

[Devery]

Give it a good scrub and then reseason it. I had one so old the directions were on the bottom.

[Caroline]

If you need more help, there are plenty of YouTube vids to watch. Watch a couple and find one or two that seem to really know what they’re talking about.

[Regina]

Why in the world would anyone put dish soap on a porous cast iron pan? It will absorb the soap and make your food taste soapy, Pure steel wool, and grease…elbow grease that is.

Dry it off, put some bacon grease or some kind of good oil in it and put it in a low temp oven overnight or set it in a “campfire” for awhile.

Take a peek at: Does anyone have a fool proof way of getting a rusted wing nut off?

[Michelle]

Wire wheel on a drill get most of the rust off, wash with dish soap, dry and season with oil in the oven.

[Julia]

Go to Lodge Cast Iron website, they’ll have everything you’ll need to know about cleaning and the upkeep.

[Liz]

Steel wool with a little dish detergent. Scrub until it’s all off. Rinse, heat on stove until the wet has all evaporated, then season it with oil.

[Lisa]

Soap doesn’t hurt your cast iron one bit if it’s well seasoned. If soap made your pan taste like soap then what about all the food you just cooked in it.

It’s better to get off any stuck on food or else next time you cook it will turn into little black flecks that will scrape off in your next meal.

Once you learn the methods you will have a great pan for life.

[Roslyn]

I have an old, formerly rusty cast iron pan. My dad sanded the rust off and I oiled it and seasoned it. It’s been about 8-10 years and it’s been great.

[Jocelynn]

I bought an old Grisold that had seen better days, it was awful! I had an elderly lady tell me to build a fire in a firepit and throw it in and leave until the coals are cold….it is my favorite griddle, use it every morning, the eggs slide on it!

Now some will say to never do this, but I know it worked…its all good if you disagree…

[Rick]

NO WIRE WHEEL OR GRINDERS! Ruins any collector value and sometimes the seasoning won’t stick. Soak in a 1:1 ratio of vinegar and water for 30 minutes at a time. Scrub off rust with steel wool or stainless steel scrubber. Research how to season it.

[Beth]

Go to “Cast Iron Cooking” fb page. Excellent links in the faq section. Knowledgable people about all aspects of cast iron restoration, care, and identification of makers/brands.

Lots of misinformation in general about cast iron is floating around out in the world. That’s been a great site for me!

[Tammy]

No soap.

When ours are rusted we through into a burn pile or fireplace fire, placing hot ashes all around. After cooling we brush well with salt & water. Heat & oil.

[Author]

Posts