Kitchen

[FunkyHulaGirl]

I have a little Lodge pre-seasoned, cast iron pot that I use mostly for melting butter and chocolate.  Every time I use it I wash and dry it, but it's covered with rust anyway.  Does anyone know how to get it cleaned up...or is it not possible? 

[IamMrsG]

Scour the heck out of it to get at every fleck of rust.  Wash it with hot soapy water, rinse well.  Put it on the burner of your stove and dry it until it's on the verge of smoking.   Then very carefully (I use my longest tongs and a paper towel), rub the inside with a thin coat of lard or oil.  I mean thin.  

Never use soap on it again.  In the future, if you must scour, use salt.  To dry your cast iron use your stove to the nearly smoking point and re-coat it with a thin coat of lard or oil.  

P.S.  Crusty cast iron can be sprayed with oven cleaner, sealed tightly in a plastic garbage bag, and allowed to sit for days (up to a week) to get the crust loose.  Then proceed with the washing/rinsing, heating to dry and seasoning with lard.

[jackthebear]

I clean my cast iron pan with salt when I need to very effective.  Here is a link to  some Pinterest posts on the subject

https://www.pinterest.com/search/pins/?q=clean%20rust%20from%20cast%20iron&term_meta[]=clean|typed&t...

[Nightowlz]

How to Restore a Rusty Cast Iron Skillet What You Need

Steel wool
Scrubbing brush or sponge
Dish soap
Dish towel or paper towels
Vegetable oil (or cooking oil of choice)
Aluminum foil

Equipment
Oven

Instructions

1. Remove all the rust: Use fine steel wool to remove rust from affected areas. Scour the skillet until the area returns to raw cast iron.
2. Wash the skillet thoroughly: Wash the cast iron with warm water and mild dish soap. Scrub with bristle brush or mesh sponge if needed.
3. Dry the skillet: Thoroughly dry the cast iron immediately with a clean dish towel or paper towels.
4. Cover the pan with a coating of oil: Apply a small amount of vegetable oil (or cooking oil of choice) to the entire piece, including the bottom and handle. Use only a small amount to avoid a sticky surface.
5. Place the pan in the oven: Place the cast iron upside down on the top rack of your rack. Place a sheet of aluminum foil or a foil-lined baking sheet on the bottom rack to catch any oil drips.
6. Heat the pan for an hour: Heat the cast iron for one hour at 350 degrees.
7. Let the pan cool before using: Turn off heat, let cast iron cool, then get back to cooking!

For severe rust that covers most of the cookware surface, take the piece to a machine shop to have it sandblasted and restored to raw cast iron, then season immediately.

http://www.thekitchn.com/how-to-restore-a-rusty-cast-iron-skillet-cleaning-lessons-from-the-kitchn-2...

[NoelSeven]

I've read several times that we are not supposed to wash a cast iron pan, just wipe out well with a paper towel.

[RedTop]

I NEVER wash my cast iron skillets; I just wipe them clean with a paper towel.  

[IamMrsG]

---

@RedTop wrote:

I NEVER wash my cast iron skillets; I just wipe them clean with a paper towel.  

---

This is the case of well-seasoned cast iron, but apparently is not what the OP has.  The pan you can buy today that comes with the claim of  being pre-seasoned is not anywhere near what it should be. A truly well seasoned cast iron pan becomes non-stick and a thing of beauty; however, it happens over time, i.e., repeated use and proper care. 

[gardenman]

There's rust and there's rust. The good news is you're not likely to hurt a cast iron pan no matter what you do to it. You can sand blast them if need be, season it again and it'll be like new. Fine rust just on the surface should be able to be removed with steel wool or a very fine sandpaper (220 grit or higher.) Rust that's more imbedded may need a more aggressive approach like wire-brushing, coarser sanding, or sand blasting. Whatever you do the pan will need seasoning again. It's nearly impossible to kill a cast iron pan, so you can be as aggressive as need be to get rid of the rust.

[HonnyBrown]

FHG, I had the same thing happened with a Lodge skillet.  In addition to what everyone else has said, you'll need to reseason it.  I used this pan primarily to make bacon in the oven.  Very effective!

[Lucky Charm]

I can't tell you how many cast iron skillets and even a large dutch oven I've thrown out because.....I washed them. 

Put them in the dishwasher and let it rip.  I just can't stand the thought of cooking meat (or anything for that matter) and just wiping 'clean'.

I just bought a one cup cast iron pot from Frontgate that I only heat maple syrup in.  So I did put it in the dishwasher one time, but quickly removed and re-seasoned. 

All is good.