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Keeping a cast-iron pan in good condition isn’t difficult, but we sometimes forget to follow proper use, maintenance, and cleaning protocols. You know that cooking acidic tomatoes or sauces with wine in a skillet is a bad idea.
And you remember that your pan can be cleaned instead with coarse kosher salt and a rag instead of soap and water.
For those occasions when you forget, lend your pan to a less-discerning friend, or just inherit an old, battered pan, it’s useful to know how to repair a rusted and damaged pan.
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How to Get Rust Out of a Cast Iron Skillet
Soak Your Skillet With Vinegar
If the rust on your pan is just on the surface, then you can probably skip this step. Apply this step if the rust on your skillet is already hard to remove.
Submerge your pan in a mixture of vinegar and water in equal parts. If the skillet is really large, you can use a bucket or plug the sink; the vinegar mixture should cover the entire pan.
You can soak it for up to eight hours but check it frequently. Some people are able to soak it in just one.
Initially, vinegar dissolves rust, but once it’s gone, it does wonders for the original cast surface of the pan. As soon as the rust flakes off easily, remove your pan from the soak immediately to avoid damage.
You may want to check: How to Use Baking Soda and Vinegar for Cleaning
Scrubbing With Mild Abrasive Sponge
You can use a mild detergent and warm water to speed up the drying process, and a mildly abrasive sponge to remove lingering rust.
And NEVER put your pan in a dishwasher.
Avoid aggressively abrasive scrubbies, such as copper scouring pads, and choose a green scrub pad or steel wool instead. You should dry it with a towel immediately to prevent it from rusting again.
Re-Season Your Cast Iron Pan
You will now need to re-season the pan. You can re-season pans in almost as many different ways, and this method is one of them.
- The oven should be preheated to 350 degrees and the bottom rack should have a large piece of aluminum foil on it.
- Apply a neutral oil with a high smoking point, such as vegetable oil, to the entire pan—inside and out.
- Afterward, place the pan upside-down on top of the foil and allow any drips to collect.
- You should bake it in the oven for an hour and then let it cool for at least 45 minutes before using it.
Make sure to wipe down your pan every time you use it with another layer of oil. This will protect the surface from rust and allow it to develop protective layers of seasoning.
How to Store Your Cast-Iron Skillet
Cooking properly and cleaning your pan are important, and so is storing it properly. After each use, ensure that the pan is completely dry and wiped with oil. Your pan should be kept in a cool, dry, low-humidity environment.
Rust will slowly begin to creep back into the pan if there is any excess moisture present. In case you want to stack pans on top of each other, line each one with paper towels.
The Easy Guide On Seasoning and Restoring Cast Iron
FAQs
Yes, you can used baking soda for cleaning cast iron. By adding baking soda, you can neutralize any flavors and odors from what you have just cooked, and it is antibacterial as well.
Coke contains phosphoric acid, which can be used to remove rust. The taste of coke is due to phosphoric acid (and I know you love it). However, this is also what gives it more acidity than any other acid, such as vinegar. Coke is an inexpensive method of cleaning cast iron and removing rust.
Because it has a high smoke point and is versatile, grapeseed oil is ideal for seasoning cast iron. Vegetable oil and peanut oil are also great alternatives.
