Cast iron cookware is generally praised for its durability, its naturally non-sticky qualities, and its ability to retain heat. However, iron usually also has some drawbacks. Unlike aluminum-coated Teflon cookware, iron can rust when exposed to water. Fortunately, removing this rust is usually not very difficult. With a light scrubbing and a little bit of hard work, it's not that hard to remove the rust on most cast iron pans and give them another protective nonstick coating, also known as seasoning.
Step
Method 1 of 2: Cleaning the Rusty Frying Pan
Step 1. Scrub the rusty part with a scouring pad
If you have one, a smooth-surfaced iron wool or copper pad is also a good rust remover. However, you will also get good results from a scrubbing product that is not made of metal. If the rust is difficult to remove, add a little water and a mild dish soap while you scrub the rust.
Usually, it's a bad idea to try to clean a cast-iron skillet in the same way as you would any other metallic cookware, as this will remove the protective nonstick coating on the pan. But if the pan is rusty, the nonstick protection is gone. So it's best to clean the rust from the pan and coat it with the protector again
Step 2. For a little rust, rub with baking soda
If the rust looks thin and not very thick, you don't need to use a mild scrubber that you may already have in your kitchen. For example, you can use baking soda as a cleanser. Sprinkle a little baking soda over the surface of the pan along with the water. Stir the baking soda with water to make a coarse paste, then use a washcloth to rub the paste over the rusty parts of the pan.
After you've scrubbed the rusty area, let the paste sit for a few minutes, then rinse with tap water. If the rust doesn't go away, repeat as many times as needed or replace with a different polisher
Step 3. Make a salt scrub
Another easy DIY (Do-It-Yourself) way to make cleaning agents is to use salt and water. This method works in much the same way as using baking soda above: make a coarse-textured paste of salt and water in a pan, then rub it over the rusty area with a rag.
Since the crystals in the salt are slightly larger and coarser than the baking soda particles, this paste will scrub a little more coarsely. However, salt is still considered quite gentle as a cleaning agent
Step 4. For stubborn rust, use a harder cleaner
In some cases, simply using a simple scrubber will not remove the rust. In these cases, harsher chemical cleaners will help. For example, inexpensive toilet cleaners contain at least 20% hydrogen chloride (HCl) and tend to work well. HCl dissolves rust thoroughly until it becomes a wet powder. In this case, rust can be removed easily - refer to the disposal instructions on the product packaging.
- HCl is a strong acidic chemical, so use it with extreme care to avoid chemical burns. Protect your skin, hands, and eyes - wear gloves, long-sleeved clothing, and eye protection (which can usually be purchased fairly cheaply at universities that have chemistry majors). Always ensure proper air ventilation and avoid inhaling vapors produced by the product concerned. Strong acids can irritate the throat and lungs, especially in people who have asthma or problems with their lungs.
- Beware: HCl will dull coated and threaded screws, as well as polished and polished steel or iron, and so on.
Step 5. Rinse the pan and dry thoroughly
After cleaning the pan, rinse thoroughly to remove any remaining rust or cleaning product. If you are using HCl, refer to the disposal instructions on the product packaging. Once the pan is clean, dry it with a clean cloth or kitchen paper. Be sure to drain the water out - leaving just a little water will allow rust to form again.
- After drying the pan with a towel, try heating it on the stove over medium heat for about five minutes. This will remove any remaining water, allowing the pan to dry completely. Be careful when handling a hot pan.
- After removing the rust, it is recommended that you coat your pan with a protective nonstick coating. This is an easy process, which essentially gives the iron surface a protective grease layer that will prevent the pan from rusting again and also keep the food from sticking while cooking. See the section below for information on how to coat a frying pan with a protector.
Step 6. For pans with very severe rust, use a professional-quality scrubber
Method 2 of 2: Recoating the Pan with a Protective Coat
Step 1. Preheat the oven to 180 degrees Celsius
To start the process of coating the pan with a protective nonstick coating, all you need to do is “bake” a layer of fat in the pan so that the coating adheres to the pan semi-permanently. Fat protects the iron surface from oxidation (rusting). To start, preheat the oven. You can move on to the next few steps while you wait.
Step 2. Coat a dry frying pan with cooking oil
In general, the easiest source of fat to use as a frying pan is cooling oil (e.g. canola oil, vegetable oil, oil from nuts, etc.). Pour a small amount of oil (no more than a tablespoon) into the skillet and spread it with paper towels, covering the entire surface. Many cooks also like to coat the bottom and handles of the pan, although this is not very important.
Olive oil is not a good ingredient to do this job - because it has a lower smoke point than most other cooking oils, which means it is more likely to emit smoke and may set off a smoke alarm in your home
Step 3. Another alternative is to use another fat source
You don't "have to" use oil - most types of cooking fat will work just fine. Some of the ideas are:
- An easy solution is to use bacon fat or bacon. Cook the bacon in a cast-iron skillet, pour the excess fat into the skillet to be coated, and use a paper towel to coat the pan evenly with the remaining fat.
- Pork fat or fatty butter also works well. For this type of fat, use a slightly lower temperature. A temperature of 135-149 degrees Celsius usually works well.
Step 4. Put the pan in the oven for an hour
Place the skillet directly on the rack in the middle of the oven, "upside down" (so the surface of the pan you normally use for cooking is facing the bottom of the oven. Place the pan on the bottom to catch any excess oil. Let the pan "bake" like this for approx. about an hour.
Step 5. Turn off the oven
After an hour, turn off the oven but don't open it yet. Allow the oven to cool slowly - this will take an extra hour or so. When the pan is cool enough to hold securely (wear gloves if you're unsure), remove it from the oven. Congratulations - the pan is coated. The skillet shouldn't rust and the food won't stick together often.
If you want, you can partially coat the pan whenever you want by adding a little extra fat after you've cooked it a few times. Just use oil, lard, etc. Using a paper towel as above, cover the surface of the pan evenly with a thin layer. This isn't very pointy, but it's a wise idea if you accidentally remove the coating on the pan (see below)
Tips
- Never use detergent or dish soap to clean cast iron pans that have been coated with nonstick coating. This will remove the coating from the surface of the pan. Use only hot water and a cleaning brush.
- Also, avoid cooking acidic foods (like tomatoes and citrus fruits like oranges and lemons) in the pan. This kind of eating will also remove the coating of the pan.
- To clean a cast-iron skillet, heat the skillet over medium heat, pour in about a glass of hot tap water, then turn off the heat. Sizzling water on the surface of a hot cast iron skillet will remove or soften any leftover food without removing the pan's protective coating.
- Once the pan has cooled, gently clean it with a soft plastic scrubber, rinse with warm water, and dry well immediately.
