Thread: Cast Iron Rust Removal Question

Originally Posted by Mrs. Crappie Stalker

Here's what we do - burn it off in a campfire. Next time you go camping, or in your backyard, build a good fire, put your cast iron in it and burn it off. Afterward, wash and scrub it up good, put it over heat to get it completely dry and then coat it with a light film of oil.

This is also exactly how my grandfather showed me and have been doing it for 30 years this way, with all the CI I got from him, and Lord only knows how long he cooked with it.... Only difference, I started using garlic oil to season with makes for better flavor of everything, lol

The campfire is good, but I've found that a Chore Boy scrubber is the best. It's a metallic copper colored wad that really cuts.

I keep saying thanks for the suggestions, and I keep meaning it. Keep them coming!

Hi blairarnold, with all these suggestions for cleaning your cast iron I think you may have to go BUY about 50 CI pots, pans, & Dutch ovens so U can try all these ideas.:D:D Hey it was a great question to ask

If I had the time and money, I'd do it, but I don't. Love the sand blasting suggestions! Boy would that take care of it quickly. Love the burn them real good suggestions because that ought to be pretty easy. Love the rub them with salt suggestions because salt is cheap. Finally, I really appreciate every one's suggestions.

I tempered all of my cast iron pots and skillets in stump fires but when/if any rust gets into any of them Ive always boiled salt water in them to remove the rust. It'll remove the rust from any pits you may have too. Go plentiful with the salt and let 'er roll for awhile and do a second time if necessary. As far as the lid...have it sandblasted if possible. (Beadblasting should work too.)

Originally Posted by blairarnold

Thanks for the advice, but it will be hard to cook something on the bottom of the dutch oven lid and to make matters worse it has little inset dimples that would be tough to sand. I'm going to give all of the above a try and let you know how it turns out. Thanks again!

my uncle worked in and retired from a glass factory and a few times a year they would put up signs outside the place 'pilgrim glass' that people could bring in cast iron for cleaning all they would do is get it really hot grab it with gloves hit it on the ground then smear a super thin coat of cooking oil on it when the oil dried repeat process until clean it also takes off any build up the iron may have while your cook stove may not get as hot it will do the same thing just put it in the oven on high for a long time and turn off your fire alarms keep an eye on it just have gloves handy and a spot to hit it on concrete outside i have seen my grand parents do that same thing i told you to do and it works

Originally Posted by painterfish

theres rust converter you can get after you clean it the best you can just brush it on supossed to turn rust back to metal

I WOULD NOT USE THAT ON COOKWARE EVER!

Burn it in a wood fire. After cooling scrub clean. Dry on the stove top. Then apply bacon grease all over and heat in the oven. When it cools the cast iorn is porous and will be drawn into the metal. I still use the fry'n pans my mother had passed down from her mother. Nothing cooks better without burning food than cast iorn.:D

I used a body shop sander on mine to get it smooth and wash it out then put some cooking oil in it and cook the pot on a fish cooker out side.
Rowdy