This is another subject for which there are many opinions.  Pamela and I attended a cast iron cookware care and cleaning seminar at one of the primitive rendezvouses and we were told that you can use Coca-Cola – the acid and carbonation supposedly eats the rust away.  I didn’t drink a soda for a couple days!

You can find old cast iron cookware at garage sales and antique stores, and even though they may be rusty, they can clean up pretty nicely and be very functional.

In our continuing quest to share our experiences and knowledge about cast iron cookware, we have come across many methods of removing rust.  All seem to be effective, but some are essentially on the dangerous side – using caustic chemicals – and others seem to be very messy and time consuming.  I’m the kind of guy who likes to see excellent results with minimal time, effort, and mess. 

Before attempting to remove the rust, the surface should be clean and free of all debris and oil.  This can be accomplished by scrubbing the surface with a stiff brush, hot water, and soap.  Be sure to dry it before removing the rust.

I prefer using one of the following methods:

• Scour the entire surface with steel wool until all of the rust is removed and the surface is nice and smooth.  The coarseness of the steel wool necessary depends on the thickness and amount of rust present.  An alternative is to use an SOS pad and water.

OR

• Put a wire brush wheel in your electric drill and go to town.  The amount of pressure necessary will depend on the depth of the rust.  This works really well for getting into tight corners and rounded surfaces.  Caution:  You should wear safety glasses when performing this procedure.

Once you’ve removed the rust:

• Wash, rinse, and dry the pan.  A good way to make sure it’s completely dry is to place it on low heat until all the water has evaporated.
• Re-season the pan.  See the blog posted on Jan 4, 2010 – How To Season New Cast Iron Cookware.

Tags: cast iron cookware