I have an old cast iron pot that is quite rusty. Can you tell me how to get all the rust off to make it safe for use?

-- monty dalrymple (ripp927@juno.com), July 20, 1999

Answers

put the pot in a cement mixer with some sand and gravel and water. let it run about an hour. skip

-- skip (146942@msn.com), July 20, 1999.

If the pot is pitted from the rust, you will probably have problems getting it to season. I have cleaned rusty or black encrusted cast iron by sticking them in a hot fire and letting it burn off.

-- Bonnie (bkrieder@facstaff.wisc.edu), July 21, 1999.

Try sandblasting the pot. Then you will need to re-season the pot to use it for cooking. (See sites on Dutch Oven Cooking to explain the process of seasoning cast iron).

-- Ross (rleppo@cyberia.com), July 27, 1999.

Try using steel wool or sandpaper. Then wash, dry, and spread a coating of cooking oil on it.

-- JM (Janinemm@hotmail.com), August 22, 1999.

I have successfully used oven cleaner on my cast iron. Do it outside where fumes won't be a problem. I've never known what oil to season with to be successful with that so I just keep my cast iron very dry by placing on the pilot light on my gas stove.

-- Al (alleycat8it@usa.net), September 22, 1999.

I have had good luck with useing a campfire or brush fire (no Garbage) Put the pot in the middle and set the fire around it. The heat will get rid of rust and anything else left in the nooks and cranies. Wait "till the next day to remove and reseason.This is was also in an issue of countryside in '97.

-- Becky Rosen (Joel681@webt.net), September 28, 1999.

I have had good luck scrubbing Iron pots with the gravel in the stream that runs past my house. the gravel and sand really ground off the rust and smoothed it all off. I seasoned the iron afterwards.

-- Dave Schulz (deschulz@hotmail.com), October 01, 1999.

I heard someone used oven cleaner on theirs. don't know about safety aspects, but I'd clean it really good, several times, afterwards if you do use it. Don't use it if it's cracked at all.

-- Philomena (avemaris@aol.com), December 03, 1999.

Don't know how I missed this message earlier, but I did. Bonnie is pretty much on the mark. Put the pan in a HOT fire, and when it is cool, clean it the best you can without using more than a modicum of water. Now, re-season it! The hot fire gets rid of the "bad cooking" and abuse it may have endured. Then simply re-season. It's almost impossible to destroy good cast-iron. Good Luck! Brad

-- Brad (homefixer@mix-net.net), February 13, 2000.

I am lucky to have my Grandma's entire set of cast iron. I remember her telling me to never put it in the dish water. I just wipe them out with a damp rag, that's all. However, my husband has washed and put away her pans and pots several times, to be found later all rusty. Grrrr.....

I scrub them down with steel wool or a harsh green scrubby, then smear them with shortening, chicken schmaltz, grease, etc... and heat them up, then grease them again, then heat them again. That works.

-- Rachel (rldk@hotmail.com), February 15, 2000.

I clean all my cast iron cooking pots and skillets in my self cleaning oven. then wash and season with a thin coat of cooking oil.

-- margaret seckt (kazzuzzie123@earthlink. net), March 19, 2002.