How to clean a cast iron cauldron from rust?

Mistresses sometimes come across a situation when a cast-iron cauldron is covered with rust from the inside. In this case, some go to the store in order to purchase new kitchen utensils. However, there are ways in which the situation can be corrected at home.

Cast iron is the material that rusts, especially when it comes to cookware. Cast iron cauldrons do not rust as quickly as steel ones, since they have a special protective film. This layer is created by regularly wiping the utensils with vegetable oil or during the firing procedure.

The protective film is damaged for the following reasons:

• in the process of scraping the surface of the cauldron with the help of shovels or slotted skins in order to eliminate burnt food;
• when washing cast-iron utensils with the help of hard or abrasive brushes and sponges;
• when using chemicals that can not clean dishes made of cast iron.

Dishes for the preparation of aromatic pilaf and meat can deteriorate when a soot forms on it, which appears when the flame is too strong or if the dish is not removed from the fire on time.

Mistresses, faced with the problem of a rusted cauldron, do not know what to do. If you do not remove the rusty coating in time, the dishes may deteriorate. In order to clean the cast iron cauldron from rust, you can use several methods.

1. Household chemicals. In order to wash a rusty cauldron, you can use a special cleaning agent or powder to eliminate rust.After using these substances, it is worth processing the dishes from the inside with a metal sponge, and then with sandpaper.
2. Surface grinding. This procedure is carried out using a grinding machine.
3. Using sandpaper. Initially, a cast-iron cauldron should be treated with large-grain sandpaper, then medium-sized grit.
4. The use of glue and soap. To begin with, the cauldron is washed out of cast iron well, and the container in which the cauldron will boil is filled with water with 100 grams of stationery glue and a piece of laundry soap. A cauldron is required to be boiled over a fire of weak strength in a prepared solution. When the cast iron cookware cools, it is washed with warm water, and carbon deposits are removed with a washcloth.
5. Vinegar. A rusted cauldron must be soaked in a solution that consists of 50% water and 50% vinegar. Dishes should be in the liquid for at least two hours. Next, clean the utensils with a mixture of vegetable oil and coarse salt.

If you want to wash a rusty coating from a cast-iron cauldron, it is important not to damage the surface of the dishes. Consider the most effective methods for getting rid of rust.

1. Using acid. In this case, vinegar, soda and salt should be used for the cleaning process. Salt should be poured into the utensils, after which vinegar is poured there and sent to the fire. After heating the mixture, soda is poured into the cauldron, then the composition should boil well. After the process is complete, the dishes should be thoroughly washed with water.
2. Using soda with salt. In a cast iron cauldron, it is necessary to pour such an amount of water that would completely cover the rust. Then 0.2 kg of salt and the same amount of soda are poured into the liquid. A container of cast iron is put on fire and boiled for 120 minutes. As time passes, the cauldron should be left to cool all night. From a cooled dish you can easily remove carbon deposits using a dishwashing detergent.
3. Sand. To eliminate rust from the dishes, it should be completely covered with sand and then sent to the fire. The cauldron should bask overnight. When morning comes, sand is poured out of the tank, and the cauldron itself is washed with clean water.
4. A drill. Using this tool is one of the most effective ways to get rid of rust from a cast iron surface. A special nozzle must be put on the drill and the surface treated. The result is similar to the process of using sandpaper. After the cleaning is finished, it is worth washing the dishes.

In order not to have to deal with the complex cleaning of a rusted cauldron, it is worthwhile to deal with the prevention of pollution. One of the methods for preventing carbon deposits on cast iron utensils is annealing, which can be done in several ways.

• The cauldron must be heated in an oven at a temperature of 200 degrees. After this, the dishes should be greased with vegetable oil from the outside and inside. Having finished lubrication, the container must be sent to the oven again, so that the fat completely evaporates. The above activities should be repeated several times.
• Cast iron cauldron with poured oil must be put on low heat. When the dish starts to heat up, it should be tilted so that the grease covers all the walls.
• A cauldron is sent to the fire, followed by pouring 2000 grams of salt into it. The calcination process should be continued until the salt turns gray.

According to the advice of professionals, cast iron utensils should not be washed using liquids or gels to wash ordinary dishes. The reason is that the above substances remove the non-stick oily layer from cast iron, which protects the dishes from rust and carbon deposits. And also do not send cauldrons into the dishwasher.

Cast iron dishes should be washed immediately after cooking, preventing food particles from drying out. To clean this utensil, it is worth using hot running water, in difficult situations a solution of laundry soap. After the dishes are washed, they must be wiped dry so that no droplets of liquid remain inside. It is advisable to keep the cauldrons on fire until the water evaporates completely.

The best place to store a cast-iron cauldron is a dry place. It could be a pantry, a kitchen cupboard, but not a basement or a garage with poor ventilation. Since the dishes prepared in this kitchen utensil have a great taste, cauldrons should be treated with care. If you use them carefully, store and clean them correctly, then the service life of cast-iron utensils will be long.

See how to clean rust from a cast iron cauldron.