What to do if a cast-iron frying pan rusts?

Cast iron utensils are famous for their reliability, quality factor, ability to keep warm and their non-stick properties. Along with these advantages, cast iron has a serious drawback: a frying pan from it rusts faster than an aluminum with a Teflon coating. If you look after her correctly from the first day, she will not appear. If nevertheless it appeared on the surface, then there are simple and effective ways to deal with it.

Rust is a red-brown coating on iron. It is formed due to oxidation. If you ignore its appearance and do not fight it, the metal will completely collapse.

There are three main reasons why it appears.

1. Bad metal. To reduce the cost of production, negligent companies add components to the metal that are detrimental to its quality. A real cast iron frying pan is given out by tangible weight and a rather big price.
2. Negligent care. A quality copy is spoiled by improper processing. Housewives do not take into account that cast iron is a porous material.
3. Incorrect storage. If you put the pan in the cabinet without thoroughly wiping it, then rust will appear in previously damaged places due to contact with water.

In order not to look for a way to remove rust, a cast-iron frying pan is prepared for use and a number of rules are observed in the care.

Having bought a frying pan in the store, upon arrival, wash it with water with the addition of dishwashing detergent. When it dries, grease the surface with vegetable oil and place it in the oven, preheated to 180 ° C, for 40 minutes. During firing, a slight smoke occurs. Do not worry about his appearance. The pan warms up evenly.The oil will fill the voids in the microscopic pores of cast iron, creating a non-stick coating. It will prevent corrosion.

From further care for the cast iron pan, it depends on whether it is covered with rust or not. So that she does not appear, they look after her, following proven recommendations.

• In the pan they cook more than once a month, sparing, but at least once a week. Otherwise, it will quickly become worthless.
• You can not store cooked food in it. The risk is great that it blackens and absorbs a metallic smell. In addition, cast iron is destroyed faster by moisture. It is better to put food in a container, wash the pan, dry it and put it into storage.
• Do not wash it in a dishwasher and do not use excess detergent.
• Do not clean the dirt in a cast iron pan with a rough metal brush so as not to damage it. They get rid of dirt by soaking it in warm water for 30 minutes and rinsing under running water (light pressure, a soft sponge).
• Do not clean the dishes to a shine so that the food does not subsequently burn.

To clean the cast iron pan from rust, they operate in two stages. First they get rid of rust, and then create a new protective coating. At the first stage, rub it with a metal abrasive brush with or without additives. In the second stage, when washed, the pan is baked in the oven.

There are simple methods to save dishes from rusty plaque.

Baking soda is the cheapest cleaner. It is used to wash dishes to wash off grease, tea / coffee deposits. She cleans tiles, stainless steel, chromed surfaces and cast iron. In the latter case, it removes rust if it does not penetrate deeply, does not affect the structure of the product and does not acquire a bright brown-red tint.

At the bottom of the pan pour baking soda, pour a little water. They take a clean sponge in their hands and gently rub the resulting slurry into stains.

Many use salt to enhance the taste of dishes. Few people know about its cleaning properties. It cleans no worse than baking soda. The principle of working with it is the same as with soda. It is poured into the pan, a little water is poured, the gruel is rubbed with a sponge into problem areas. Wash the salt from the product under running water.

If rust has hit the surface severely, use a metal abrasive brush. The pan is moistened with running water, and then a little soda is poured and all rusted areas are wiped off. After the procedure, wash it and ignite it.

A universal alternative to many cleaning chemicals is acetic solution. In addition to adding it to the kebabs to enhance the taste of meat, use it to clean the traces of rust on cast iron dishes.

A liter of water is poured into a cast-iron pan and a tablespoon of vinegar is added. In the resulting solution, it is kept for two hours, and then thoroughly washed under a tap, dried and the protective coating is calcined.

This ancient folk method is highly effective. Its essence lies in boiling contaminated dishes on gas. To do this, take a 10-liter enameled bucket. It is filled with water by a third and half a pack of baking soda is poured. Then they put a rusted cast iron pan in it and put it on a low fire. After an hour or two, evaluate the result.

This method is used when the whole pan is covered with unpleasant rust spots or there is soot on it. Coca-Cola is poured into the deep dishes, placed inside the pan, put on the fire and wait for the liquid to boil. Then the gas is turned off and the pan is completely cooled in the solution.After the procedure, rinse it, wipe it dry and bake it in the oven.

Fish oil is not only a health supplement, but also an excellent cleanser. It is used to clean rust. To do this, the surface of the pan is lubricated with it inside and out. After three to four hours, wash it in warm water with a mild detergent. A stubble brush cleans problem areas.

After cleaning with fish oil, the protective layer is restored. A paper towel is wetted in peanut, sunflower or rapeseed oil. They carefully wipe the surface. Then put the pan upside down in the oven, heated to 180 ° C, for sixty minutes.

Sometimes folk remedies and everyday household chemicals are powerless in the fight against rust. In this case, buy strong cleaning products. To distinguish them from the "weak", pay attention to the composition, which is reflected on the label. An effective component in the fight against corrosion in a pan is hydrochloric acid. It is part of many toilet cleaners.

Hydrochloric acid is the strongest. It dissolves all metals that are in a series of voltages up to hydrogen. Under its action, rust will turn into wet powder. Since it is toxic, working with it, observe a number of precautions.

• Firstly, you can not use it in a closed room. The dishes are cleaned in a well-ventilated room.
• Secondly, you can’t work with it without protecting exposed parts of the body from possible burns with direct exposure and fumes. To do this, wear long-sleeved clothing, gloves and a gas mask / goggles.
• Thirdly, after the procedure, the dishes are washed thoroughly under running water and wiped dry.

To get rid of rust on cast iron utensils at home, a tool containing hydrochloric acid is applied to the surface. They pick up a sponge and carefully rub them with problem areas.

In order not to have to look for a way to remove rust from a pan from cast iron, from the first day they take care of it correctly. If you follow all the recommendations, it will not appear. If this could not be avoided, then often the simplest means will help remove it.

For more information on how to remove rust from a cast-iron pan, see the next video.