How To Clean And Season A Cast Iron Skillet

How to de-rust a cast-iron skillet? I questioned so often why would anyone make cookware that rusts in a few days? I never knew anything about cast-iron skillets.

All I knew was that they are thick and make cooking easy. The answer I’m looking for is why do they rust so easily? I never knew cast iron skillets are not just another pot.

My search leads to finding out that the materials that make my cast iron skillets are prone to rust. Iron and steel are the home of rust that’s why a cast iron pot is so easily rusted.

 

1. Can You Keep A Cast Iron Skillet From Rusting

Can you prevent your cast iron skillet from rusting? Yes, you can, The bad news is your cast iron skillet will get rust eventually if not taken care of the right way.

What’s great about it you can season and care for your cast iron skillet so that it lasts you a lifetime while remaining rust-free. You can layer your cast iron with oil to do this. This special process is called “seasoning”

 

2. Why Do You Need To Season A Skillet

 

I love to cook and I also love using my skillet but hearing about seasoning my pot I literally thought it was kinda crazy to season a pot. Actually, seasoning a skillet means using an oil-based product to provide a protective coat.

 

I can clearly see the reason for doing this as I never left my particular skillet without cooking oil. It is kept in my oven at all times with a little cooking oil in it. When its time to use, that oil was thrown out and fresh oil poured in. No wonder all this time my skillet was always rust-free.

 

Moving along you”ll learn different and amazing ways to season your cast iron so that it looks new and stays rust-free for longer than you thought it would.

 

Types Of Oils For Seasoning A Skillet

• Olive Oil
• Cooking spray

Carbonized oil is just one of the oils that can be used to season a cast-iron skillet, but Olive oil is a simple cost-effective way to seasoned a skillet. Everyone has a bottle of olive oil laying around somewhere.

Cooking spray can also be used to season a skillet and will give it the same protection as the others. The point is cast iron skillet needs to have grease to prevent the material from drying out hence preventing rust. Why didn’t I think of that before?

 

Dos And Don’ts

Avoid exposing your skillet to excessive moisture. The moisture will corrode the material making your skillet rust prematurely. Avoid soaking a skillet to remove particles on or before cleaning. This will do your skillet a lot of good.

 

3. Avoid Exposure To Moisture

Avoid soaking your skillet, this is one of the main things you should avoid doing. Acidic foods can be bad for skillets too. Avoid acidic foods like vinegar and tomatoes. Surprisingly these foods are high in acids and will remove the seasoning.

Your skillet should and must never be washed in a dishwasher, NOPE not your skillet, that’s way too much water for a skillet. The problem with how we care for our skillets is how we dry them.

Never air dry your skillet, the water will remain in the skillet and penetrate the material which is made from iron. This process leads to rust and must be avoided.

 

4. How To Care For A Cast-Iron Skillet

Caring for a skillet just takes a little time and effort. The number one goal is to always keep your cast iron skillet seasoned and dry. This type of pot requires more attention than your other pots.

Are you ready to remove those nasty rusts and care for your cast iron skillet? Take a stroll through this article and see all you didn’t know about your cast iron skillet.

 

5. How To Clean A Cast-Iron Skillet With Burnt Food

To clean a cast-iron skillet use a utensil like a spatula and warm water to scrape off burnt-on food. Secondly, fill the pan with warm dish soap then uses a scrubbing sponge to wash the skillet. A side of potato with a dab of salt is another genius way to clean a skillet.

Rinse well when you’re through washing then dry with a few sheets of paper towels.

As much as it may seem like a cast skillet is impossible to clean this is the opposite. If you have an abrasive scrubbing tool, a strong dish soap baking soda is also great at softening burnt-on food and rust.

Recommended Cast Iron Scrubbing Brush…Cast Iron Chainmail Scrubber

 

6. How To Clean A Rusty Cast Iron Skillet

To wash the skillet, fill it with a few ounces of room temperature tap water Using a scotch Brite or a cast iron scrubbing brush to scrub the pot. Scrub until you notice the water turning brown this simply means the rust is being removed. Continue scrubbing vigorously you’re sure all the rust is erased.

Rinse the skillet as you would will any other pot. Preferably with room temperature water. Room temperature water is ideal as it won’t completely remove the seasoning.

Using hot water to wash or rinse a skillet will remove too much of the seasoning. Also, over-washing your skillet is can do the same avoid doing this as much as you can.

 

7. Wash With Gentle Cleaners

Vinegar comes highly recommended as a natural cleaner, Yes, it is acidic but because it is made from food substances that can be used as a cleaner, dish soap, and baking soda will also be needed to remove the rust. However, You can use a potato to scrub the skillet also. That’ll show you as we go along.

Damp with a dab of warm water pour the vinegar in with only a teaspoon of dish soap. For a severely rusty skillet add the baking soda. Use a Scotch Brite to scrub only the rusty areas vigorously. Rinse thoroughly and dry well using a paper towel. This is very absorbent and will remove all moisture.

 

8. Using A PotatoTo Scrub A Skillet

Most foods we eat daily are highly acidic potato is high on that list. If your main focus is cleaning naturally. Then using a potato with salt to scrub away rust from your skillet is what you should be doing. When washing a skillet is not overdo it on the products used to wash it.

Focus on washing your skillet the natural way at all times. Doing so will keep your skillet rust-free kicking for your years. Never soak your skillet overnight. Soaking iron will only contribute to rust.

After you’re through washing your skillet dry it well with an absorbent cloth or towel to remove moisture. Avoid storing your skillets in a cabinet or in areas that are dark with poor ventilation your skillets need air and as I would always say it needs to breathe.

Instead of keeping it in the cupboard. Hang the skill or place it where it has enough air. This will keep it dry at all times. Remove the lid from the skillet until it’s completely dry.

 

9. Another Way To Season A  Skillet

 

Did we look at carbonized oil? This is another way to season your skillet and can be purchased at your local supermarket. As before mentioned. I like to keep a little cooking oil in my skillet that works incredibly well.

Well, that’s all folks, and that’s just my way of seasoning a cast iron skillet and preventing rust at the same time. Using olive oil and cooking spray will do a wonderful job and help with beautifying your skillet too. You May Also Find This Article Useful...HOW TO CLEAN A STAINLESS STEEL POT (WITH CHARCOAL ASH)

 

 

To Sum It Up

 

 

Now you know how to clean, de-rust and season a cast-iron skillet, hmm 2 in 1, the extra was just for you. Show your skillet how much you care with these tips.  Remember these steps, wash naturally, dry well, and season with love. Thanks for stopping by see you soon.

Find More Kitchen Cleaning Ideas In… Grandma’s Kitchen Deep Cleaning Hacks