How do I take out rust stains from my cast iron pans?

Question

Christine Millership · Answer

Hi, you need three items......coarse salt, a large potato and any cooking oil. Use a couple of tablespoons of salt and cut the potato in half. With the potato in the palm of the hand rub the cut end over the salt in the pan. I use potato as it provides the perfect amount of moisture. Rub the pan thoroughly. The salt will go very dirty, and you can change it to continue to rub until rust is gone. Don’t forget the handle. Once clean, wipe out with kitchen roll and pour a tablespoon of oil into the pan. Use a piece of kitchen roll to ensure it gets oiled all over, and then rinse with a little water. Dry and then put on the hob to cure for 30 minutes on a very low heat. Top tip: keep your pan in the oven, as moisture is the reason why it gets rusty. Also, never use water to clean your pan, only use it to rinse once you have used salt and sealed with oil after every use, including the 30 minute cure. Hope you find this helps.

Cindy · Answer

Hi Jocelyn. I'm Cindy. Use fine steel wool to remove the rust. Scour the cast iron pans until the area returns to raw cast iron. Then wash them with warm water and mild dish soap.