Try using steel wool. A litte vinegar might help, but you CANNOT leave vinegar on cast iron for any length of time; vinegar will pit cast iron. If you have a lot of cooked- on gunk, the best thing to use is a lye solution. Lye is very caustic so it has to be handled carefully, following package directions. However, you can leave a cast iron pan soaking in a lye solution indefinitely and it will not harm the pan! The pan needs to be totally immersed in the solution or the exposed areas will rust. Clean the pans carefully after using the lye and it will not leave any sort of harmful residue or anything, but cleaning needs to be done outdoors with long sleeves, safety glasses, and long gloves which will stand up to the lye. After the pan is clean, season it- there are a lot of good online instructions.
Scrub with coarse salt and a plastic round scrubby. Then re-season with some fat like lard, salt pork fat in an oven set at 250 degrees for a few hours, adding fat and coating the sides frequently. let cool in the oven. wipe out excess fat. Then when you use, don't let water sit in it, don't use soap, just either wipe with paper towel, or use hot water and the round plastic scrubby, dry after use or put on the stove and heat to dry.
The first step is always to soak it in vinegar. It removes or softens the rust, burn on food and/or grease. Scrape out any that is left in with a soft scraper. Then go to the scouring, I use dry salt & a cloth unless it is to bad. In that case I have used one of the drill attachments with the small wires on a pin so they spin out but not be so stiff that they will scar the metal. Then after washing you go to the seasoning. For this I use olive oil or lard but any oil will work. Just oil lightly, place in an oven at 175-250 f for 1-2 hoursthen remove & cool. Repeat this step until the inside is slick & mirror clear. After this never put in dishwasher or scour. Wipe & store if possible but if necessary you can wash with mild soap & warm water, dry thoroughly by hand or in a warm oven. When completely dry give a very lite oiling & put away. My mom always kept most of hers on hooks over the stove & it made a nice display as well as being handy for use.
I used this method to rehab mine after a fire that destroyed my kitchen & it worked perfectly.
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How to Clean and Season a Cast Iron Skillet
Try using steel wool. A litte vinegar might help, but you CANNOT leave vinegar on cast iron for any length of time; vinegar will pit cast iron. If you have a lot of cooked- on gunk, the best thing to use is a lye solution. Lye is very caustic so it has to be handled carefully, following package directions. However, you can leave a cast iron pan soaking in a lye solution indefinitely and it will not harm the pan! The pan needs to be totally immersed in the solution or the exposed areas will rust. Clean the pans carefully after using the lye and it will not leave any sort of harmful residue or anything, but cleaning needs to be done outdoors with long sleeves, safety glasses, and long gloves which will stand up to the lye. After the pan is clean, season it- there are a lot of good online instructions.
Scrub with coarse salt and a plastic round scrubby. Then re-season with some fat like lard, salt pork fat in an oven set at 250 degrees for a few hours, adding fat and coating the sides frequently. let cool in the oven. wipe out excess fat. Then when you use, don't let water sit in it, don't use soap, just either wipe with paper towel, or use hot water and the round plastic scrubby, dry after use or put on the stove and heat to dry.
The first step is always to soak it in vinegar. It removes or softens the rust, burn on food and/or grease. Scrape out any that is left in with a soft scraper. Then go to the scouring, I use dry salt & a cloth unless it is to bad. In that case I have used one of the drill attachments with the small wires on a pin so they spin out but not be so stiff that they will scar the metal. Then after washing you go to the seasoning. For this I use olive oil or lard but any oil will work. Just oil lightly, place in an oven at 175-250 f for 1-2 hoursthen remove & cool. Repeat this step until the inside is slick & mirror clear. After this never put in dishwasher or scour. Wipe & store if possible but if necessary you can wash with mild soap & warm water, dry thoroughly by hand or in a warm oven. When completely dry give a very lite oiling & put away. My mom always kept most of hers on hooks over the stove & it made a nice display as well as being handy for use.
I used this method to rehab mine after a fire that destroyed my kitchen & it worked perfectly.
I use a little detergent and a little water and a non-metallic (plastic) scrubbie.
Clean, quick rinse, dry with a paper towel, oil and bake in an oven slowly at 250 degrees for a couple of hours. If rust still appears, repeat.