How do you clean the outside of cast iron fry pan?

HI Patricia. Try using a half of a lemon and salt. Put the salt on the lemon and rub the outside of the pan. Then I would rinse and bake it for a few minutes to make sure it is completely dry. Last lightly oil it. Good Luck!

Spray oven cleaner. Working outside on cardboard or newspaper to prevent from killing or staining anything. Liberally spray the cast-iron pan and let the oven cleaner do it’s job. Wearing rubber gloves to protect your hands wipe the bulk of the residual oven cleaner and dissolveed grease with paper towels and discard. Rinse thoroughly with plenty of water and a scrub brush. You will have to re-season the pan. Your pan will look like brand new.

I mostly agree with Amanda. However, I would oil first (shortening is my choice) then bake for an hour on 350 degrees turned upside down. Make sure you put something beneath to catch drippings. Turn the oven off and remove once it's completely cooled.

I put my cast iron skillets in the oven upside down and baked them at high temps for a couple of days (day time only). The gunk fell off on the aluminum foil I had put at the bottom of the oven. Then I reseasoned them. I clean my cast iron skillets with a little water and table salt. If the skillet is really gunked up after cooking, put some salt in and add hot water. It's pretty easy to clean after that sets a while. I always put coconut oil on the skillet after cleaning. Hope this helps!

Try this:

http://www.lodgemfg.com/use-and-care/cast-iron-lets-cook

When camping, after cooking we used to place in the fire pit of hot ash. Works like a charm.