• Skip to primary navigation
  • Skip to main content
  • Skip to primary sidebar
GardenFork - Eclectic DIY
  • Email Signup
  • Podcast
  • Articles
  • Video
menu icon
go to homepage
  • Email Signup
  • Podcast
  • Articles
  • Video
  • Follow Me Here:

    • Facebook
    • Instagram
    • YouTube
  • subscribe
    search icon
    Homepage link
    • Email Signup
    • Podcast
    • Articles
    • Video
  • Follow Me Here:

    • Facebook
    • Instagram
    • YouTube
  • ×

    Home » Video » Cooking TV

    Remove Rust From Cast Iron Video - GF TV

    by Eric · This post may contain affiliate links, its one way we pay the bills. · 15 Comments

    This post may contain affiliate links, it helps us pay the bills, more info here.

    I found a badly rusted cast iron pan, and wanted to show you all how remove rust from cast iron in this video. Rusty cast iron can be brought back from the dead, to clean the rust off the cast iron, it takes some elbow grease, and the pan will never be brand new, but old cast iron is great. [Note, I have posted some updated info below the video, thx!]

    Update: Use vinegar at full strength. If this method does not work, watch our video on how to strip cast iron using oven cleaner, or with a simple battery charger tank method. Plus it will be a great cast iron pot with a good story of where you found it. Let us know your tips for seasoning cast iron below the video.

    You can remove rust from cast iron, but it can take some time. Take it easy and it will work well. Check out our other cast iron videos, how to season and clean cast iron, and learn more about cast iron pots and fry pans, and all the great reasons to use them.

    We are  now using Flax Oil to season our cast iron, the result is a much harder finish than just using vegetable oil or shortening. so save the vegetable oil for the deep fryer. Watch our Best Way To Season Cast Iron video.

    remove rust from cast iron

    You can watch us use a cast iron dutch oven doing some campfire outdoor cooking in these two videos, the first is us making a banana bread recipe in a cast iron dutch oven over charcoal, then we made the classic Toad in a Hole cooked outdoors in a cast iron dutch oven as well.
    cast-iron-seasoning-instructions-7

    Soap On Cast Iron? Video               Remove Old Seasoning From Cast Iron Video

    « Homemade Spacecraft : perfect father-kid project
    A New Microphone, Steampunk, & Ice Fishing : GardenFork Radio »

    Reader Interactions

    Comments

    1. Tim Lewallen

      October 17, 2010 at 1:11 pm

      I use the electrolytic rust removal process to remove rust from old scooter parts. It works amazingly well and it gets the rust out of all the nooks and crannies you can't reach with a brush.

    2. Tim

      October 18, 2010 at 11:30 am

      Here is a picture of the setup.
      http://i13.photobucket.com/albums/a291/GIJoeBob/electrolytic.jpg

      I have a sectioned corn bread pan I will be cleaning in the next day or two. I can take before/during/after photos if you are interested.

    3. abbub

      October 18, 2010 at 1:15 pm

      Eric,

      We take rusted cast iron pans etc. and throw them directly into a camp fire and let them stay in there until the fire goes out. The heat/fire takes the rust right off.

      Then clean and season as normal.

      abbub

    4. Jeanne Kingsley

      November 03, 2010 at 10:57 am

      Dear Eric (& Tracy??wife/camera operator?)
      I just watched you scrubbing rust in your 'cast iron seasoning' video, and wondered if you're interested in using products instead of just processes in your show. When I left dry Nevada 1 yr ago for rainy Washington where just exposure to air makes rust, within a month every hand, garden & farm tool I owned rusted frozen and useless. I tried everything - 'Evapo-Rust' was the only thing that dissolved rust quickly & totally - like other stuff claimed to do but didn't, plus is environmentally friendly & non-toxic to animals (evapo-rust.com). With severe rust, pitted damage and discoloration remain, but no rust, plus they make an inhibitor coating - don't know yet how effective or how long it lasts - just Tung oil may work as well, and itself removes more rust than the vinegar you used on the cast iron pan. No, I do not own stock, but after how well it works, I can't believe it's not more well-known. Maybe you could do a fall season video on 'how to care for and store tools' - sharpen, remove rust, sand & oil wooden handles, etc.?

      Keep up the great work, informal presentation, humor & common sense. I enjoy all the shows - have Goldens but love your Labs too. Your loyal fan, Jeanne Kingsley in Sequim, Washington

    5. Ginger

      December 17, 2010 at 1:15 pm

      I just about died when you soaked your cast iron in water and vinegar -- two huge no-nos!
      When we find nasty cast iron we put it into the bonfire (the one in the back yard, not the brush burn which gets way too huge) and burn off as much rust, then once it has cooled give it a good scrub and reseasoning.
      Most beginner cast-iron users don't realize they want to use very thin layers of oil/lard/shortening to season their pans or else it can get 'gooey' or even go rancid... I prefer spray oil which I wipe around with a paper towel.
      BTW, that type of pan is called a "Hoe Cake" pan and they are perfect for not only pancakes, but 2-egg omelets & grilled cheese sandwiches too. anything you have to get a turner under that isn't going to ooze all over.

    6. David

      December 23, 2010 at 9:26 am

      Use a sander on the rust. Much better than a wire brush, removes rust and other buildup and you have smoother surface to season.

    7. Martha otis

      January 10, 2011 at 6:26 am

      Hi I am a new fan. Found yr blog by accident. Restoring old cast iron pots is something I do too. I worry a little about what they might have been used for. But basically what could hurt this original no-stick pan??! No I have 3 fry pans - small, med, and large. I just scape the rust out with a stainless steel round thing (a strainer thing) and scrub with Brillo pad. Then rub with oil and put In a warm oven. I do wash the pots after cooking with scraper and Brillo if they need it. Then oil up again and into the oven so they will by dry.

    8. Laura

      February 13, 2012 at 8:08 pm

      Just watched your tutorial. Seems like you spent more time than you needed to working on this. As other folks mentioned the best way to clean a rusty and/or crusty cast iron pan is to burn it in a fire of some kind. No wire brush no vinegar just fire. You don't have to do anything. I took my worst ones camping with me and left them in the coals over night. Next morning they were smooth as could be and covered in ash. Wrapped them in newspaper until I could get home and re-season with thin coats of oil. I'm thinking next time you fire up that portable brick pizza oven you made on another show you can just throw that cast iron skillet on the coals overnight and get it even cleaner than you got it this time.

    9. rugg

      February 25, 2012 at 8:30 pm

      I was really excited about watching your video but couldn't get far watching your dogs play. I'm a dog person myself but when mine make a nuisance of themselves, I take them out of the picture. If you want your next video to be watchable, you should secure your dogs away from where you're filming.

    10. SonyaK

      January 27, 2013 at 11:03 am

      I found your blog via Google while looking to restore my rusty cast Iron skillet. I enjoyed this video so much because of the dogs. The web is FULL of amateur videos trying to pretend that they are professionally edited - it was fun to just watch something real and something not overly produced. Good job and thanks for the help with my skillet. Keep the dogs, I thought it was a very nice touch!

    11. Elizabeth Phaneuf

      July 26, 2013 at 12:00 pm

      Could not get the video on cleaning very rusty castiron to play. Is there a problem with it?

    12. CrystalD

      August 15, 2013 at 6:51 pm

      I couldn't get the video on removing rust either. Would appreciate seeing it.

    Trackbacks

    1. Dutch Oven Campfire Cooking, Baking Banana Bread : GardenFork.TV - GardenFork.TV | GardenFork.TV says:
      August 19, 2011 at 5:03 pm

      [...] now have 4 dutch ovens, and all are well seasoned at this point.  You can see our  how to season cast iron video here. But I’ve never used a dutch oven for what they were probably originally designed for, [...]

    2. How to season cast iron pots / cookware - GardenFork.TV | GardenFork.TV says:
      October 20, 2011 at 8:10 pm

      [...] For heavily rusted cast iron, aka how to clean rusty cast iron, watch this GF TV video on removing rust from cast iron. [...]

    3. Cast Iron Pan Problem...I think. - Page 4 | Mark's Daily Apple Health and Fitness Forum page 4 says:
      July 11, 2012 at 8:58 pm

      [...] My go-to person for anything I want to do on my own is this guy: How to Season Heavily Rusted Cast Iron Pans – GF TV - GardenFork.TV He's awesome and sometimes he messes up, which is fun to watch (especially because he just keeps [...]

    Leave a Reply

    Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

    This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.

    Primary Sidebar

    Become a Monthly Supporter of GardenFork. Click Here To Learn More

    Pages

    • About
    • Email Signup
    • Let's Stay Connected With Each Other
    • Maple Syrup Evaporator Information
    • Pizza Oven Plans & Make Pizza Videos
    • Privacy Policy
    • Radio
    • Terms of Use & Affliate Information
    • The GF Amazon Shop
    • Want More GardenFork? Here You Go:

    My lawyer makes me do this part: Visitors agree to our Terms Of Service and Affliate Information - Use This Information At Your Own Risk

    Produced by GardenFork Media LLC, Brooklyn, NY ©2021 All Rights Reserved