How to clean a cast-iron cauldron from rust?

Housewives sometimes encounter a situation when the inside of the cast-iron cauldron becomes covered with rust. In this case, some go to the store in order to purchase new kitchen utensils. However, there are ways in which the situation can be corrected at home.

Cast iron is the material that rusts, especially when it comes to cookware. Cast iron cauldrons do not rust as quickly as steel ones, as they have a special protective film. This layer is created by regularly wiping the utensils with vegetable oil or during the firing procedure.

The protective film is damaged for the following reasons:

• in the process of scraping the surface of the cauldron using spatulas or slotted spoons in order to eliminate burnt food;
• when washing cast iron utensils with hard or abrasive brushes and sponges;
• when using chemicals that cannot be used to clean cast iron dishes.

Utensils for cooking fragrant pilaf and meat can deteriorate if carbon deposits form on them, which appears when the flame is too strong or when the dish is not removed from the fire in time.

Housewives, faced with the problem of a rusted cauldron, do not know what to do. If rusty deposits are not removed in time, the dishes may deteriorate. In order to clean the rust from a cast-iron cauldron, you can use several methods.

1. Household chemicals. In order to clean a rusty cauldron, you can use a special cleaning agent or powder to remove rust.After using these substances, it is worth treating the dishes from the inside with a metal sponge, and then with sandpaper.
2. Surface sanding. This procedure is carried out using a grinding machine.
3. Using sandpaper. Initially, a cast-iron cauldron should be processed with coarse grit sandpaper, then with medium grit.
4. Applying glue and soap. To begin with, the cast iron cauldron is well washed out, and the container in which the cauldron will be boiled is filled with water with 100 grams of office glue and a piece of laundry soap. The cauldron needs to be boiled over a weak fire in the prepared solution. When the cast-iron dishes have cooled, they are washed with warm water, and the carbon deposits are removed with a washcloth.
5. Vinegar... A rusted cauldron must be soaked in a solution that consists of 50% water and 50% vinegar. The dishes must remain in the liquid for at least two hours. Next, you should clean the utensils with a mixture of vegetable oil and coarse salt.

If you want to wash off the rusty coating from the cast-iron cauldron, it is important not to damage the surface of the dishes. Let's take a look at the most effective methods for getting rid of rust.

1. Using acid. In this case, vinegar, soda and salt should be used for the cleaning process. Salt should be poured into the utensils, after which vinegar is poured there and sent to the fire. After heating the mixture, soda is poured into the cauldron, then the composition should boil well. After completing the process, the dishes must be thoroughly washed with water.
2. With the use of soda and salt. In a cast-iron cauldron, it is necessary to pour such an amount of water that would completely cover the rust. Next, 0.2 kg of salt and the same amount of soda are poured into the liquid. A cast iron container is put on fire and boiled for 120 minutes. After the passage of time, the cauldron should be left to cool overnight. You can easily remove carbon deposits from a cooled dish using a dishwashing detergent.
3. Sand... To remove rust from the dishes, it should be completely covered with sand and then sent to the fire. The cauldron should warm up throughout the night. With the onset of morning, the sand is poured out of the container, and the cauldron itself is washed out with clean water.
4. Drill. Using this tool is one of the most effective ways to remove rust from a cast iron surface. You need to put on a special nozzle on the drill and process the surface. The bottom line is similar to the process of using sandpaper. After cleaning is over, it is worth washing the dishes.

In order not to have to deal with complex cleaning of a rusted cauldron, it is worth doing the prevention of contamination. One of the methods of preventing carbon deposits on cast iron cookware is calcination, which can be carried out in several ways.

• The cauldron needs to be heated in an oven at a temperature of 200 degrees. After that, the dishes must be greased with vegetable oil from the outside and inside. After finishing lubrication, the container must be sent to the oven again in order for the fat to evaporate completely. The above activities should be repeated several times.
• A cast-iron cauldron with poured oil must be put on low heat. When the pan starts to heat up, tilt it so that the fat covers all the walls.
• The cauldron is sent to the fire, followed by pouring 2000 grams of salt into it. The calcination process should be continued until the salt turns gray.

According to the advice of professionals, Cast iron kitchen utensils should not be washed with liquids or gels used for washing ordinary dishes. The reason is that the above substances remove the non-stick oily layer from the cast iron, which protects the dishes from rust and carbon deposits. And also do not send the cauldrons to the dishwasher.

Cast iron dishes should be washed immediately after cooking, preventing food particles from drying out. To clean these utensils, you should use hot running water, in difficult situations, a solution of laundry soap. After the dishes are washed, they must be wiped dry so that no liquid droplets remain inside. It is advisable to keep the cauldron on fire until the water evaporates completely.

The best place to store a cast iron cauldron is in a dry place. This might be a pantry, kitchen cupboard, but not a basement or poorly ventilated garage. Since the dishes cooked in this kitchen utensil are distinguished by excellent taste, the cauldrons should be treated with care. If they are carefully used, properly stored and cleaned, the service life of cast iron cookware will be long.

How to clean rust from a cast iron cauldron, see below.