I didn't know where to post this, so I thought this would be the best place. I love cast iron, and prefer it to anything else. But I have just "inherited" two cast iron pans that I don't think they have EVER been cleaned. They have years of caked-on grease. I have been trying to remove the grease using my grill brush/scraper and SOS pad, but there are some places that it doesn't seem to want to come off. I know I'll have to reseason them, and that isn't my concern. But is there something I can try besides resorting to using a drill and wire wheel to remove the years of grease?

From what I've read, just get a big camp fire going and throw them in. The heat won't hurt the cast iron and it'll burn all the gunk off, than just re season. Never tried it but hope it helps.

AAACCKKKK!!!!!!!...that burnt crust is what you are looking for that is what makes non-stick....ok don't toss it in a fire...that aint good for it may cause it to warp or crack...got a battery charger a large plastic tote/tub an old chunk of steel and some washing soda? you have the means to remove all that from your cast iron...the tub should be big enough to completely submerge the pan in and still have room for the piece of scrap steel also submerged but not touching each other..fill the tub with water and add 1/2 cup washing soda to it for every 5 gallons of water, place the pan in the water with the negative clamp connected to it....the place the scrap steel in the water with the positive connected to that..,turn on the charger..you should see bubbles forming fairly quickly...this process is called electrolisis and it works fast with out damaging the metal...here is a site that has a pictorlial of the set up:

 http://www.wag-society.org/Electrol...TROS_3.htm


Good luck and stay away from them wire brushes and scrapers....

You can electroplate with greasy gunk?? I thought that only worked with metals!?

My concern is that the greasy gunk is years of non-cleaning, large clumps of crud that are caked all over the outside, and when I scrape some off, it's red underneath (rust). I need to remove all the old grease, but scraping and steel work worked great on the inside and bottom, but the outside sides are the difficult parts. I've even thought about a stiff steel brush, but wanted to get some input. I think if it were any worse, I would be removing flakes of metal.

before rushing into anything check out Lodge irons website .I'm sure the largest maker of cast iron cookware will able to help.

again the lodge site will tell you the same thing I said...what that crud is is actually carbon..only problem with steel wool, wire brushes etc..is an eletrolitic reactiion cast is a very open material and the fibers, bits and pieces of the steelwool and wire can get imbedded into the pours of the iron and when you have those 2 dis-similar metals touching each other and then add heat (even the slightest amount) you create an electrical current which will then produce oxydation (rust)...and you'll need to use the eletrolisis anyways to stop it...so it's just easier to use it the first time...I have done many pots and pans this way and have had near perfect results every time....and yes it will remove the carbon build up....

i have heard that a good way to clean them is with whight vinager.

I've heard to put them in a oven and set it to the self clean setting.

What I've done on a couple of pans like your describing, is using one of those long wire wheel things that they use for stripping paint off siding in an corded electric drill. Rechargeable ones don't have enough rpm. Worked really well and when your done just wash the pan and re-season it. Come out looking good as new. Make sure to wear safety glasses.

I have brought back many cast iron pans this way-----Yes---Toss pan into nice hot, coal bed camp fire---all crud will burn, flake off---no need to get pan red hot---i usually throw in fire as fire is going down, then leave overnite in coal bed,     next step----fill pan between 1/3 and 1/2 with grease-----put pan on grill above fire, leave over fire quite some time--grease will get very hot and smoke---let it go until about half or a little less of the grease evaporates---take off grille top, let slowly cool---pan will now be cured and non stick.

Lodge told me to put it in a self-cleaning oven for two 3-hour cycles. Or if a self-cleaning oven is not available (I don't have one), put it in the over at 400 F for 2 hours, allow it to cool in the oven, then scrub with a stiff steel brush. Then reseason. I can post their e-mail when I get a chance.

If you have the inside clean and smooth, do not worry about the outside, just season the inside and whenever you clean it again, scrape more off, the outside stuff will not hurt a thing

I have put my cast iron in the furnace and start the fire. The cast heats evenly when it is red take it out and let it start to cool. Take it out side and throw in a few slices of bacon and wipe the sides and take it out. There will be a little smoke!!!!!!!!! let it cool a little longer and put the bacon back in and wipe the whole cast. I never use soap on my cast to clean it. Add water to the skillet and boil and wipe it out or just wipe it out with a paper towel.

pick this up on the net. put it on a fire 1 hour , till its ashy redish. take it off and let it cool then wash off all ash reakl well. then coat with thin coat of crisco oil .and bake at 200 for one hour. it will be like new. after ever use ya reseason it .by cleaning real well then dry, then put a thin coat of oil .put it on a burner for 1 min. antill it smokes then put it in oven till next use . luv all my iron guns and skillets .

Build a fire and when it is good and hot put one piece "at a time in it " in the fire untill all the old grease is burned off. Don"t forget to put a piece of wire in the handle to get the pot out with. I have done it lots of times, works great. Don"t forget to reseason.

I got a 15 inch skillet at a garage sale that looked like you described cost 3 dollars took it camping and used the fire method came out clean and reseasoned it been using it for 5 years now. Best 3 bucks I ever spent. Let me tell ya it was in very bad shape when I got it rusty crusty mess.

I just had a cast iron pan that was pitted bad with rust. Plain soap and water with a wire pad that looks like a birds nest called a wire scourer and a little elbow grease cleaned it up like new. Put it on the stove for a minute to dry it then reseasoned it with oil while it's still hot wiping it clean a number of times to be sure it was free from the rust and gunk. It's as good as new.

You need to take care of the rust. The self cleaning oven is the best way to start. It should only take one cycle, mine did. A word of caution, your house will stink for a while. After you wipe away the ash, get a tub that is big enough to submerge the pan in. Mix a 2-1 solution of vineger and water, 2 water, 1 vineger, and submerge the pan and let it soak for a couple hours. This is neutralizing the rust and stopping the rust process. Now lightly scrub the pan all over with a fine steel wool ball. Remove the pan and rinse it thoroughly. Now you have to neutralize the acidic reaction of the acid in the vineger. Mix two cups of baking soda in enough water to cover the pan again for another two hours. Rinse again thoroughly and dry it well. Now smear a thin coating of lard all over the pan and bake it at 300 degrees for one hour. Repeat if necessary. It is important to use the pan extensively for a while to get a non-stick condition.

I hear the electrolosis process works well also, but something about amps and water scares the hell out of me.

Place them in a plastic bag, pouur in some oven cleaner, let sit overnight, remove from bag and rinse well. Grese the insids with lard or crisco (they do not have salt in them)
place in a 350 deg oven until it starts to smoke, remove, let cool, repeat the process 2 or three tims. Never use soap to clean cast iron, you should only have to wipe with a paper towel, then re-grease the insides. Do not worry about the outside.

Cast Iron is all I cook with. My one pan was actually my Grandmother's. They are on the old side. Although I also have a few new Lodge cast iron pans. All I do when they get to the bad stage in throw them in the self cleaning oven for three hours and let them cool in the oven. After they are cool I use soap and water to scour them. Then just add a high quality oil and get them hot. Let that oil smoke a little, then turn the burner off and let it cool all the way down. Pour out the oil you don't need and with a paper towel, wipe them out. They are good as new.

Since I believe you said you have no self cleaning oven, I would do the campfire trick. Burn the fire down and get a large bed of coals. then bury the pan and fill it with coals as well. Good luck. They are the best pan that was ever made. You can keep all others as far as I am concerned.

I found an older Wagner Ware 8" pan at a flee market a couple weeks ago. It had been cleaned recently and looked like it had been used a few times. It looked nice, and well worth $15. Tried it out last night and it made a nice pone of corn bread. Didn't stick at all. I know this is a little off topic, but sometimes it's nice to find a gem cheap.

I have used cast iron in the camp and at home for years Every once & a while they need to be cleand & re seasond , i just bury it in the hot coals over night. in the morn. just take it out & stoak the fire & set pan or pot on top of grate & warm it up it don't have to be smokin hot. Add enough veg oil to wipe it down real good then let cool. The only way you'll warp or crack a pot or pan this way is if you don't get even heat or it cools off to quick. So bury it completely in coals & take it out in tha morn after the fire has burned down.
Gerry & Hatfield Hunter have it right.

I have several cast iron skillets, all great. 2 I got at yard sales cheap because the folks that had them thought they were ruined. I took each, got a little "camp fire" going and once I get a good bed of coals placed them in and coverved them with 2-3 pieces of firewood and walked away. Leave them till the fire is out and coals are cold. THEN take them to the sink and scrub them. Once clean, wipe them with a paper towel that you put cooking oil on. Just a light coat. Put them in your oven, set the temp for 450 degrees and bake for about an hour, turn off the oven and let the oven and skillet(s) cool on their own. They will be ready to use. Once you start using them don't clean with detergent. Rinse with hot water and towel dry. All my skillets are done this way and all are stick free.

It sounds like, and can be a lengthy process but if you love using cast iron it's a labor of love and you'll be glad you did it.

Follow Hunteredteacher's recommendations,

The first and only time i seasoned cast iron pans (LOL) I oiled the pans as the directions called for and placed them in the oven for the time the instructions called for. not a good idea unless you want your spouse coming home to a house filled with smoke and your fire dept members laughing at you at the station for a report of smoke coming out the windows of your home...... the pans are seasoned now and work great.
Happy cooking
Roy