I Almost Ruined My Decades-Old Cast Iron Pan With a 'Natural' Cleaning Method – This $19 Kit and a Chef's Tip Restored It Fast
Natural cleaning is not always foolproof, and I learned that the hard way
I cannot remember a time before I relied on natural cleaning methods to scour each inch of my home. It seemed affordable, healthier, and foolproof. That is, of course, until leaving my dad's decades-old cast-iron pan to soak in lemon juice nearly ruined it for good.
Over the last few years, I have found a few applications where 'non-toxic cleaning' does not work, but having left citric acid in the base of my best cast iron cookware for a few hours (by accident, I might add) proved to me that 'natural' cleaning is not as ironclad as I thought.
Article continues belowWhy You Shouldn't Use Acids to Clean Cast Iron Pans: And How to Fix Them
This lodge cast iron care kit comes with everything you need to quickly restore damaged cast iron, including a scrubbing brush to remove debris, a scraper for removing food residue, and 100% vegetable spray oil for easy seasoning application.
I have long been an advocate for non-toxic cleaning products, championing them over harsh chemical variants any day of the week. That is why I turned to cleaning with citric acid (lemon juice) without a second thought when dealing with tough, stuck-on food in a cast-iron pan. I had just used lemon juice to clean a stainless steel pan, after all.
In my defense, you can clean cast iron with citric acid to help get rid of rust. However, in that application, it is left for just a few minutes or used to aid in scrubbing. What I did was add lemon juice to the base of the pan and forgot about it for several hours. It is safe to say that the otherwise perfect seasoning layer was completely ruined, and the base metal was left at risk of corrosion and pitting.
As Joanne reminded me, 'You should never let your cast iron soak in water for long or use harsh and acidic cleaners like vinegar for extended periods. Doing both will strip away the seasoning and leave the surface vulnerable to rust and metal leaching.
'You should never put your cast iron in the dishwasher, either, and avoid aggressive scrubbing,' she added. 'Leave that for when you’re intentionally reworking the surface, or else you’re just wearing down that protective layer you’ve built up over time.'
The same rules apply to cleaning any cast iron, including stove grates and grill accessories.
The fix, luckily, was simple. It was a case of restoring that seasoning layer to eliminate the risk of rust formation.
Joanne suggested cleaning the pan with a small amount of hot water and a light scrubbing tool, such as a brush or chain mail scrubber, from Amazon. This will remove any lingering debris and rust that has started to form. 'The key is drying it immediately,' she notes, 'or else rust will set in quickly.'
Once dry, season your cast-iron pan quickly and bake it on. The Lodge Seasoning Kit from Amazon comes with everything you need for this, and a spray application bottle, which makes even application quick and relatively mess-free. However, if you don't need the added care kit, grapeseed oil from Walmart is a great neutral-tasting, affordable option. 'This starts the process of rebuilding your non-stick seasoning,' Joanne assures.
From there, it is about maintaining your cast-iron pan. This means clearing it as stated above, with a small amount of hot water just before the pan cools down, and drying immediately. Building that seasoning up after use will also prevent future risk of pitting.
What Else to Shop
Cast-iron pans can last for generations when cared for properly. If you’ve made a similar maintenance misstep to mine, or are dealing with the telltale heat ring on cast iron, these care essentials can help restore your pan and protect both your cookware and your kitchen from further damage.
Chainmail scrubbers are highly recommended by chefs for cast iron care, as they are strong enough to remove stuck on a flacking debris, without damaging the seasoning layer below. This care kit comes complete with a scrubber and wooden scraper.
These erasers restore damaged cast iron, removing rust and tarnish from family heirlooms and grill pans accidentally left outside. The versatile cleaners can also be used on knives, tools and grill grates.
Cast-iron pan handles get hot, both on the stove and in the oven. These handy pot holders by Le Creuset protect your skin without being bulky, allowing for easier manoeuvrability.
Cast-iron pans take a while to cool down and can be very hot. Using a trivet after cooking can help to protect your counters from scorch marks and warping. This trivet pairs gray-veined white marble with the Tuscan stone to create this boldly graphic checkerboard look.
Wooden kitchen utensils are the gold standard for any cookware, avoiding damaging layers of seasoning, fickle non-stick, and delicate ceramic.
If cooking with and staying on top of seasoning cast iron seems daunting, consider an enameled cast iron variation instead, offering a similar cooking experience with less risk of sticking.
Meet the Expert
Joanne is the co-founder and recipe developer at Inspired Taste, a food blog and recipe website that has helped home cooks prepare simple, delicious meals since 2009.
If you want to avoid other pan cleaning mistakes, brush up on how to clean and care for every type of cookware to save yourself some time and energy.
Love the latest product news and helpful shopping advice? Sign up for our newsletter and get the latest features delivered straight to your inbox.
