How to clean an old cast-iron skillet from long-term soot in simple ways?

Cast-iron pans went to the inheritance of modern women from their grandmothers and great-grandmothers. These items of the kitchen arsenal are popular because they are convenient to use, familiar and reliable. But even with this utensil, incidents happen when something sticks to the bottom and starts to burn. An impressive layer of such burning spoils the appearance of the dishes, and the thicker it is, the more difficult it is to remove. It is for such cases that experienced housewives have revealed a number of secrets on how to clean a cast-iron frying pan.

Methods for cleaning the pan from carbon deposits

The fat that burns in the pan, after a certain time forms a thick layer of soot on it. It has the property of absorbing into the walls and bottom. This black layer cannot be washed with any detergent. That is why you need to use products prepared at home.

There are several ways to clean a cast iron pan from carbon deposits. The most effective of them are four options that will help make the old pan clean and shiny. If you want to try any of them, you will need to get these things:

• simple laundry soap (laundry detergent can be used as an analogue);
• soda ash;
• tube of ordinary stationery glue;
• acetic acid;
• strong brush for metal.

Option number 1

Pour water into the bowl that holds your cast-iron pan. Here you should add half a glass of washing powder and about the same amount of soda ash. Also in this solution you need to squeeze one tube of stationery glue. All this, together with a frying pan, is put on fire and boiled for two hours.

During this time, soot begins to gradually fall away from the dishes. You must help him fall off completely. To do this, take a brush and clean the pan. If after the first time the deposit does not disappear, then you can repeat the procedure several times in a row.

Option number 2

An old frying pan can be cleaned without spending a lot of money, or rather, without spending anything at all. But those who decide to use this option at home can call themselves true extreme lovers.

The main condition for washing the pan is the presence of an open flame. The dishes must be put in a bonfire for a long period of time. Of course, this option is absolutely not suitable for residents of apartments who do not have the ability to start a fire in their yard. Therefore, they should choose another way - wash or clean, dissolve or scrape, but comply with fire safety rules.

Option number 3

In order to wash away carbon deposits, which consists of fat, acetic acid should be used instead of water. It will require a large number, but the cleaning results will please the eye of any housewife. Do not forget that dishes after the cleaning process should be thoroughly washed with detergents and rinsed in warm water.

Option number 4

This is the "lazy" way to remove long-term soot. It is suitable for housewives who do not like to wash anything. Using this method may leave scratches in the pan, but you will get rid of black soot on the dishes. Moreover, to achieve the result, you will not particularly strain. It will be enough to purchase a special brush made of metal in the store, which is designed specifically to remove carbon deposits.You should carefully drive it along the sides of the pan, and the black layer will disappear before your eyes.

Granny's recipes for removing burning from a pan

In addition to these four most popular ways to clean cast iron dishes, there are several more proven methods.

1. Blowtorch.

This option provides for the help of the male half of humanity. You need to take a lamp and direct its fire directly at the pan. Nagar will come down in 7 minutes. Do not forget about the rules of fire safety and hold an event in the open air.

2. Sand.

This is the easiest way. In order to wash the black layer, it is necessary to pour ordinary sand into cast-iron dishes. Then put it on a slow fire for as long as three hours. You then do not have to rub anything, just tap the pan. The disadvantage of this method is the unpleasant smell of heating sand.

3. Laundry soap.

To clean the cast-iron pan from soot, you need to crush half the bar of soap in the pan and pour hot water. Boil this mixture for half an hour. After the manipulations, your favorite dish will simply shine.

Prevention of carbon deposits in a cast-iron pan

So that you do not have to wash your favorite pan very often, you just need to prepare it for use. This can be done by baking the dishes. This method will provide you with the opportunity not to worry about the appearance of a black carbon layer on it.
Calcination of the pan is as follows:

• pour a layer of salt at the bottom of the new kitchen utensils;
• together with salt, the dishes should be set to heat;
• when the salt turns brown, the pan can be removed from the heat;
• after the salt has cooled slightly, it needs to be cleaned;
• grease the pan with sunflower oil and put in the oven for a short while.

These simple manipulations will not allow food to burn to the bottom, thereby providing a "popular" non-stick coating. Any of these actions is easy to perform at home.

To prevent a thick layer of black soot, soot with impurities of fat and food in your pan, you must always look after it. If you can provide proper care for an old cast-iron frying pan, then it will be easy to wash from soot, which is considered a fairly harmful substance. It has the ability to vaporize substances, which increase the risk of developing cancer. This is an additional incentive to try to wash the old pan.

We recommend you read the article: what to do if a cast-iron frying pan rusts