TheMudbrooker's Guide to Cast Iron: Vinegar Bath Rust Removal

A demonstration of how to use vinegar to restore rusty cast iron.

[steveb]

A derivative of this is to vinegar bath for only 30 minutes and then scrub. Repeat as necessary. It knocks a lot of 'layers' of rust off faster, keeps the vinegar cleaner (for reuse) and minimizes etching. The concept is the same as the initial scrub to remove the loose rust... Removing what gets loosened every 30 minutes let's the vinegar access the remaining rust.

[WildwoodCastle]

Great video... I have used vinegar on my 18th and 19th-century cast iron pots and skillets... I have even had wonderful results on early antique cast iron car parts...

[aryan]

Thank you. I have a rusty old cast iron meat grinder & had no idea how I was going to get into nooks & crannies with other methods of rust removal. This will do the trick great. Thanks again!

[TomWylie]

Wow, that really cleaned up well! Thanks for walking us through it.
I’m going to use this method to clean up a cast iron kettle I’ve got. Cheers!

[mollysmith]

When all else fails, check Mudbrooker's library of information for help. Yeah, I'm the crazy one who thought she would make cornbread sticks with a recently inherited pan only to discover that the greasy coating was in fact greasy rust. And I tried to scour it off, hahaha. Thank you for making these videos and having this information readily available to help out, Mud. In a few days, I'll celebrate with some cornbread sticks of the non-rusted variety.

[cityoftrees]

Off topic but your voice is relaxing also thanks for the info I'm cleaning up my lightly rusted cast iron pan

[brucecortez]

2:11 you can use electrolysis or lye but this video aint about that! Love it. this was a great video

[eminusipi]

Love Baileys Irish Cream! It goes down so smooth that I tend to overdo it! I inherited some old cast iron skillets in relatively good condition. I also bought a couple of new Lodge skillets that I gently sanded down the "high spots." I use cast iron and carbon steel skillets all the time. The "nonstick" cookware always wears out. Cast iron wears in.

[dl]

Did you ever make that video you mentioned in the end? Etching with vinegar? My cast iron will just not take seasoning and I've tried everything.

[moderntentcamping]

Thank you for this video. I have used this method for removing rust from cast iron cookware and old axe heads - and never had a problem. But many cast iron enthusiasts have criticized this method saying that it eats away the metal. Have you ever heard these claims?

[oneofthosepeople]

Is it a bad idea to just go at it with a wire wheel and wd40?

[CastIronEric]

The flash rust comes back really quick.

Any tips? I have a old BSR that's been soaking in vinegar, but every time I dry it, rust immediately comes back lol

[ironmaiden]

For flash rust wipe it dry with a papertowel that has oil on it, works great for me.

[blex]

totally off topic, but since i`m just eating some myself...i have never seen someone from the new world make what we call Gulasch/Gulash/Gulyas in germany...its a hungarian beef stew widely popular here in old europe...
mighty delicious btw.
ad that vinegar thing i did myslef in the past- works great.

[peggybreaux]

Beautiful. I past up many pots that I now see could have been cleaned.
Thank you

[germanmg]

You are wonderful brother!!!! Im going to town today for vinegar an following your procure!!!! Thank you! Love from northern Michigan!

[CzarSmitty]

Thanks so much - very informative - if you had to re-submerse your cast iron pot after the initial cleaning, could you just put it back in the same container that it had been sitting in or would you need to dump that vinegar/water solution and start with clean vinegar/water solution?

[theodoreparkeriii]

What is the video called where you use vinegar to etch polished cast iron so the season will hold?

[candorbanter]

I have one of those tea pots that goes on top of a wood-burning fireplace. It’s very pretty on the outside not enamel but I don’t know what it is. I looked inside and the rust buildup. Oh my goodness it is flaky. I can certainly clean the inside as you instructed, and season it, but if it’s meant to hold water so that you can make tea? I’m wondering what’s the point? I’m wondering, why would you boil water in it? I thought iron was really for sautéing and making meat dishes. Would appreciate any kind of feedback, except sarcasm, of course. Thank you.

[patcolston]

I found an old pot similar to yours. Mine doesn't have legs after 3 days in cleaning vinegar, it cleaned up good. It has some deep pits in bottom from being left in an old barn on the ground and rain. I have flash rust and haven't got around to seasoning it yet. What is the best oil or grease to use?