1) A heavy duty plastic
container with a sealable cover. This container must be large enough
to where the cast iron can be totally submerged in liquid with at least
1 inch of liquid over the top of the cast iron and four to ten inches of
space until the cover is reached.
2) "Red Devil Lye".
It comes in cans and I use one can per five gallons of water.
3) "Scotch Brite" pads.
4) Brass bristled brushes.
5) "Dawn" dish washing
liquid.
6) Vinegar
7) Mineral oil.
8) Cheap white shortening.
9) Eye protection, dish
washing rubber gloves.
If the cast iron has a
carbon build up (usually black and hard, filling in the indentions so it's
hard to read the logo), I soak it in a mixture of "Red Devil Lye" and water
at a one can to five gallons ratio. To prepare the mixture,
dump the Lye into your container and break up the large pieces. Then
slowly add water, stirring all of the time. DO NOT BREATHE THE FUMES,
THEY ARE LETHAL. When you no longer can see the lye, the mixture
is ready. USE GLOVES AND EYE PROTECTION. This needs to be done
outdoors, not inside your home. Do not do it where children can get
into the container.
Slowly place the cast
iron into the mixture. Do not let the liquid touch you. USE
GLOVES AND EYE PROTECTION. Place the cover on the container and let
it sit. In hot weather, the carbon will be gone in four to ten days.
It takes longer in cooler weather. Check your cast iron every once
in a while. I use fireplace tongs to lift the cast iron.
It is finished when the
carbon build up is gone to your satisfaction. Remove the cast iron
from the mixture and clean with water. Since this is done out doors,
I use my garden hose and spray the cast iron with the strongest flow of
water that I can.
Now, if you want to,
everything else can be done indoors.
I then clean the cast
iron with "Dawn" dish washing liquid. I use the "Scotch Brite" pads
and the brushes to get the finish the way that I want it. Rinse with
water. Now, soak the cast iron in a mixture of water and vinegar
for thirty minutes. This helps eliminate rust and rusting.
Now, one more time with the "Dawn".
Dry the cast iron and
it should look like new.
Immediately after cleaning,
it needs to be seasoned. Whether for cooking or displaying, it still
needs to be seasoned.
If it is going to be
displayed or stored, I use mineral oil. Use you fingers and rub a
light amount of mineral oil on to the cast iron. Once completely
covered, wipe off any excess with a paper towel. It is now ready.
The finish will be slightly tacky and that will go away with time.
To harden the mineral
oil finish, the cast iron can be placed into a 300 degree oven for one
hour. This is hot stuff so watch yourself.
If it is going to be cooked in, I use a cheap white shortening. First I warm the cast iron in a 300 degree oven. Then with my fingers I apply a light coating of the shortening and then return the cast iron to the oven for one hour. After an hour I remove the cast iron and apply a thinner coat of shortening and place it back into the over for another hour. Then the oven is turned off and the cast iron can be removed and hung to try. THIS IS HOT STUFF, USE LOTS OF POT HOLDERS. Once it has cooled off, the finish will be hard and slick, no tackiness.
The lye water mixture
can be used many times. You can tell when it's time to change the
mixture by the extended time it takes to remove carbon. Dump the
mixture down a drain that goes into a sewage system. Do not dump
out doors, it can harm the environment.
I have left cast iron
in the mixture for up to a year without any problems.
With gem pans, cornbread
pans, and with some rust problems, I've had to use a "Drexel" drill to
clean out some of the small spaces.
AGAIN, THIS IS MY METHOD.
IT IS NOT A RECOMMENDATION FOR YOU TO DO THIS AND I
ASSUME NO LIABILITY IF YOU DECIDE TO USE THIS METHOD.