How to remove rust from a carbon steel pan
Scrub light rust off with coarse salt and oil, and boil half water, half vinegar in the pan for stubborn rust. Then dry it on a burner and reseason it.
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Get the rust off
- Pour coarse salt and a neutral oil, such as canola or grapeseed, onto the rust in about equal amounts.
- Scrub in small circles with a paper towel or cloth until the rust is gone.
- For rust that stays, or rust on the underside, scour it with steel wool, an abrasive sponge or fine sandpaper, then wash the pan in hot, soapy water.
- For stubborn rust inside the pan, bring equal parts water and white vinegar to a rolling boil in it, pour it out and scrub with an abrasive sponge, soap and hot water. Repeat if needed.
- Dry the pan on a low burner and season it again. After a tiny spot, a thin coat of oil on the warm pan is enough.
What to avoid
- Soaking the pan or leaving it in the sink overnight.
- Putting it away damp. Even a seasoned pan rusts in a humid cupboard.
- Skipping the reseasoning after a vinegar boil: Made In says the acid strips most or all of the seasoning.
Why carbon steel rusts
Carbon steel is almost all iron, so any bare patch rusts when it stays wet: a pan left to soak, put away damp, or used outdoors or in a humid kitchen. Seasoning protects it, but worn or freshly scrubbed spots are bare metal again until they are oiled and heated.
Stop it coming back
After every wash, dry the pan with a towel, then set it on a low burner until it is bone-dry. Turn off the heat, wipe a very thin layer of high smoke point oil over the inside while it is hot, and let it cool before putting it away. Hang it if you can; if you stack it, put a cloth or pan protector inside first.
If you cook outdoors or your kitchen is humid, Made In suggests seasoning the outside of the pan too, so less bare iron is exposed.