How to Remove Rust From a Cooking Pan

Remove rust with non-metallic scrubbers.

Old or new cooking pans may rust as the surface of pots corrode from minerals in water. The minerals erode the metal leaving the orange flecks of rust behind. Cooking pans stored when wet succumb to rust stains. You will need to remove the stains in order to salvage the pans before the rust destroys them entirely. Use non-metallic scrubbers and metal-friendly abrasives to remove rust from cooking pans.

Things You'll Need

• Salt
• Cooking oil
• Cloth
• Nylon scrubber
• Grease-cutting dish soap
• Dishrag
• Dish towel

Instructions

1. Sprinkle 2 to 3 tablespoons of salt in the cooking pan and over the rusted areas. Pour 2 to 3 tablespoons of cooking oil into the pan. The salt provides an abrasive to scrape rust from the pan and the oil provides a lubricant for the salt.

2. Pour 1 rablespoon of oil onto a cloth and sprinkle with 1 teaspoon of salt. Wipe the cloth over any rust stains on the pan exterior and handles. Rub the stains with a nylon scrubber. Add more oil and salt to the pan as needed to loosen the rust on the outside.

3. Scrub the pan interior with the nylon scrubber. Use forceful pressure as you scrub the rust from the pan.

4. Rinse the interior and exterior of the pan with hot water. Examine the pan surface for any rust stains. Pour additional salt and oil into the pan as needed to scrub away all rust particles.

5. Fill the sink with hot water and 1 tablespoon of grease-cutting dish soap. Wash the cooking pan with a dishrag, removing all rust, salt and oil residue. If rust spots remain after washing, repeat the removal process.

6. Rinse the pan with hot water and dry with a dish towel.

Tips & Warnings

• Dry cooking pans after washing and rinsing to prevent rust stains from forming.

• Avoid using metallic scrubbers such as steel wool pads when removing rust stains.

References

• My Rust Removal: Rust Removal
• "Good Housekeeping"; How to Remove Rust From a Cast-Iron Skillet; Heloise