How To Restore A Cast Iron Pan At Home

For my birthday gift last year, my dad antiqued the cutest 1950’s 6.5-inch cast iron pan for me. I’m obsessed with it. It’s adorable, it’s super non-stick, and obviously I love it because it makes me think of my dad.

So this year, for his birthday, I wanted to gift him the same thing because I love mine so much. I scored this vintage Wagner Ware cast iron pan in an antique store, in amazing condition – apart from the fact that it was rusted. These are the steps I took to restore the pan back to its former glory.

Here is what you will need:

Baking Soda
Steel Wool (fine)
Vinegar
Water
Dish Soap
Gloves
Coconut Oil (or another high-heat fat)

Step 1: Baking Soda + Water Paste

Rusty cast iron pan with baking soda paste in it

A rusty cast iron pan with a baking soda water paste rubbed all over to lift off the rust.

Start by putting on your gloves and mixing together a paste of water and baking soda in a little bowl. No exact measurements here, just a paste that’s loose enough to spread around. Massage the paste all over the pan, either with your gloves or with some fine steel wool. Do this to the whole pan! Not just the rusted interior. You’ll immediately see the paste turn an orange colour as it lifts off the rust.

Step 2: Steel Wool + Vinegar

Using steel wool to remove rust off of the pan.

To get the most out of the previous step, pour some white vinegar into and all over the pan. It’ll bubble up and fizz with the baking soda, lifting even more rust off. Scrub the pan with your steel wool again. Then wash the pan out in your sink with dish soap and warm water. Dry it off thoroughly.

*OPTIONAL STEP FOR STUBBORN RUST: Vinegar-Water Soak

Close up of the remaining rust in the pan — before the vinegar-water soak

Cast iron pan soaking in a 1:1 vinegar water solution — before the vinegar-water soak

My pan was still rusted at this point, so I had to go a little harder. (You might not have to if your pan is less rusty than mine!) I’ve learned from professional cast iron restorers that the best thing you can do to remove stubborn rust off a cast iron pan at home is to soak it in a 1:1 solution of white vinegar and water. Submerge your pan in the solution and let rest for a couple of hours, and up to 24 hours. (No longer than that, otherwise it’ll start to corrode the metal.)

This step honestly blew my mind. I submerged my pan for 2 hours, and then pulled it out and scrubbed it with steel wool again. The remaining rust peeled off like a literal dream. So simple, but it worked so well. From here, wash your pan out with more water and dish soap, then dry it off thoroughly.

*It looks grey at this point! Don’t worry – the next step will make it that classic, deep black again.

Step 3: Heat Your Cast Iron Pan On Your Stovetop + Apply Oil

Cast iron on the stovetop, adding coconut oil to start the seasoning process.

Cast iron on the stovetop, rubbing coconut oil into the pan with a paper towel.

Heat your cast iron on your stovetop burner on medium heat. Let the pan pre-heat ~nice~. Be very careful when handling the pan at this point so you don’t burn your hands! Only pick up the pan with an oven mitt or something to protect your hands. Then, using a paper towel, rub a **high-heat fat all over your pan. Inside, outside, in every nook and cranny.

Now, take a fresh paper towel and wipe all that oil off. Seems counter-intuitive, but it leaves behind only the oil that the iron absorbed, preventing it from developing a sticky, oily residue.

Repeat this process at least 2-3 more times. Letting the pan heat, applying oil, wiping off all the excess oil. The more you do it, the more you’re building layers of seasoning into your pan to make sure it’s non-stick and properly protected.

**I personally like using coconut oil because I’ve read that solid fats work better than liquid ones. But I don’t exactly know how much of a difference it ultimately makes, so long as it has a high smoke point. Other high-heat solid fats that work are lard or vegetable shortening. High-heat liquid fat options include flax seed oil or grapeseed oil. Just make sure it’s high-heat (for example, olive oil is not a good option for seasoning).

Step 4: Oven Bake Your Newly Seasoned Cast Iron Pan

Pan before seasoning (more light grey in colour, no more rust) — before seasoning

Pan after seasoning (now the classic deep black cast iron pan colour) — before seasoning

This is where the magic happens, i.e. when the polymerization process happens. Polymerization is when the fat you applied in the previous step cooks into the surface of the cast iron and hardens, resulting in a perfectly non-stick and seasoned surface.

Pre-heat your oven to 400/450 degrees celsius. Place your pan upside down on a baking sheet (upside down so that oil doesn’t pool in the middle of your pan, and the baking sheet will catch any oil drips). Bake in a 400/450 degree oven for one hour. Then turn off the oven, leaving the pan in the oven to cool slowly. I personally leave mine in the oven (OFF) overnight to cool.

The Final Result

Just look at how absolutely stunning this turned out. I hope my dad loves it as much I love mine. Yet another reason to buy secondhand instead of always buying new. It is now rust-free and safe to cook with again. This little pan has been cooking meals for over 50 years, and now after this restoration, it will cook for at least another 100 more!