Pressure washing cast iron cookware

[larry4406]

I took my my in laws nasty cast iron pan and put it in the electric oven while it ran thru self clean.

Pan came out clean as a whistle. Then I went thru a reseason process.

 

[WobblyHand]

I took my my in laws nasty cast iron pan and put it in the electric oven while it ran thru self clean.

Pan came out clean as a whistle. Then I went thru a reseason process.

That's the easy way. Seems like a lot of people like the harder way! Or they simply look around to see the closest thing that might work, not necessarily the easiest way. But, whatever works is fine.

 

[woodchucker]

I recently obtained a few used pieces of cast iron cookware,skillets and plain Dutch ovens,and I want to start all over again new with them.
I already tested for lead and they are negative.I want to get them down to bare iron.Ive used easy off and vinegar baths but I still have remnants of previous seasoning and such,I want to completely clean them and start anew as I said earlier.
I have a pressure washer and thought it would be a time saver to accomplish that goal.
My websearches have turned up everything from,"Sure,whatever dude",to"No,it will collapse into a black hole!"
Maybe not quite so dramatic but I think you get the idea.
Has anyone done this?
I'll most likely try one piece either way but thought I'd ask to see if there is a right way or wrong way to do it.

oxalic acid... try bartenders friend and boil it off.

 

[homebrewed]

It comes down to either a physical method (like abrasion) or a chemical method -- high temperature oxidation, lye/acid etc. The method of choice completely depends on what you've got on hand.

There's a relatively inexpensive plasma cleaner, based on a microwave oven, that would do the job just fine. It's called a "plasma-preen". By relatively inexpensive I mean about $8K, not counting the vacuum pump. But nobody in their right mind would buy it just for the purpose of cleaning up a CI pan.

 

[ltlvt]

It comes down to either a physical method (like abrasion) or a chemical method -- high temperature oxidation, lye/acid etc. The method of choice completely depends on what you've got on hand.

There's a relatively inexpensive plasma cleaner, based on a microwave oven, that would do the job just fine. It's called a "plasma-preen". By relatively inexpensive I mean about $8K, not counting the vacuum pump. But nobody in their right mind would buy it just for the purpose of cleaning up a CI pan.

How bout the Laser rust remover gun. Only those trying to promote it think it is a good idea. LMAO

 

[homebrewed]

How bout the Laser rust remover gun. Only those trying to promote it think it is a good idea. LMAO

I'll bet they do . It probably removes household stains and improves your sex life as well....or so they'd like to claim!

 

[ltlvt]

I'll bet they do . It probably removes household stains and improves your sex life as well....or so they'd like to claim!

Invented by a Navy Seal who just got tired of seeing the public getting screwed, so he quit the Navy and started his own Navy and_______now is cleaning toilets with his miracle toilet stuff !

 

[MikeInOr]

Back to the original question about pressure washing. I have never pressure washed cast iron cook ware but I have pressure washed cast iron machine parts. The pressure washer will strip off any loose paint and leave any well adhered paint. The advantage of the pressure washer is I am not kicking up a bunch of dust with who know what in it. I usually wait for a hot day and paint immediately after when the part is dry. A touch of flash rust usually gives the new paint a bit of surface to bite into and helps adhesion.

When pressure washing anything holding the wand at 45 degrees to the surface will almost always work better than holding the wand perpendicular to the surface being washed. When perpendicular you are pushing the paint/crud into the material. At 45 degrees the water can get under the material to be removed much easier.

I have seen several youtube videos on pressure washer blasting where they introduce an abrasive (sand or what ever) into the high pressure stream which blasts the surface clean without kicking up a plume of toxic dust. I would really like to try this some day when I have a large project that needs to be completely stripped.

 

[homebrewed]

Back to the original question about pressure washing. I have never pressure washed cast iron cook ware but I have pressure washed cast iron machine parts. The pressure washer will strip off any loose paint and leave any well adhered paint. The advantage of the pressure washer is I am not kicking up a bunch of dust with who know what in it. I usually wait for a hot day and paint immediately after when the part is dry. A touch of flash rust usually gives the new paint a bit of surface to bite into and helps adhesion.

When pressure washing anything holding the wand at 45 degrees to the surface will almost always work better than holding the wand perpendicular to the surface being washed. When perpendicular you are pushing the paint/crud into the material. At 45 degrees the water can get under the material to be removed much easier.

I have seen several youtube videos on pressure washer blasting where they introduce an abrasive (sand or what ever) into the high pressure stream which blasts the surface clean without kicking up a plume of toxic dust. I would really like to try this some day when I have a large project that needs to be completely stripped.

IIRC, the nozzles that are used with abrasive-loaded water are pretty special. The brass ones used with your typical pressure washer wouldn't last too long in that application.

The other thing is that the abrasive-loaded spray will go everywhere. I would be concerned about inhaling some of it so using a particle mask would be wise.

 

[finsruskw]

Ultrasonic cleaner??
Worked well on my South Bend 9A restore project.
Use some Dawn degreaser dish soap in the water.