The Popular Product That Can Easily Restore Cast Iron Cookware To Its Former Glory

Cast iron cookware is truly the workhorse of the kitchen, and as a basic staple for many households, cast iron pots and pans often fall victim to stubborn buildup, carbonized food bits, and caked-on oils on the surface. While many traditional cleaning methods, like scrubbing or even using one cast iron cleaning trick that utilizes salt, don't always cut through the caked-on grime, an age-old popular product can easily restore your cast iron pots and pans to their former glory. Lye and lye baths are a tried and true solution for kitchen cleaning, since lye's chemical properties make it an ideal, strong weapon against grungy cast iron cookware.

What is lye? It's an alkaline chemical compound, also known as sodium hydroxide or potassium hydroxide, that's an essential component in traditional soap-making processes. Its strength lies in a chemical reaction called saponification, which breaks down fats and effectively turns them into soap. In the context of cast iron cleaning, lye is both a powerful degreaser and a grime stripper. It chemically breaks down carbonized polymerized oil — which usually is applauded for "seasoning" the pan but is also the source of the sticky buildup — that binds to the metal surface.

Unlike dish soaps (in fact, soaking your pans in dish soap is a cleaning mistake that could ruin your cast iron pans), the lye addresses the caked-on residue directly, dissolving said buildup, without compromising the iron itself. Lye baths provide a deep clean necessary to properly re-season the cookware, ensuring longevity — not to mention keeping your cast iron, non-stick. This technique can help rescue even the most loved antique cast iron pots and pans — ones that have seen lots and lots of kitchen time.

Lye baths are one of the most effective methods for stripping away that hardened, carbonized seasoning from your grungy cast iron pots and pans, and when done safely and properly, your cookware will be gleaming. First, wear personal protective equipment, like chemical-resistant gloves, eye protection, and long sleeves or an apron. Also, make sure you're working in a well-ventilated area. Lye is caustic, meaning it can cause chemical burns if it makes contact with your body. Once safely situated, mix approximately one pound of lye for every five gallons of cold water in a plastic bucket with a secure lid. Take note that you should always add lye to water, and never the other way round, since it causes a violent, heat-releasing, splashing reaction. Stir carefully with a wooden or plastic stirrer until dissolved. Never attempt this mixture in a metal container, as lye corrodes many metals.

Once ready, submerge your cast iron pot or pan completely, suspending it in the mixture with a steel wire coat hanger. The lye won't work instantaneously; rather, depending on how caked on your pieces are, it may take several days for the soak to work. Don't be alarmed if the solution turns black — that just means the buildup is dissolving off the cookware. With your PPE back on, scrub any remaining loosened material off the surface with a stainless steel scrubber after the soak. Rinse the cast iron cookware thoroughly. Finally, wash your pieces with some dish soap and warm water, rinse well again, then dry the pieces thoroughly. While it may feel like an onerous task, your cookware will look as new and smooth as it did coming home from the store, ready and waiting for it to be re-seasoned again.