Severe Rust on cast iron grill - Akorn

Some good info here:

http://whatscookingamerica.net/Information/CastIronPans.htm

could always sand blast it, or use a sanding disc. if the rust is gone, I would think you could re-season it and use it.

I used a heavy duty wire wheel on my side grinder. That took it down to bare metal. I spray painted it and seasoned it.

You can make a mix of 50/50 white vinegar, and water, completely submerge the grates for about three days or less. I suspect you may be making a mountain out of a mole hill, and being overly concerned about the amount of rust. in light of what you have done so far, slap on some oil and season it again I am willing to bet they will be good to go, if they are just reddish rusty looking and not deeply crusted with flaking rust. I would be more concerned about the water in the cooker its self, and how you can stop it from getting in in the first place.
Dave

Blutch said:

Is it common to spray paint cast iron that you cook on?

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I hope you meant that to be a joke, but if not, ABSOLUTELY NOT!!! Just try what I suggested, and see how that goes, remembering you will most likely always have some rust unless you are using it a lot, it wont kill ya, and is not going to effect the food, just make sure to heat the grates, and brush good before laying on the food, to kill off any little nastiness there may be, it wont be from rust.
Dave

Hcleon51 said:

I used a heavy duty wire wheel on my side grinder. That took it down to bare metal. I spray painted it and seasoned it.

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Seriously you spray painted your grates? :tsk::tsk::tsk:
Dave

Blutch said:

Is it common to spray paint cast iron that you cook on?

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Absolutely Not! Cast iron needs to be properly seasoned and maintained.

Blutch said:

There are still big pieces of rust on the grates.. definitely can still flake off. I parked the grill in the wrong place - under a roof with no gutter.. we got monsoon rains and it drained right on top of the vents which were slightly open. Really stupid. Not common. The perfect rust storm.

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Don't know how bad it is without seeing them, or how old the cooker is, but it may be time to look at some new ones. I have some cast iron grates sitting out side for a couple years now, and with a good wire brushing, and seasoning I would not be afraid to use them.
Dave

Can always try the electorosis route. My uncle uses that meathod to clean up rusted old car parts all the time. They come out looking like new.do a YouTube search and you can easily find a full how to. You basically hook a car battery charger to the grate and completely submerge it in water. Let it sit for a bit and that's that. Best of luck.

Man..I would just fire up the thing.....brush it good....and rub lard on it. Then tomorrow repeat. Its fine. I keep a can of cheap pam in my cooking g area and spray the grate when I'm done cooking. After I scrape it that is? Show us a picture of how bad it is? Bet mines pitted worse?

You're only talking about a few months. That's nothing when it comes to rust. Like a few others have said, just scrape what you can off and go through a few reseasoning cycles and get back to cooking. Screw all the oven cleaner and other chemicals as you're just making it more troublesome than it needs to be.

I've neglected grates on occasion for a year or two and while nasty looking, they were still just fine with some good abrasive scrubbing and reseasoning. And the grates don't have to be perfectly black, glossy, and seasoned to cook food. Sure, you want all the loose rust off, but even if they are still discolored a bit after cleaning a reseasoning, they are fine to cook on and it won't take long for them to get back to normal.

If you really want it down to bare metal you could call around to local auto repair shops. Many have bead blasters that can easily remove that rust for you.

Basic Rust Removal

Surface rust can often be removed using a simple solution of one part white vinegar and one part water. Soak the piece for 30 minutes in a container large enough to treat the entire grate at once. If not completely submerged in the vinegar solution, the result will be an unevenness of color. Then scrub using a stainless steel scouring pad or steel wool, and rinse well. Additional half hour soaks/scrub sessions may be necessary and are OK, but don't leave the piece soaking for longer periods. Once free of rust, the piece should be thoroughly rinsed, dried, and seasoned to prevent the return of the rust.


Finishing Touches

Next, you go to the hand tools. I use a variety of things for the final touches before seasoning, and only items that will not mar the iron.

Items I find useful include stainless steel Chore Boy™ scrubbers (never brass or copper, they will transfer their color to the iron), and a medium stainless steel bristled brush. Popsicle sticks and expired credit/gift cards cut into shapes are great for getting into crannies to scrape and chip away at stubborn bits. Bamboo skewers work well for deep cleaning loosened crud from fine details. Use 0000 steel wool for a final once-over on smooth surfaces.

Sometimes, there are some stubborn dark stains left behind, and that's not unusual. The thinking is don't use anything harsh to try to remove them or you risk damaging metal.

Hcleon51 said:

I used a heavy duty wire wheel on my side grinder. That took it down to bare metal. I spray painted it and seasoned it.

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I hope you enjoy the taste of paint...toxic! Do not paint grates or the inside of a grill/smoker, ever. Once cleaned up use crisco or a similar product to season cast iron.

Molasses & water 10:1 ratio
http://youtu.be/b-_z4tinnXk