When you cook with cast iron, you become very familiar with it. There is an infinite number of uses for this material. One of the things that can be tricky to deal with is leftover melted plastic in the pan.
You will have to remove all of the excess plastic before washing or dry roasting the pan. This article will show you some easy ways to do so! Read on to learn more.
Use a heat-resistant glove
When you begin washing your pan, make sure to use either plastic or oven gloves because regular washable dishcloth will not hold onto the melted plastic enough!
Oven gloves are much thicker than normal disposable plastic ones so they can help prevent your skin from getting burned or stuck too tight in the melt area. If using plastic gloves, do not pull off the top layer of protection as this may cause burns or poison yourself due to chemicals used for the plastic.
Use boiling water
If using a metal spoon, try scraping it along the surface of the pan first to see if that removes any plastic pieces. If not, then use boiling water to remove the melted plastic!
This is your best bet because you can easily pour hot liquid onto a solid object. If there are small chunks, just scrape them off with a fork or knife before pouring the water in.
Make sure to stir the water as it runs down the pan to ensure all bits of plastic are removed. Once it looks clear, rinse under running water until completely cooled down.
Use soap
When you find yourself with stuck-on melted plastic, try using some regular old water or dishwashing liquid instead of baking soda. This can sometimes work better since there is no powdery texture involved.
Your pan will probably still smell like burnt plastic for a while, but that will fade over time as the chemical reactions take place.
Use rubbing alcohol
If using water, it can actually make the melted plastic stickier and longer lasting, which could be problematic if you have to start cooking with this new skillet. Using alcohol will quickly remove any leftover bits of plastic that may still exist in the pan!
Most people are familiar with the use of alcohol as an antiseptic or cleaning agent, but it also works as a solvent. This means it can dissolve other chemicals, so if you cannot get rid of the plastic completely, try adding some alcohol and see what happens.
Just remember to mix the alcohol with water before applying it to the surface to avoid creating more stuck-on plastic. You want to wash off the excess just like how you would clean dishes!
Removing burnt onto oils and fats is important too since they would likely congeal and stay in the pan. Make sure to work slowly and carefully when washing it.
Use a knife to scrape off the melted plastic
If you find that your cast iron pan is no longer working due to excessive amounts of melted plastic, do not throw away the metal! Most major grocery stores will give you a free replacement skillet if you bring in your used one.
They will also provide you with a small cutting board so you can prepare new foods without having to use your hands. These supplies are typically given out at the store’s closing sale or employee gathering.
To remove the plastic coating, simply run a very thin sharp knife along the surface of the pan. The melted plastic will slowly come up and be scraped off into the knife. Then, carefully put the knife back into its sheath and rinse off the excess plastic using water.
After rinsing, dry the pan thoroughly and season it as needed. Make sure to test the heat factor of the pan by heating some butter or oil in it and seeing how fast the heat comes up. It should take about a minute before the heat is fully there.
Use a scouring pad
If all else fails, try using a cheap plastic or ceramic scrubbing pad to buff out the burnt onto plastic layer of the pan. Just make sure to wash it thoroughly afterwards as leftover residue may not be removed!
This works very well if you are able to save the pot at least until the process is done. Once the plastic has been cleaned off, boiling the skillet down in another vessel is your next step.
Run it under the faucet
If you have ever made popcorn or roasted some vegetables in your cast iron skillet, then you know how hot these cookware pieces can get.
If you try to take them out now, what do you find? You find that they are really warm, and you probably drop one of them accidentally because they are so hot.
Well, if you read our article “8 Tips for the Best Oven Temperatures”, then you already learned about why holding onto your pan at higher temperatures is not good for its long-term durability.
But what happens when you trying to use and remove this cooked piece of food and it is still very hot? It actually melts into the surface, making it harder to pull off!
This can also cause damage to the handle or turntable area of the pan. That is where the gasket material comes together to create an excellent seal, so ensuring the safety of your stove top is important as well.
Fortunately, there is a solution for this! Read on to learn more.
Use a toothbrush
When you find yourself with no plastic gloves or washcloths, your hands are ready to use! You can easily pick up any leftover melted plastic by using a regular old toothbrush.
To do this, hold the brush perpendicular to the pan handle and push it in as far as possible. Then pull it out quickly so it doesn’t melt down too much. Once it comes out completely, rinse off the excess and see if there is anything visible.
If yes, work directly with the glue until it dries and poofs away.