# How do I clean cigarette smoke build-up off of cast iron?



## kdmama33 (Jun 20, 2006)

A very good friend of mine recently lost her parents. They had a HUGE collection of cast iron (pans, pots, lids, dutch ovens, specialty pieces, you name it) and she offered it to me, knowing I love cast iron. I am so excited, and very grateful, to recieve the pieces. There's just one problem -- her parents were very heavy smokers, and though the pans have been well seasoned and rubbed in oil before storing, they have that smoke build-up in the oil. You can smell it, and see it when you touch the pans and this thick, nasty black sludge comes off.

So, I know I'm not supposed to use soap on cast iron, but I'm thinking I should this time. What do you long-time cast iron users think? If I scrub the pieces well with soap and steel, and then perhaps another scrub of salt, and then bake the water off, and _then_ re-season, do you think the pieces would be okay? Think I'd ever get all of the smoke off/out, since cast iron is so porous.

I really want to make use of these pieces, but I'm so not liking the idea of cooking with cigarette smoke.


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## fek&fuzz (Jun 19, 2005)

I would scrub with soap and steel, then re season as you suggested.


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## 4lilfarmers (Feb 9, 2006)

i agree with pp... soapy water takes cigarette film off of windows...so i'd use it to scrub out castiron and then reseason


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## jocelyndale (Aug 28, 2006)

I'd do soap/steel (or soap, salt, and steel), then reseason. I know it seems like a shame to lose that lovely decades-old seasoning, but who wants to eat tar? Bleagh.


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## Samjm (Mar 12, 2005)

I wouldn't scrub them, but I would strip the seasoning. It is a pity to lose that but you can start over with new non-smoke seasoning.

We've found that a GREAT way to strip seasoning from cast iron is to turn it upside down and put it in an oven on the clean cycle. It gets really really hot in there, and the seasoning just drops right off.


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