How To Clean Cast Iron Antiques

Then scrub off with the scrubbing pad.

How to clean cast iron antiques. Be careful around the painted bits like on old banks. Dab a paper towel in olive grapeseed or canola oil and rub it over the cast iron. Clean the statue s detail work such as crevices with special attention. Start off with a wire brush to remove surface dirt and rust. Work in circular motions all around the cast iron to remove the.

The ascetic acid in the vinegar helps to break down the rust on the antique metal. See painted metal above. To clean enameled cast iron wash it with hot soapy water just as you would with any other cookware. The dry rust should begin to peel and flake off. Heat the pan pour in the oil then dump in a small pile of salt.

Coat the cast iron lightly in cooking oil. If you use your cast iron cookware daily this step is not necessary. Cast iron is susceptible to rusting which will greatly degrade the metal. Paint thinner lacquer thinner for the stubborn schmutz but don t use lacquer thinner on the painted parts. Dirt tends to collect.

Next using a wire wheel on a drill and or steel wool polish the iron to get it as clean as possible. White vinegar is a safe home cleaner. Apply force to the steel wool as you wipe back and forth to remove all of the rust. As a first step in the cleaning of an ormolu antique piece choose an inconspicuous area and observe the effect of cleaning on this. Don t know if this will be consider helpful or not but since these tend to sell better in good condition i thought i d offer a tip on getting it cleaned fairly easily.

Wipe dirt from the cast iron garden statue with the damp cloth using light pressure when necessary. Apply white vinegar to the rust stains with a paper towel. Wipe the area clean. Wipe the antique cast iron with a soft cloth dipped in white spirit to remove oil and remaining rust particles. Wrap the piece in newspaper and place it in a warm dry place for several days to remove all moisture that will cause rust to reappear.