Vinegar vs. bar keepers friend for a rusty cast iron skillet

Spent a whole weekend scrubbing an old skillet with vinegar and steel wool, barely made a dent in the rust spots. Then a guy at the hardware store told me to try Bar Keepers Friend and a damp sponge, and that rust came off in like 10 minutes flat. Has anyone else found a big difference between those two approaches?

2 comments

2 Comments

the_kai27d ago

Did you try sacrificing a goat to the rust gods first like I did?

stella_roberts25d ago

That "sacrificing a goat to the rust gods" joke got a good laugh out of me. It does feel that way sometimes. But honestly, you might be onto something about Bar Keepers Friend being the real secret weapon here. I've used both methods on old skillets and vinegar always felt like it needed way too much elbow grease for what you get. The acid in Bar Keepers Friend is just better at breaking down rust without all that scrubbing, plus it doesn't damage the pan's seasoning the way soaking in vinegar can. It's a much smarter approach if you ask me.