How To Clean Melted Plastic From Cast Iron

Plastic changes from a solid to a liquid when subjected to heat. This chemical process can be witnessed firsthand when a plastic spoon or bag comes in contact with a hot cast-iron object such as a pan. What is left after the encounter is a melted mess that is very difficult to remove. When allowed to cool, the plastic hardens to its original state and remains stuck to the cast-iron pan.

Step 1

Place the cast-iron object in the freezer and allow it to chill for 2 or 3 hours.

Step 2

Remove the item from the freezer and place on a secure, flat surface.

Step 3

Chip away at the frozen plastic with a spatula or other blunt object.

Step 4

Soak a cloth with a quarter-sized puddle of nail polish remover.

Step 5

Wipe the melted plastic with the cloth saturated in nail polish remover. Keep rubbing until the plastic is removed.

Step 6

Wash the excess polish off the surface with dish soap and warm water.

Step 7

Spray the surface of the melted plastic and surrounding area with a silicone spray such as WD-40 3-in-One.

Step 8

Peel up the spray and the plastic using a razor blade.

Step 9

Continue scraping plastic until it all has been removed. You might need to add more spray for tough-to-remove areas.

Step 10

Wipe any excess silicone spray off the surface once all plastic is removed.