Fixing cast iron stove grates after dishwasher
October 12, 2015 1:44 PM Subscribe
In a moment of desperation I put some cast iron stove grates in a dishwasher. They're done washing. What do I do now? I'm kind of terrified that I've ruined them. Please explain to me like I'm five. And scared.
I don't understand why you're scared? Stove grates see much more heat from the stove than the dishwasher will throw at them.
You wouldn't want to put cast iron cookware, like a skillet, in the dishwasher because it would compromise the seasoning layer you'd worked so hard to build. Stove grates aren't seasoned, and you don't cook on them directly. You're fine.
posted by Dashy at 1:48 PM on October 12, 2015 [1 favorite]
You wouldn't want to put cast iron cookware, like a skillet, in the dishwasher because it would compromise the seasoning layer you'd worked so hard to build. Stove grates aren't seasoned, and you don't cook on them directly. You're fine.
posted by Dashy at 1:48 PM on October 12, 2015 [1 favorite]
Mechanical engineer here: there's nothing you can do to hurt those grates :)
If they happen to rust a little bit, just scrub it off with scotch brite and give a very thin coat of oil or cooking spray. If this happens, you have just removed 0.000000001" of material from something half an inch thick.
posted by ftm at 1:52 PM on October 12, 2015 [7 favorites]
If they happen to rust a little bit, just scrub it off with scotch brite and give a very thin coat of oil or cooking spray. If this happens, you have just removed 0.000000001" of material from something half an inch thick.
posted by ftm at 1:52 PM on October 12, 2015 [7 favorites]
If by "stove" you mean the cooking appliance (rather than a household heating appliance), rub a little vegetable oil on them and put them back. You may want to periodically re-oil them, but that's just to make them a little easier to keep clean.
It's cast iron, it's hard to do any damage to it.
posted by Lyn Never at 1:53 PM on October 12, 2015
It's cast iron, it's hard to do any damage to it.
posted by Lyn Never at 1:53 PM on October 12, 2015
First off, don' t do this again. Dishwasher detergent is not what you want to use.
This is how Viking recommends cleaning the grates (pdf) On a daily basis you just wipe and dry. If you need to condition them, then use a bit of oil.
posted by 26.2 at 1:53 PM on October 12, 2015 [1 favorite]
This is how Viking recommends cleaning the grates (pdf) On a daily basis you just wipe and dry. If you need to condition them, then use a bit of oil.
posted by 26.2 at 1:53 PM on October 12, 2015 [1 favorite]
You have not killed the cast iron. It's not really possible to do that in a dishwasher. You may be exposing them to potential rust, which can be solved by seasoning with oil, as has been correctly indicated by other posters.
In the future, if you want to completely clean cast iron and remove all seasoning, I suggest putting the cast iron in an oven and running the oven through a self-cleaning cycle. It is far more effective than the dishwasher.
posted by saeculorum at 2:58 PM on October 12, 2015 [2 favorites]
In the future, if you want to completely clean cast iron and remove all seasoning, I suggest putting the cast iron in an oven and running the oven through a self-cleaning cycle. It is far more effective than the dishwasher.
posted by saeculorum at 2:58 PM on October 12, 2015 [2 favorites]
Cast iron stove grates are as tough as old boots. A single cycle through the dishwasher... they *laugh* at that. Put them back on the stove and use them like rented mules, that's what they are for.
posted by jet_silver at 7:08 PM on October 12, 2015 [1 favorite]
posted by jet_silver at 7:08 PM on October 12, 2015 [1 favorite]
I put the cast iron burner grates from our gas range in the dishwasher all the time. Ours are enameled. Dishwasher detergent can etch the enamel finish so it's not shiny, but that desn't bother me.
posted by mon-ma-tron at 7:37 PM on October 12, 2015 [1 favorite]
posted by mon-ma-tron at 7:37 PM on October 12, 2015 [1 favorite]
I did this and the rubber bumper feet came off. Now have to get new bumper feet.
That's not going to stop me from throwing them in the dishwasher again on the regular once I amazon myself a stock of feet.
posted by slateyness at 8:11 PM on October 12, 2015
That's not going to stop me from throwing them in the dishwasher again on the regular once I amazon myself a stock of feet.
posted by slateyness at 8:11 PM on October 12, 2015
This thread is closed to new comments.
posted by DarlingBri at 1:47 PM on October 12, 2015 [8 favorites]