The house we recently bought has a KitchenAid gas cooktop with a griddle between the two sets of burners. The previous owner about destroyed the griddle. Looks like they never treated it at the beginning, and never cleaned it thereafter, or kept it oiled. It is discolored, black, rust, silver. It looks like a spotted ape. My wife says she'll never use it. I'm convinced I'm going to have to wire brush it back to Square #1, and start over. If anyone has a miracle cure, let me know.

I recall a post where another member purchases old cast iron cookware that is rusted beyond belief, does something to them like boil them, then turn them upside down over his big green egg grill and cook them at like 750 degrees then re-oils them. Perhaps a search for "cast iron cookware" will yeild some help- can't recall where the heck I saw it on these forums...

-John

There are tons of Youtube videos on re-seasoning cast iron. If the rust is really bad, you can use electrolysis to remove it. A few days in a barrel of water a few pieces of rebar, and a battery charger do all of the work. Again, several good videos on Youtube will give you the details of how to set it up. Takes a lot of work out of it. If the rust isn't too bad, I use a wire wheel in either my drill, or on and angle grinder. Just a few minutes, and barely dozens of small wires protruding from your arms and neck later, it's ready to reseason.

electrolysis video-IMO only worth the set up effort if it is really in bad shape, but it does work very well.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ba3KzvWdb14

Reseasoning and somewhat of a rust removal. Personally, I'd have washed the pan in soap and water and dried it on the stovetop before oiling and proceeding
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zjgP-6W_YN4

Thanks Daniel. My griddle is a built-in unit made of polished steel. The manual states that "It is shipped with a protective coating covered with paper to prevent rust from occurring and must be removed before using." I'm assuming they are talking about the paper being removed. From the look of it at least 50% of the protective coating is gone.

It has the appearance of the pan in the second video. I was hoping there was a chemical I could "paint" on the surface that might remove the rust and knobbly black whatever stuck to portions of the surface. I used a metal spatula and was able to scratch off some of it. It also scratches the surface of the griddle. I plan to get a putty knife and get rougher with it.

I bought a griddle scrubber, a putty knife and lemons today. I found a recommendation on the Internet and some corroboration that indicated lemon juice can cut through some of the build-up. (3M makes a grill brick, but I couldn't find one of them.) I would say I got about 20% of the grunge cleaned off. Looks like it is going to take a lot of elbow grease.

This is a shooting forum. Have you thought of using Hoppes #9 to cut the carbon, and then a little barnes, and then season with Kroil? Make sure to fry a "fowling" shot and give to the dog first. Good luck on your endeavor.

If you are just wanting to get rid of the rust, go get some Naval Jelly and paint it with that. Just make sure you get it all off, and I mean ALL of it. Phosphoric acid is not something you want in your system...

Is this part removable ? If so take it and get it sand blasted.... then paint with whatever proprietory treatment is best suited to what you plan on using it for .

I can't remove the griddle. I can replace the cooktop for $3,000+.

jfromswk and thirdbite may have something. I'm trying the oven cleaner next and the Hoppes #9 on a small corner (just in case) while the wife is not around.

This might or might not help, but it is so cheap it costs nothing to try it and is non-toxic. Coat or soak the top with normal household vinegar overnight or at least for several hours, it should help loosen the crud.

Let us know how it turns out. If it works, I may even try it myself.

I went the oven cleaner route first. Man did that attack the residue. I probably have 80% of the crud removed now. I followed it with some lemon juice again. I think the surface is at least useable at this point. I'm going to try the Hoppes on a few spots, and the two back corners if it seems to work. Otherwise, I'm going to give it another dose of oven cleaner, then work towards a test with some bacon and eggs some time this weekend.

Bacon and eggs went well. No stick. The griddle seems to be good to go. Never tried the Hoppes. Going for pancakes next weekend.

Problem solved.

One of the best ways to season cast iron is to simply cook bacon on it several times.

So just have some bacon sandwiches for lunch several times the next two weeks.

In fact I had a bacon alvacado, and egg sandwich just today. With the egg comming from the wifes chickens.

You hit a sore point. Monday my wife caught me cooking bacon on the griddle for a sandwich. I got reamed. Bacon's not on my list of "approved" foods. (She made an exception for the day before.) As a peace offering I offered her half a piece of bacon for her salad. That seemed to smooth things over. I'm going to have to delay any more bacon cooking until the weekend. Even if she's out that bacon smell in the house is a dead give-away.

She makes me eat healthy(er) which is why I'm still alive probably. She considers bacon a lethal weapon.