Rodent droppings on cast-iron frying pan
I recently discovered I have mice or rats in my garage, where I had some stuff stored for space purposes, including a barely-used newly-seasoned frying pan. I found a bunch of rodent droppings in it (blegh), and I scrubbed it hard, twice, with soap and hot water, and washed it out.
I also re-seasoned it (stove-top method, not oven method, where the oil smokes and burns) since the seasoning was not that well done. I thought the soap/water/scrub would damage it, but I didn't see any visible deterioration of seasoning.
I have young children (two under 5 years old), and I'm not a food safety expert. Is this enough, or do I need to do something more to guarantee the sanity of my cast iron pan?
Edit: After doing some reading, I've found a few things to verify:
- Bleach dissolved in water, soaked for ~5 minutes, will kill everything rodent-specific. But what will that do to my cast iron?
- Droppings themselves are easily discarded, if not green (from poison)
- Rodent urine (which will exist anywhere droppings exist) will soak into the seasoning, even if it's sterilized now.
- Baking it in the oven for a couple of hours is probably a safe way to sterilize it. 350F seems okay. Is it high enough?
Based on all this information, I think the best approach would be to strip down and re-season the pan from scratch. That'll remove anything soaked into the existing seasoning, and it'll sterilize the surface.
Best Answer
If it's cast iron, and you're really paranoid about it, just stick it in the oven, run a clean cycle, then re-season. Cast iron can withstand stupidly large amounts of heat: in traditional Chinese cookery, woks are cleaned by building a big fire, and throwing them in...When the fire burns out, you dig out your wok, re-season, and you're back in business.
If it's stainless, just stick it in the dishwasher.
Pictures about "Rodent droppings on cast-iron frying pan"
Quick Answer about "Rodent droppings on cast-iron frying pan"
How do you clean pans with mouse droppings?
Plastic, glass, or metal containers can be disinfected by spraying with the bleach and water solution or disinfectant. Then, using a rag or paper towel, wipe up the urine or droppings and dispose of the waste. Clean countertops, cabinets, and drawers with disinfectant or bleach and water solution.How do you disinfect a cast iron skillet?
Heat oven to 500 degrees. Using paper towels, rub 1 tablespoon (for 12-inch skillet) or 2 teaspoons (for 10-inch skillet) oil over surface. Using clean paper towels, thoroughly wipe out excess oil (surface should look dark and smooth). Place skillet in oven for 1 hour.How do you clean rat poop off the stove?
Hence one can prepare a solution of bleach by adding 1 part of bleach powder into 10 parts of water. Once you are done with preparing the solution apply it gently on the oven and allow it to soak at least for 15 minutes. After that you can wipe the solution with a clean cloth.How do you clean a griddle after a mouse?
Using a brush or a scraper, remove all the mice feces, hair, food debris, and any other unwanted particles from the griddle. Using a hose, sprinkle water on the griddle parts. Use soap or a degreaser to remove extra or oily particles from the griddle. Rinse thoroughly with clean water.The Easy Guide On Seasoning and Restoring Cast Iron
More answers regarding rodent droppings on cast-iron frying pan
Answer 2
A full cycle seems like overkill to me. Anything toxic will burn when you reheat it on >110°C (that's botox). Seasoning / Maillard reaction happens at over 150°C.
Answer 3
Had a cast-iron Dutch oven that went through the same thing: rodents decided to make it a home for a while. Re-seasoning, especially anywhere over 350 degrees F, should take care of the problem. My wife has asthma and gets bothered with excessive smoke, so I do it outdoors with a charcoal grill. My dutch ovens I just set directly onto the coals, then re-season as necessary once they're cool. It's worth the $2 in charcoal to not have to deal with the smell inside the house.
Answer 4
Hunta virus is rampant here. Several Native Americans die here every year. I have found alcohol scrub and fire, not oven,kill this virus. Then reseason over extrme heat.
Sources: Stack Exchange - This article follows the attribution requirements of Stack Exchange and is licensed under CC BY-SA 3.0.
Images: Milan, RODNAE Productions, Megha Mangal, RODNAE Productions