Dear friend who was an iron guru soaked old pans in a water and molasses bath. Not sure of the ratio, but he got the molasses at Agway. He liked it better than using harsh chemicals such as lye or electrolysis. Posted a pic of how it would lift grime off a pan (in this case a Griz that was submerged a few inches below the surface) in the Image Gallery if someone would care to move it over.
He used Flax Oil for seasoning.
