Yellow cap Easy-Off is the best way to strip cast iron.

Yes. Lye-based oven cleaner (the yellow cap) is the safest, easiest method that won’t damage the iron.

The active ingredient in yellow cap Easy-Off is sodium hydroxide (lye). It chews through polymerized oil (seasoning) without reacting with the iron itself. You spray the pan liberally, seal it in a garbage bag overnight, then wash it off with soap and water. Done.

Other methods have real downsides. Vinegar is for rust, not seasoning—and leaving it too long pits the iron. Self-cleaning oven cycles get hot enough to warp pans or ruin tempering. Electrolysis works fine but requires a power supply, a sacrificial anode, and a bucket of water and washing soda. That’s a science project, not a Saturday chore.

The oven cleaner method is idiot-proof. Wear gloves, work outside or in a well-ventilated area, and give it a full 12-24 hours. If there’s stubborn seasoning, repeat or scrub with a stainless steel scrubber (not steel wool, which can leave bits). No sanding, no power tools, no risk.

Future You will thank Present You for not taking an angle grinder to that skillet.