Let’s cut through the noise. If you’ve ever Googled how to clean a cast iron skillet, you’ve probably seen 50 conflicting answers and come away more confused than when you started. So here it is—no myths, no fluff. Just what actually works.
1. Clean it while it’s still warm
Not hot. Warm. This is when food releases easiest. If you wait until it’s stone cold, good luck. You’ll end up scrubbing like a maniac.
2. Skip the soap
Unless you’re dealing with something gnarly, soap’s unnecessary. Hot water and a chainmail scrubber do the job better without wrecking your seasoning. This chainmail scrubber has been a game changer. It’s tough without stripping your pan bare.
3. Salt = natural scouring pad
Still got crusty bits? Dump in a tablespoon of coarse salt and scrub it around with a cloth or paper towel. It’ll lift the mess without damaging your pan.
4. Dry it completely
This is where most people mess up. Water + cast iron = rust. After rinsing, towel it off, then put it on low heat for a couple minutes. No shortcuts here.
5. Oil it, just a little
Once dry, rub in a tiny bit of neutral oil—grapeseed, canola, whatever. Wipe off the excess. You want a satin finish, not a greasy pan.
That’s it
No need to baby it, no need for special sprays. Just good habits. Do this every time and you’ll never have to “re-season” anything.
If you’re starting from scratch
The 10.5-inch skillet is a solid everyday size. Want to feed more people? Go for the 12-inch. And again, don’t even bother if you’re not using the right scrubber.
Most people overcomplicate this
Cast iron isn’t fragile. It’s low-maintenance. You just need to respect the basics.
Save this post. Send it to that one friend who keeps soaking their skillet overnight. And if yours is already looking rough? There’s still time to bring it back.
