Cast iron cookware has always held a special place in my heart because it’s economical, durable, versatile, retains heat well, and cooks food evenly. And when it is properly cleaned and cared for, cast iron can last for generations—quite literally!
I use my cast iron skillets to make all sorts of delicious creations, like pan-seared steaks, berry cobbler, and chocolate fudge skillet cake. I’ve even turned a cast iron skillet upside down and used it in my oven as a makeshift “pizza stone!”
And although I’ve mentioned cooking in cast iron skillets several times in blog posts over the years, I realized I had neglected to share how to clean cast iron or care for it—until now, that is! So today I’m going to do just that by sharing my super simple guide to cleaning and caring for cast iron cookware.
Related: Problem Solved! The Best Way to Reheat Leftover Pizza
How to Clean Cast Iron
When you clean a cast iron skillet, the more gently you can do it, the better off you’ll be. If your cast iron skillet isn’t all that dirty after cooking in it, you may find that you can clean it up simply by wiping it out with a paper towel or a dish cloth!
If you need a little more cleaning power, pour a handful of coarse kosher salt into your still-warm pan, then add enough vegetable oil to the kosher salt to form a gritty paste. Use a clean, dry dish rag to scrub the kosher salt and oil paste around the inside of the pan.
The salt will provide the extra scouring power you need to remove those stuck-on food bits, while the oil soaks up the grime and helps to build up the seasoning on your pan. When you’re done scrubbing, dump the salt mixture out and wipe up any residual salt and oil with a paper towel or another clean rag.
Related: How to Clean and Care for Your Butcher Block
4 Rules to Remember When Cleaning Cast Iron
As I’m sure you can gather from the instructions above, cleaning cast iron isn’t exactly complicated. But there are a few rules you should follow in order to avoid damaging your cast iron in your quest to keep it clean:
- Clean it promptly after each use.
- Don’t soak it.
- Use the right tools.
- Dry it thoroughly after cleaning.
Rule #1: Clean It Promptly
Cast iron is easiest to clean while it’s still hot or warm. And lest you worry that means you have to clean the pan before you can sit down and enjoy your meal, keep in mind that cast iron holds onto heat a lot longer than other materials, so it will stay warm for a lot longer than you might think!
Rule #2: Don’t Soak It
Raw or exposed cast iron can easily rust if it’s exposed to too much moisture. And although a pan that’s properly cared for won’t usually rust because of its protective seasoning, even that will start to break down if the pan is submerged in hot water for too long.
For those reasons, you should not clean a cast iron skillet by soaking it. Even if there are stubborn stuck-on food bits, soaking it in hot water will do more harm than good! (And even if it seems obvious, it bears repeating—avoid using the dishwasher at all costs!)
Rule #3: Use the Right Tools
When tackling more serious messes in a cast iron pan, using the right tools will make all the difference. If the mess is more than a paper towel or a salt-and-oil scrub can handle, use the scrubby side of a sponge or a heat-safe brush designed specifically for cast iron to remove stuck-on food bits. (This brush even has a handy scraping edge for tackling particularly stubborn gunk.)
If those don’t get the job done, you can use hot water, a small amount of mild dish soap, or even a piece of steel wool to clean your cast iron pan. Keep in mind that both dish soap and steel wool can wear down the seasoning on your pan over time. So just don’t use soap or steel wool any more frequently than you have to.
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(If you accidentally scoured off more of the seasoning on your pan than you intended to, never fear! You can easily restore it by following the instructions under “How to Season Cast Iron” below.)
Rule #4: Dry It Thoroughly
When you’re finished cleaning your cast iron pan, it’s important to dry it thoroughly right away. Use a lint-free cloth or paper towel to dry the pan inside and out to prevent any rust from forming due to lingering moisture.
What Is Seasoning, and Why Is It Important?
When it comes to caring for cast iron, keeping it clean is only part of the equation. Seasoning cast iron (or maintaining a well seasoned skillet) is equally important, but what exactly is “seasoning” anyway?
Well, when fats and oils are heated to their smoke point in a cast iron vessel, the fatty acids oxidize and reorganize in a process called polymerization. This new, plastic-like polymerized layer adheres to the pitted surface of the pan, creating the dark-colored, non-stick coating known as seasoning.
And the more you use the pan to heat fats or oils to high temperatures, the more durable and non-stick the seasoning on your pan will become. That’s why it’s important to build that layer up so that it becomes more well seasoned over time, even though many modern cast iron skillets come “pre-seasoned.”
How to Season Cast Iron
To season a cast iron skillet, start by applying a light coat of oil or fat to the entire pan, including the inside, outside, bottom, and even the handle. Vegetable oil, sunflower oil, soybean oil, corn oil, and canola oil all work well here, because they are high in polyunsaturated fats that polymerize readily.
Preheat your oven to 350°F, then “bake” your oiled pan or skillet for one hour. To help keep your oven clean, you may want to place a baking sheet lined with tin foil on the rack beneath the pan to catch any oil drips. (But as long as you haven’t gone overboard with the oil, it shouldn’t drip much at all as it bakes!)
After an hour, turn off the oven and let the pan cool inside. Then when it’s cool enough to handle, remove the pan and remove any excess oil with a lint-free cloth or paper towel. Read more here!
How to Remove Rust from Cast Iron
Whether you’ve inherited an old, rusty cast iron skillet, or you accidentally broke Rule #2 of cleaning cast iron, the good news is that it isn’t too difficult to restore rusty cast iron. And all you need is some fine steel wool, a bit of soap, and a sponge to do it!
- Start by using steel wool to scrub the rusty areas of the pan. Add a bit of water and scour until the raw cast iron is exposed. (Look at the color—the raw cast iron will quite a bit lighter than the dark seasoned layer.)
- Once the rust is gone, wash the pan with soap and water, then dry the pan right away. Take your time and make sure the pan is completely dry, otherwise the rust might return and you’ll have to start all over!
- Once your pan is dry, you’ll need to season it again following the instructions provided in previous section. Once you’ve done that, your previously rusty cast iron will be fully restored and ready to use again!
With the help of these tips and techniques, your well-seasoned cast iron will serve you well for decades to come. Oh, and one last thing before you go… give this cast iron skillet cookie recipe a try, and you can thank me later! ;-)
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What’s your favorite thing to cook in cast iron?
I’m the cook in the house and I cook a lot. I put literally everything in my dishwasher because, I guess, in the back of my mind the dishwasher “sanitizes”. It’s very foreign to me to think of using an item and not washing it with soap and water each time I use it. I’m going to pop over to my local Goodwill and see if they have any for sale. Is there anything you shouldn’t cook in cast iron skillets?
Please log in or create a free account to comment.In general, dishwashers don’t sanitize.
Please log in or create a free account to comment.When I have really stuck on food bits, the easiest way to remove them is to add a little water, place on a warm burner on the stove and bring to a boil. The bits come right off!
Please log in or create a free account to comment.I recently inherited a cast iron pan which needs seasoning. I do not purchase any of the oils you mentioned. Is there a more natural method but not horribly expensive? I cook with coconut oil, avocado oil, and olive oil. All 3 are more expensive. I’m guessing the coconut oil will be my best bet?
Please log in or create a free account to comment.My skillets are all rusted. How do I get the rust out to season them?
Please log in or create a free account to comment.Here’s an article all about it! https://jillee.co/2GIW82I
Please log in or create a free account to comment.This is my first time to watched your video and read all different interesting articles.
Please log in or create a free account to comment.They are very useful and would like to thank you for sharing all these awesome ideas and techniques.
Cheers
The stickiness is because you didn’t get the cast iron hot enough. You need an oil or fat that has a high smoke point. You need to season at approximately 500 degrees for an hour and then let the oven cool with the pan in it. This guy shows you how to season your cast iron. http://www.castironcollector.com/seasoning.php.
And please, please, please don’t throw your cast iron into a fire or a self cleaning oven. You will ruin your iron. It could crack or warp. And if you throw it into a fire you can change the quality of the iron. I have frying pans that are 100 years old and they cook better than a modern, non-stick pan.
Please log in or create a free account to comment.I remember watching my mom clean her cast iron skillet and I always wondered why she used salt but now it makes sense. Thanks for the lesson on keeping my cast iron clean and seasoned.
Please log in or create a free account to comment.So in moving I knew I needed new cookware. I started with the basics and got a 9.5 inch cast iron skillet because, well $10 from the dollar store was a steal! Plus my grandma raves about cast iron skillets, she’s who turned me onto them to begin with. I just went back to them after years and I have to ask, what’s the best way to cook and clean with greasy foods? Particularly bacon (and soon hamburgers). The bacon stuck like crazy. Though I’ve admittedly yet to season it, about to do so now that I’ve read your article. But preventative tips for naturally sticky foods is what I’m looking for? Thanks.
Please log in or create a free account to comment.Matt, once you season your pan, the bacon won’t stick. Just follow her tips above and continue to oil it after each washing (and thoroughly drying).
Please log in or create a free account to comment.Agree with Tanya about seasoning to prevent sticking. Another thing to keep in mind with meat is to start it in a cold pan before turning on the heat.
Please log in or create a free account to comment.I have a cast iron skillet that has a very hard crust on the sides of it , I don’t know how to remove it.CAN some one help me with this problem . Thank you. LINDA
Please log in or create a free account to comment.My cast iron 10″ skillet has spots on the cooking surface. I think it might be water but not rust. Is this surface damaged? If I season again will the spots go away?
Please log in or create a free account to comment.If it’s sticky, give it a good wash and start the seasoning process over :-)
Please log in or create a free account to comment.Just click the name of the recipe :-)
Please log in or create a free account to comment.OMG, I had to comment again to first say, I can kick myself for not asking a before picture of my very rusty skillet. I bought a new skillet from target or Walmart years ago. All of a certain it started rusting. I was ready to just throw it out. You posted how to make a rusty skillet look new again. Being a little sceptic, because my skillet was so rusty, I still decided to give it a try. What did I have to loose, but everything to gain, right? I followed your directions to the teeth, and my almost trashed skillet looks new again! Thank you, thank you, thank you! I am in love with my skillet again, thank to you Jilee. People, it works!
Please log in or create a free account to comment.That’s great news! Thanks Ivory :-)
Please log in or create a free account to comment.Another way to clean of stuck food is to heat the empty pan and while still heating it put about an 1/8 cup of tap water and when it’s steaming scrape it with a spatula. Then wipe it clean with a cloth. Then put some oil to coat the pan to resaeson it. This is a cooking trick to make a sauce of sorts using meat stuck to the skillet for gravy
How to restore an old rusty iron pan, was my Mom’s
Please log in or create a free account to comment.Thanks for the tip on using it upside down asca pizza stone. Will definately try this
Please log in or create a free account to comment.Yes me also !!! Who knew !
Please log in or create a free account to comment.Thank you so much, just yesterday I was faced with the problem of my skillet rusting after I washed it. Now, thanks to you, I know how to remove the rust. You save me from buying a new skillet, because I thought there was no hope for my old iron skillet.
Please log in or create a free account to comment.While cast iron is by far the most well known of the ferrous pans, don’t forget steel. Steel has some advantages over cast iron, in that it is lighter and not so likely to mar induction and ceramic stove tops. Not as useful for “baking,” but much easier for general cooking and sauté.
The easiest cleaning method is to remove the contents from the pan, and de-glaze under medium heat with stock or wine, using a wooden utensil to loosen any stuck on bits. This ‘fond” can be enriched with butter or cream, if you wish, and then simply added as a pan sauce to the dish you cooked. After removing the fond, simply wipe out, dry and oil.
Another cool trick for both types is to use one of those “brushes” they use for woks (professional woks are always steel), which consist of split reeds of some sort connected at a base to form a “brush.” These have long been the solution for cleaning steel and iron pans without damaging the seasoning.
Amazon also sells a “chain mail” device that works in much the same way, and is stainless steel so you don’t have to worry about it. It can go directly into the dishwasher, while your precious ferrous pans cannot.
Please log in or create a free account to comment.I use the chain mail exclusively to clean my cast iron pans. Then just rinse, dry, and oil. Works great and no mess with salt and oil.
Please log in or create a free account to comment.We heat with wood, and have taken “rescued” cast iron pans and “burned them off” in the wood fire. Then a light pass with steel wool, a treatment of two with oil in the oven, and they look like new, only better!
Please log in or create a free account to comment.Any hope for an uncared-for, rusting cast iron skillet? I’ve procured one in hopes of salvaging it. I’m pretty sure it’s been left to soak numerous times and fear it is a lost cause.
Please log in or create a free account to comment.Unless there are cracks or holes in your pan you can refresh, rescue and re-season it. Use steel wool to remove the rust or you can even have it sand-blasted or sanded with sand paper. Once the rust is gone oil it well with shortening, vegetable oil or the best is linseed oil, inside and out. Then put it in the oven at 450 for an hour (it will smoke some), let it cool and done!
Please log in or create a free account to comment.Thank you so much Tina!
I bought a 12″ cast iron skillet that was filthy and rusty at a yard sale. I cleaned the rust off with a steel wool pad, washed it once in soap and water, and started seasoning it. An easy way is, every time you use your oven, grease the clean pan lightly and stick it in after taking the food out and turning off the oven, but while the oven is still hot. Leave it in there until the oven is cold. Repeat this process several times when using your oven, then start cooking with your skillet. It does take a little time, but I now have a fabulous 12″ cast iron skillet with a smooth non-stick finish – and it only cost me $1.00 and a little time.
Please log in or create a free account to comment.Thank you Jo! I am thrilled to know someone else saved a supposedly hopeless skillet too!
I have a cast iron Dutch oven pan from the late 1800’s. It makes the best stews and pot roast. Cast iron pans are the best, they rock.
Please log in or create a free account to comment.I have only used my cast iron skillet a time or two. I have seasoned it but I am still getting black residue on a cloth when I wipe it down. I am not sure what this is and if it is still okay to continue cooking in it. It is a Lodge. Any suggestions?
Please log in or create a free account to comment.the same thing with mine! and I have cooked lots of bacon in mine, but still can’t get to a nice stick free surface where I feel comfortable frying my eggs! do I need to “re-season” mine with hours in the oven like I’ve read? I don’t clean it after every use, but when I do, I only use hot water and a nylon brush, and then I dry on a low burner until all water is evaporated and lightly coat with a paper towel and canola oil. And like Sharon said, I continuously get black residue from my pan. Please advise!!
Please log in or create a free account to comment.folks after a while… cooking oil will build up a film… just use bacon grease… the same as she told you….. it may take more than one season to get it right…FRY SOME CHICKEN IN ONE… they love it… or pork chops .. frying is cast iron’s best friend… but the oil will cause a mess after a while… been using my iron for many many years now.. good luck it is still the best going…
Please log in or create a free account to comment.Instead of using the salt, I also have some silicone pan scrapers and chainmail to scrub out the inside of my cast iron pans if the food ends up sticking. They work really well too. I love my cast iron–only have two pans, but sure would love more!
Please log in or create a free account to comment.As long as the pan is not cracked or warped, it can be saved. I know an older couple that does most of their cooking outdoors over an open fire. They collect old rusty and “junk” cast ironware and restore them to give away. They simply put the ironware down in the coals of a campfire and leave for and hour or two, then remove it and let it cool. It will now be a bare metal pan and you can rebuild the seasoning from the ground up. There are very good videos on YouTube about how to season a pan from scratch.
Please log in or create a free account to comment.When my mom married in 1922 her mother gave her iron skillets that she used for many years. When I married my mom gave them to me in 1957, I am still using them. I’d be lost without them. Also iron skillet are healthy, they keep the iron in your body balanced.
Please log in or create a free account to comment.An old wives tale? Nope just common sense.
Do you have any suggestions for good cast iron skillet companies. I have heard very mixed reviews of different skillets. I was wondering if you had a preference!
Please log in or create a free account to comment.I have lots of cast iron cookware, and I only buy Lodge.
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