# So how do I clean a cast iron pan? **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Tags:** food-cooking\ **Created:** [February 22, 2025, 1:38am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/so-how-do-i-clean-a-cast-iron-pan/1014650 "2025-02-22T01:38:11Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Northern\_Piper](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/northern_piper/32/5304_2.png) [@Northern\_Piper](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Northern_Piper)\ **Post date:** [February 22, 2025, 1:38am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/so-how-do-i-clean-a-cast-iron-pan/1014650/1 "2025-02-22T01:38:11Z")
I somehow ended up with a little cast-iron frying pan. So, how do I clean it, without attracting the rage of people from Kentucky? ---
**Author:** ![Zoobi](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/z/13edae/32.png) [@Zoobi](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Zoobi)\ **Post date:** [February 22, 2025, 1:42am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/so-how-do-i-clean-a-cast-iron-pan/1014650/2 "2025-02-22T01:42:17Z")
As long as you don’t let it sit in water you’ll be fine. Yes you can use a bit of dish soap if needed. I find a little chain mail square to be quite useful. ---
**Author:** ![Saint\_Cad](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/saint_cad/32/18907_2.png) [@Saint\_Cad](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Saint_Cad)\ **Post date:** [February 22, 2025, 1:47am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/so-how-do-i-clean-a-cast-iron-pan/1014650/3 "2025-02-22T01:47:04Z")
Clean it from rust? Gunk? Just to clean it because it’s new to you? Does it need re-seasoned? ---
**Author:** ![scabpicker](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/scabpicker/32/8268_2.png) [@scabpicker](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/scabpicker)\ **Post date:** [February 22, 2025, 1:47am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/so-how-do-i-clean-a-cast-iron-pan/1014650/4 "2025-02-22T01:47:14Z")
I normally just heat mine up until water boils on contact with it, then scrub the crap out of it. As Zoobi says, the little chain mail squares work dandy (mine’s got a silicone block in the middle of it). ---
**Author:** ![Happy\_Lendervedder](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/happy_lendervedder/32/8488_2.png) [@Happy\_Lendervedder](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Happy_Lendervedder)\ **Post date:** [February 22, 2025, 2:01am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/so-how-do-i-clean-a-cast-iron-pan/1014650/5 "2025-02-22T02:01:00Z")
I’ve never used soap. The little chainmail thing and water is all I use. If it’s especially crusty I’ll toss some coarse salt on it before scrubbing. Then to dry: dump out the water, and put it on a burner until the water’s completely boiled off. Don’t leave it with any water on it or it’ll rust. ---
**Author:** ![Telemark](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/telemark/32/372_2.png) [@Telemark](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Telemark)\ **Post date:** [February 22, 2025, 2:25am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/so-how-do-i-clean-a-cast-iron-pan/1014650/6 "2025-02-22T02:25:41Z")
Here’s how Lodge recommends cleaning a cast iron pan: [https://www.lodgecastiron.com/discover/cleaning-and-care/cast-iron/how-clean-cast-iron](https://www.lodgecastiron.com/discover/cleaning-and-care/cast-iron/how-clean-cast-iron) ---
**Author:** ![LSLGuy](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lslguy/32/5813_2.png) [@LSLGuy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/LSLGuy)\ **Post date:** [February 22, 2025, 12:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/so-how-do-i-clean-a-cast-iron-pan/1014650/7 "2025-02-22T12:56:08Z")
What I find funny is the surface of the pictured Lodge pan is far, far smoother than the surface of any actual Lodge pan. It was either ground smooth or heavily seasoned before the how-to was filmed. ---
**Author:** ![Johnny\_Bravo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/johnny_bravo/32/493_2.png) [@Johnny\_Bravo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Johnny_Bravo)\ **Post date:** [February 22, 2025, 1:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/so-how-do-i-clean-a-cast-iron-pan/1014650/8 "2025-02-22T13:50:36Z")
> [@Zoobi](#): > > As long as you don’t let it sit in water you’ll be fine. > > Yes you can use a bit of dish soap if needed. This is the way. The internet is full of bad advice from people who forget that cast iron pans are made from iron. You can’t hurt the pan unless you let it rust, and you can’t hurt the seasoning with anything that you’d use on regular dishes. A well-seasoned pan is a joy to clean. So nice watching the water just fall away from the surface. ---
**Author:** ![madmonk28](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/madmonk28/32/20811_2.png) [@madmonk28](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/madmonk28)\ **Post date:** [February 22, 2025, 2:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/so-how-do-i-clean-a-cast-iron-pan/1014650/9 "2025-02-22T14:14:20Z")
Yeah, they’re not that hard to clean, I use a little dish soap and a nylon brush. Then I make sure it is thoroughly dry and coat it with a bit of olive oil ( to prevent rusting). ---
**Author:** ![Disinfectus](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/disinfectus/32/11085_2.png) [@Disinfectus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Disinfectus)\ **Post date:** [February 22, 2025, 5:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/so-how-do-i-clean-a-cast-iron-pan/1014650/10 "2025-02-22T17:25:44Z")
I have a little rusting on the bottom (exterior) of the pan. Nothing that comes into contact with food. Is it something I should be concerned with? ---
**Author:** ![Zoobi](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/z/13edae/32.png) [@Zoobi](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Zoobi)\ **Post date:** [February 22, 2025, 6:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/so-how-do-i-clean-a-cast-iron-pan/1014650/11 "2025-02-22T18:25:59Z")
No, just scrub it and then season it ---
**Author:** ![thelurkinghorror](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/7c8e57/32.png) [@thelurkinghorror](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/thelurkinghorror)\ **Post date:** [February 22, 2025, 7:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/so-how-do-i-clean-a-cast-iron-pan/1014650/12 "2025-02-22T19:14:40Z")
> [@Happy\_Lendervedder](#): > > I’ve never used soap. The little chainmail thing and water is all I use. If it’s especially crusty I’ll toss some coarse salt on it before scrubbing. > > Then to dry: dump out the water, and put it on a burner until the water’s completely boiled off. Don’t leave it with any water on it or it’ll rust. I’ve never used the chain mail, but this is exactly what I do. I’m not anti-soap, but I haven’t found it necessary. Or if I’m using the oven, I’ll put it in inverted to get the water off instead. ---
**Author:** ![Ulfreida](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ulfreida/32/8014_2.png) [@Ulfreida](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ulfreida)\ **Post date:** [February 22, 2025, 7:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/so-how-do-i-clean-a-cast-iron-pan/1014650/13 "2025-02-22T19:32:23Z")
I wash it like my other dishes in the sink, dry it, and when it is perfectly dry I wipe the inside with a bit of mineral oil, same as with my soapstone counters. Just remember iron rusts, so never leave it damp or with water in. Because iron rusts. That’s all there really is to it. My saucepan must be fifty years old. It is imperishable. ---
**Author:** ![Patx2](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/73ab20/32.png) [@Patx2](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Patx2)\ **Post date:** [February 22, 2025, 7:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/so-how-do-i-clean-a-cast-iron-pan/1014650/14 "2025-02-22T19:35:19Z")
We’ve been using kosher salt and hot water. Add 2-3 tablespoons of salt to the pan with some hot water, scrub it with a cloth and dry it. This seems to be the best method we’ve tried. ---
**Author:** ![jnglmassiv](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/f07891/32.png) [@jnglmassiv](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jnglmassiv)\ **Post date:** [February 22, 2025, 7:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/so-how-do-i-clean-a-cast-iron-pan/1014650/15 "2025-02-22T19:48:36Z")
I really love coarse bronze wool pads. They’re fist sized and pretty stiff & tough but soft and safe for most surfaces. No rust and stays sort of bronze colored and I suspect the copper content helps keep it from getting too stinky. I limit cleaning to getting the chunks off and wipe usually. It’s only a little more clean the a grill grate. ---
**Author:** ![DrDeth](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/b487fb/32.png) [@DrDeth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DrDeth)\ **Post date:** [February 22, 2025, 8:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/so-how-do-i-clean-a-cast-iron-pan/1014650/16 "2025-02-22T20:23:18Z")
I pour boiling water in it, then as soon as the water can be touched, I use stainless steel wool to scour. Then paper towel dry, put back on stove, heat, add a tiny bit of bacon grease or your oil of choice, rub well into hot iron pan. Sounds complicated but it isnt. AND- you do not have to clean after every use. I assume you preheat of course, so no live germs. No soap. No dishwasher. ---
**Author:** ![ThelmaLou](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/thelmalou/32/390_2.png) [@ThelmaLou](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ThelmaLou)\ **Post date:** [February 24, 2025, 3:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/so-how-do-i-clean-a-cast-iron-pan/1014650/17 "2025-02-24T15:01:24Z")
I don’t use soap or chainmail. I sprinkle in about 1/4 cup of kosher (coarse) salt with just a bit of water to make a thick paste and use a brush to scrub with that. ---
**Author:** ![jnglmassiv](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/f07891/32.png) [@jnglmassiv](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jnglmassiv)\ **Post date:** [February 24, 2025, 9:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/so-how-do-i-clean-a-cast-iron-pan/1014650/18 "2025-02-24T21:29:28Z")
> [@jnglmassiv](#): > > but soft and safe for most surfaces I found a super nice box grater at the thrift store this weekend. Oxo, $2, no signs of use. I’d been looking for one to replace the old beater my mom had been using, perfect! I took a little steel wool to the Sharpie’d price and promptly scratched a haze into the previously mirror-polished plating. > [@DrDeth](#): > > assume you preheat of course, so no live germs Mostly no water. ---
**Author:** ![MeanJoe](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/meanjoe/32/5693_2.png) [@MeanJoe](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MeanJoe)\ **Post date:** [February 25, 2025, 3:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/so-how-do-i-clean-a-cast-iron-pan/1014650/19 "2025-02-25T15:57:15Z")
Pretty much everyone here has got it already. I wipe out the skillet with paper towels and rinse under hot water and that gets most of it. From there I have: - Used my dish sponge with a bit of soap and lightly clean. - Used coarse kosher sea salt and scrubbed. - Used the rubber/chainmail block - although I have noticed that can impact seasoning so I don’t use it unless I have to and then very lightly. - Bad cases I will add water and boil, then scrape with a plastic scraper, then finish with light soap or sea salt scrub. I always put it in the oven upside down and at 250 degrees for 15 minutes to completely remove any water or moisture. Then I add a couple drops of avocado oil and wipe with paper towels until just the lightest shine remains. ---
**Author:** ![DrDeth](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/b487fb/32.png) [@DrDeth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DrDeth)\ **Post date:** [February 25, 2025, 7:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/so-how-do-i-clean-a-cast-iron-pan/1014650/20 "2025-02-25T19:31:58Z")
> [@MeanJoe](#): > > I always put it in the oven upside down and at 250 degrees for 15 minutes to completely remove any water or moisture. I find that using the burner on the stove is faster and easier. [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/so-how-do-i-clean-a-cast-iron-pan/1014650.md?page=2)