How To Clean Iron Cast Pans

For stubborn residue try the salt method.
How to clean iron cast pans. Our seasoning care kit has everything you need to wash and care for cast iron the right way. Coat the cast iron lightly in cooking oil. If there are pesky stains on the inside of the pot that won t go away after a thorough cleaning bring water to a gentle simmer in the pan on the stove with either a small amount of dish soap or baking soda then scrub and rinse carefully says nate collier of le creuset. Rinse the skillet with hot water. Give the surface of the cast iron a light wash to remove any remaining rust or particles left by the steel wool.
A little soap won t ruin your pan s seasoning if that s your preferred cleaning method. For stubborn stuck on food simmer a little water for 3 5 minutes then use the scraper after the pan has cooled. Wash your cookware with dish soap and a stiff bristle dish brush but don t soak it. Clean your cast iron skillet while it s still warm. If needed use a pan scraper for stuck on food.
Wash your cast iron cookware by hand. Water is the enemy of cast iron so the last thing you want to do is leave it dripping wet post wash. To clean enameled cast iron wash it with hot soapy water just as you would with any other cookware. But when your cast iron needs a refresh follow this dry cleaning method. Here are some of our favorite products for cleaning cast iron.
Sure the seasoning will prevent any rust from forming right away but if the pan is left to stand with water in it even those tough layers of polymerized oil won t be enough to stop the relentless oxidative skirmish between iron and h 2 o. You can use a small amount of soap. If you use your cast iron cookware daily this step is not necessary. This seals the metal and makes sure no moisture causes the cast iron to rust. The simplest way to remove a lot of rust from cast iron is to make a slurry of bar keepers friend and a couple of tablespoons of water in the pan and scrub the rust off using a stainless steel.
Use a damp cloth to clean out the inside of your skillet until the water runs completely clear. Dab a paper towel in olive grapeseed or canola oil and rub it over the cast iron. The salt will work as a gentle abrasive to remove grime. Clean the skillet with soap and hot water. After cooking let your pan cool then wash it with a little dish soap plus a little water and a gentle.