How to Clean a Cast Iron Skillet

Congratulations you bought a brand new cast iron skillet! Now one question remains. How do you clean a cast iron skillet? Here are the rules that will keep your cast iron seasoned and clean.

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First, new cast iron skillets even pre-seasoned ones, take time to become truly non-stick. The more you use it the more you add to that layer of seasoning that keeps the food from sticking. That being said you always want to use a healthy fat like butter or lard to cook. It will never be like Teflon where you can get away with using no fat at all. If you want more information about the difference check out this blog post.

How do I clean my cast iron skillet?

Because you want to keep building the seasoning in your cast iron you want to keep some of the oil or fat you cooked with after cleaning. For this reason, you should avoid using dish soap. The reason for this is because dish soap works by degreasing which is great for most dishes but not for a cast iron skillet. Remember, we want to keep adding to that layer of oil to achieve non-stick.

hand cleaning cast iron skillet with orange dish sponge

To wash your skillet I recommend hot water and a scrub daddy sponge like this one. The goal is to remove the bits of food left behind and none of the coating.

Dry, Dry, Dry

Moisture is the enemy of metal. you are going to have to keep the skillet dry. Because of this I always dry my skillet after washing it with a lint-free cloth. I like using waffled microfiber clothes like these to get the job done. Also, I avoid using paper towels or anything that will leave lint behind. This will start to create a messy coating as you build your seasoning. I have been guilty of this in the past thanks to some bad advice.

It will still be functional but it will not be smooth.

What about if food is stuck?

Undoubtedly, food will get stuck, or burnt on from time to time. While I have finally mastered cooking eggs in cast iron it wasn’t so at the beginning. I ended up with plenty of caked-on eggs on the bottom and sometimes sides of my skillet. How did I get it out without using dish soap?

A bamboo, wood, or even a paper composite spatula like this one will help you scrape off all the stuck-on mess as you run hot water through it.
Another option is to use coarse salt like this one. I sprinkle it on the skillet and scrub off the mess with the scrub daddy sponge or even a lint-free rag.

hand using a wooden spatula to clean cast iron skillet

Season after washing and drying

Finally, after I have cleaned and dried my cast iron skillet I add a thin layer of lard. This keeps it conditioned and ready to be used next time. Think of it as a moisturizer for your cast iron skillet. It keeps the surface smooth and helps build the seasoning you want.

Things to avoid

Additionally, there are a few things to avoid. I always use natural soaps and detergents in my home such as Castile soap and Sal’s Suds. Because these are natural soaps I assumed it would be okay to use on my skillet. I soon found out that even though they aren’t full of harmful ingredients they still stripped the coating of my cast iron away. Lesson just because it is natural it does not mean it will be safe to use. Another thing I used at the beginning was coconut oil instead of lard. While it worked okay, I found it difficult to build a good coating with it over time. I was constantly having to reseason my skillet.

orange scrub daddy sponge sitting on dish soap container

If you want to learn more about why I chose to switch to cast iron and why you should too, here is the post for you. (This is a pretty cool dish soap dispenser, in case you were wondering where to buy it you can find it here.)