Learn how to preseason and maintain your cast iron cookware!Shop now:PCI650-25In my (Faithās) house, washing a cast iron skillet is extremely basic: Wash with a little regular soap and a scrub brush, which is gentle but firm and will remove any bits of food without harshness. Dry with a towel and, if you like, heat up briefly on a burner to evaporate any moisture more quickly. Thatās it.
Soap also strips seasoning, so itās a no-go when it comes to cleaning cast iron. Hereās how I get around that: take your dirty cast iron pan and scrub it with the coarse, dark green side of a
Step 1: Soak. Before you get started, assess the damage: If the amount of rust on your cast iron pan is minimal you should skip this vinegar soak step entirely. Vinegar is pretty hard on cast ironāif you leave your pan soaking too long in the stuff, youāll have bigger problems than rust. That said, the pros at Southern Cast Iron tell usFor best results, preheat your pan for five minutes to make sure it is evenly heated, and always add a thin layer of oil before adding your food. For fatty foods, a quick swipe with an oily paper1OjeW.