Wiping the skillet and using a metal spatula to scrap the bottom. But what method do you use to clean the sides if wiping with a oily paper towel does not do it?

This message has been edited. Last edited by: old rugged cross,

We use coarse sea salt and olive oil.

It works on every surface.

I scrub the whole thing with hot water and soap with a plastic brush.

The polymers that form on the bottom of the pan will be completely unaffected, and people should work to spread those polymers over the entire pan by lightly oiling the whole pan prior to each use with a rag. (Paper towel leaves paper fiber everywhere.)

Chainmail scrubber or rock salt on a half a potato

https://www.amazon.com/Cast-Ir...83726554045882&psc=1

I knew you guys would have answers

Thanks guys.

Actually use the blue Scotch Brite scrubbing pads, they are the non scratch version, cleans up nicely, the fiber side gets rid of any build up food, doesn't hurt anything.

Chainmail. Don’t become a cast iron care Nazi. It will last a hundred years if you don’t rust it out. All advice on the subject is merely a guideline.

Use it, wash with soap and water, then dry and store. Add a little oil before you use it the next time, and repeat. That's really all you need to do and it will outlive you, your kids, and their kids.

Chainmall here too! Been using it for years and years.

Chainmail is interesting notion. It’s made of softer mild steel at best. So it’s a softer material than the cast-iron, but can’t say what it does to your cooking surface?

Cast-iron is wicked hard with over 2% carbon plus. The thing we’re trying to protect is the polymer layer built up from usage of oils being baked over time.

Lasting 100 years is one thing. But being a premium cooking surface is another.

I too use a metal spatula to get the heavy stuff off. Lately I've been wiping with a damp paper towel after and then dry. Trying not to actually wash it, though sometimes I feel the need to. Not to the point of losing the seasoning though. Then it goes on a lit burner to dry thoroughly.

quote:

Originally posted by HRK:...

Beat me to it.

I promise that washing your pan does not remove the seasoning. It’s a wicked hard polymer surface not removed by soap and water.

You can scratch it with a metal spatula however if you lean on it real hard like a 200 pound gorilla.

quote:

Originally posted by Perception:
Use it, wash with soap and water, then dry and store. Add a little oil before you use it the next time, and repeat. That's really all you need to do and it will outlive you, your kids, and their kids.

You should really oil the pan before you store store the pan...And like '6guns' posted, "it goes on a lit burner to dry thoroughly", especially if you've used soap & water to clean it! Just sayin'

quote:

Originally posted by HRK:
Actually use the blue Scotch Brite scrubbing pads, they are the non scratch version, cleans up nicely, the fiber side gets rid of any build up food, doesn't hurt anything.

I use those and lots of kosher salt and sometimes baking soda and some water to make a paste.

Then lots and lots of really hot water.

I usually use regular iodized salt and a folded paper towel.

Another chain mail user for all things cast iron. Hot water, dish detergent, scrub with chain mail. Dry it off, heat it up a little on the stove and wipe a light coat of whatever oil I am using with a cloth. I have a couple of pans I have handled this way for years. They look great and cook great.

Dawn, water, and a scrubber/sponge. Rinse well, dry on the stove, apply a thin coat of oil and heat until it just smokes. Quick wipe down, cool, and put away.

Paper towels? Nooooooooooo Kent Rollins says the fibers can clog the metal pores.

I use either the Scotts brand of blue shop towels, on a roll, or traditonal new mechanics cloth shop towels. I buy the Scotts by the case at either Costco or Sams, occasionally a few at wallychinamart. I've noticed some off brand names of blue shop towels lately, I don't trust them, just get the Scotts brand.

LINK to Scotts for illustration. They are on a roll the same shape and size of regular paper towels. You can guy single rolls, 2 packs and 3 packs, and 12 pack cases etc, at Costco, Sams, wallychinamart, any auto parts store, farm supply place, etc etc etc. Go Gitcha some !!!!!

BTW those blue shop towels made by Scott (on the roll similar to paper towels) are excellent for other things. I use them for cleaning many other things. They do not fall apart, they don't lint. They just keep going. I accidentally got one into my washing machine and then the dryer, and man oh man was I surpised when I pulled the laundry out of the dryer, sorted it, and found one of the Scotts brand blue shop towels. It came out just fine, didn't disintegrate, well ok it was wrinkled like everything else in the dryer, and I reused it.

The other thing I use are regular mechanics shop towels, those little 12x12 square "grease rags". I bought a LOT of them a few years from a place called Georgia Towels. I bought 100 each of the colors Red, Blue, Green and Orange. I use the red ones in my shop, the blue ones I use to clean windows and windshields etc, and the Green ones I use only for my cast iron pots and pans for the purpose of wiping the oil in and around when I am doing cleaning and drying the cast iron.

As noted above, Chain Mail is great to clean cast iron, Lodge makes an awesome bristle brush, a plastic scrubber brush is good, Kosher Salt is good too. If I have some stubborn burned looking crud that won't come off easily, I put water in and heat to almost boiling then the crud wipes right out.

I use Crisbee to reason my cast iron after every use, but you can use just about any good cooking oil, shortening, cooking grease, etc.

There is NOT "only one way" to clean and season cast iron. There are a good number of cast iron afficiandos on YouTube who have spend years and years making lots of cooking and care of cast iron. Some have impressive collections of cast iron.
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