If you like your cast iron pans clean + smooth then keep reading.
I get lots of questions from friends and family about cooking, but surprisingly, the most frequent one has to be “how do you clean your cast iron?” So here I am, sharing my wealth of knowledge on the topic. I mean to be honest, I actually just did some Google research a few years ago and have made a few tweaks along the way. But hey, I’m happy to share what I know!
This method can be used for almost any type of cast iron. Small pans. Big pans. Dutch ovens. Griddles. It’s pretty simple. And an added bonus is that it’s all natural cleaning method. No specialized cleaners. Just a few household items that you probably have sitting around already.
Pretty ideal, right?
I am just a smidge excited to share all the fun things that I’ve thrown into this post!
First, I asked my friend, Heather Ross, to create a hand painted printable that you can stick on your fridge for quick reference when you’re cleaning your cast iron! Heather has her own blog featuring the cutest monthly planning calendars and Gospel-centered posts. You can check it out here: MRS.ANDYROSS.
I’d also recommend that you follow her on Instagram! @mrsandyross
Download your free print here: HowToNaturallyCleanCastIron
AND! I’ve also included links to purchase all of the items that I use for my cleaning method: the brush, kosher salt, and scrapers. I threw in the link for the pan that I used in this shoot as well!
There’s some pretty good deals going on here!
In case you were wondering, I don’t use sage or rosemary when I clean my cast iron. But I do use sage and rosemary as props when I’m shooting a blog post that only involves a pan and a brush.
- Boiling water
- Kosher salt
- Scrubber brush
- Olive oil or vegetable oil
- Paper towels
- Clean your cast iron pan immediately after use. Pour hot water into the cast iron pan and let soak for no more than 2 minutes. For extra big messes, use boiling water.
- Pour out water and wipe out any large food particles with a paper towel.
- Add a couple tablespoons of kosher salt to the pan and scrub with the brush. Add water as needed to create a paste. Continue to scrub until clean.
- Rinse out pan and dry well with a paper towel.
- Place a small amount of oil in the pan and buff out with a paper towel.
Yes this is how I I used to scrub my cast iron skillets. I got rid of all of them years ago. How wrong was that decision!! Thanks for sharing this tip. I will pass it in!!
We LOVE our cast iron! Got some stir fry cooking up right now actually 🙂