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How to Gently Clean Cast Iron Pots and Pans

by Gwen Aug 2

The Bold Abode is a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for sites to earn advertising fees by advertising and linking to amazon.com.

Read my full disclosure here.

A while back, I wrote this post on How to Re-Season an Old, Worn Piece of Cast Iron.

I got lots of comments on how to clean cast iron.  Which is totes awesome, except it wasn’t a post on how to clean cast iron.

But this is. This is a post on how to gently clean your cast iron pots and pans.  Notice, I put in the word “gently” to make sure everyone knows I’m all about loving up on my cast iron and keeping it safe as a baby egg in a high-school science project where you have to drop that sucker from a one-story building without it breaking face all over the sidewalk.

How to gently clean cast iron pots and pans!  {hint: don't use water, yo}

This is how you do it. Complete with animated photos for your how to gently clean cast iron pots and pans viewing pleasure.

First take your gentle scraper that I showed you how to make a few days ago.

scraping-the-pan

Then, once you finish scraping the big bits off , pour some oil into the pan.

pouring-the-oil

Rub the oil around with a paper towel.

wipe-oil-around

If you need to, take your gentle scraper back to it and gently scrape the pan a bit more. Gently, got it?

Then, if you still need a little more gentle abrasive action, pour in some coarse sea salt and gently rub it around with a soft sponge or a paper towel.

pour-salt-and-scrub

Once you are satisfied with the cleanliness of you pot or pan, take another paper towel and, tilting the pan over the sink, brush out all the grody bits and salt.

clean cast iron-30

Finally, take a clean paper towel and buff your pan.  You can add a bit more oil if you want.

If you’re not into paper towels, you can use a soft, lint-free cloth.

You have choices here.  I’m all about the freedom of the choice.

buff-pan

So, there you have it.  You might notice there are still some bits left on the pan.

I like to call that “seasoning”.  Seasoning is good for your pan.

Are you into paper towels like I am?  Or do you prefer the more environmentally sustainable cloth that is soft?

If you liked this tip, check these fellas out:

  • How to Make a Gentle Scraper for Your Cast Iron
  • How to Re-Season an Old, Worn Piece of Cast Iron
  • The Super Easy Way to Clean a Very Dirty Blender
  • How to Sweep Your Porch Without Sweeping Your Porch
  • 3 Creative Storage Solutions, baby!

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The Bold Abode is a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for sites to earn advertising fees by advertising and linking to amazon.com as well as other affiliate networks.

What the BOLD ones say:

  1. Karen says

    Aug 2 at 5:45 pm

    Any tips on cleaning a cast iron grill pan? I love it, but can’t clean it properly and I don’t want to use steel wool.

    • Gwen says

      Aug 2 at 5:59 pm

      You can try the tips in this post, Karen. Or, better yet, check with your grill’s manufacturer for directions! That’s always a good idea!

  2. Gretchen says

    Aug 3 at 4:35 pm

    oh, wow–no water!? I knew no soap, but not no water–good to know–I’ll have to try this!

    • Gwen says

      Aug 5 at 9:58 pm

      That’s what they say, Gretchen… but sometimes, I can’t help myself. Shhhh… don’t tell anyone!

  3. Keep It Simple says

    Aug 5 at 8:58 pm

    Very cool! I live the videos too. Very thorough!

    • Gwen says

      Aug 5 at 9:59 pm

      Thanks so much!

    • Gwen says

      Aug 6 at 5:41 pm

      Thank you! I’m so glad to hear!

  4. Ila says

    May 3 at 11:55 am

    I have a cast iron skillet from 1940’s it has a build up over the years. Should i try to clean this off? It has been well used over the years. I won this in a theater drawing when the war was on for collecting tin cans for the war, IVC

    • Gwen Whitfield says

      May 4 at 8:16 am

      I’d say it’s worth a try, Ila. But I’ve never had one quite like that. Cast iron holds up really well, so go for it. It certainly can’t hurt it, I think.

  5. Tricia Crawford says

    Mar 10 at 8:15 am

    Extremely interesting cleaning way! I never thought that I can clean a cast iron pots with oil. Sounds just amazing. I will try it out for sure. Greetings

    • Gwen says

      Mar 12 at 6:54 am

      Thanks, Tricia! It works great… especially with the sea salt!

      xoxo

      Gwen

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Thank you so much for sharing from The Bold Abode! Please keep in mind that all images and text on this site are property of The Bold Abode. Feel free to use one or two photos provided that a link back to my original post is included. Please do not remove any watermarks, crop, or edit any of my images without first obtaining written permission from me. All free printables offered are for personal use only. Pinning is always welcome and appreciated! Thank you!
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The Bold Abode is a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for sites to earn advertising fees by advertising and linking to amazon.com.

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