Posted June 27, 2026 — by The Hearth & Hide team
If you've ever held a cast iron skillet that someone actually used — not the decorative one hanging above the stove — you know what seasoning looks like. It's that dark, almost lacquered surface that shrugs off eggs. It didn't come from a bottle. It came from years of dinners.
Here's the good news: cleaning cast iron is the opposite of cleaning nonstick. You can't use soap, you can't soak it, and you definitely shouldn't put it in the dishwasher. You also don't need to.
After every cook
While the pan is still warm (not screaming hot — give it a minute), run it under hot water. Use a stiff brush or a chain-mail scrubber to knock off any stuck bits. That's it. Dry it on the burner over medium heat for 30 seconds.
When something really sticks
Bring the pan back to temperature, add a splash of water and a pinch of coarse salt, and scrape with a wooden spoon or flat-edged spatula. The salt acts as a gentle abrasive. The water lifts the fond. Your seasoning stays intact.
What you should never do
Don't soak. Don't use dish soap. Don't put it in the dishwasher. Don't scrub it with steel wool — that's for stripping, not cleaning. And don't air-dry it; even seasoned cast iron can flash rust if you leave it wet overnight.
When to re-season
If the pan starts looking dull, gray, or sticky in spots, that's a sign the seasoning has thinned. Rub a thin layer of flaxseed oil (or any neutral oil with a high smoke point) over the entire surface — inside, outside, handle — and bake it upside down at 450°F for one hour. Let it cool in the oven. Repeat if needed.
That's it. Cast iron rewards the same routine for decades. The pan you season today is the pan your kid will inherit.
[Shop cast iron →](/collections/kitchen) | [Read our story →](/pages/about)