How to clean a carbon steel pan without losing the seasoning

Step by step: how to clean a carbon steel pan without losing the seasoning

1. 1

   Let the pan cool a little

   Take the pan off the heat and let it cool until you can handle it with a towel. Do not run cold water into a very hot pan, which can warp thin carbon steel. Warm is ideal, because food releases more easily than once it has set.

2. 2

   Wipe it out first

   On a well-seasoned pan, a paper towel is often all you need: wipe out the oil and crumbs and the surface should look clean and satin. If it does, skip straight to drying and oiling.

3. 3

   Wash with warm water and a brush

   If there is residue, hand wash the pan under warm water with a stiff brush or non-scratch scrubber. Makers disagree on soap: Lodge’s routine uses warm, soapy water, while Made In advises skipping it, so hot water alone is the safe default. Rinse and move on quickly; never leave it sitting in water.

4. 4

   Scour stuck bits with salt and oil

   For stubborn spots, add about 2 tablespoons of coarse salt and 2 tablespoons of neutral oil to the cooled pan. Rub them around with a folded paper towel; the salt acts as a gentle abrasive. Dump the salt and oil out and wipe the pan.

5. 5

   Boil off burnt food

   For burnt-on food, add just enough water to cover the bottom and bring it to a boil over medium heat. Scrape the bottom with a wooden spoon or plastic scraper as it bubbles; Lodge suggests a 3 to 5 minute simmer. Pour out the water.

6. 6

   Dry it on the burner

   Towel the pan dry, then set it over low to medium heat for a few minutes until every bit of moisture has evaporated. Carbon steel is mostly iron, and even a short time wet can leave orange rust spots.

7. 7

   Oil it and wipe off the excess

   While the pan is warm, put a few drops of oil in it and rub them over the inside with a paper towel. Then wipe again with a clean towel so only a satin sheen is left. Too much oil turns sticky.

8. 8

   Store it dry and protected

   Let the pan cool and hang it, or stack it with a pan protector or paper towel on top so the next pan does not scratch it or trap moisture. A humid cupboard is the main cause of storage rust.

Which carbon steel cleaning method should you use?

Start with the gentlest method and step up only if food is still stuck. Steel wool is the last resort, because it means reseasoning.

Made In’s carbon steel care guide lays out this same order and says steel wool scratches only superficially, but that you must reseason after using it. Lodge’s carbon steel page adds the two firm rules: do not soak carbon steel and do not put it in the dishwasher.

How to remove rust from a carbon steel pan

Light rust comes off with salt and oil; heavier rust needs a scrubber and a reseason. A rusty carbon steel pan is almost never ruined.

• Small spots: rub roughly equal parts coarse salt and neutral oil into the rust with a paper towel until it is gone, then dry and oil the pan. Made In’s rust guide calls this the first thing to try.
• Larger patches: scrub with steel wool, a scouring pad or fine sandpaper in circles, wash in hot soapy water, dry on the stove and reseason. Check the bottom of the pan too.
• Stubborn rust: Made In describes boiling equal parts water and white vinegar in the pan, then scrubbing. The acid strips most of the seasoning, so a full reseason is required afterward.

Sticky, splotchy or stripped: how to reseason

A sticky pan has too much oil on it, splotchy color is normal, and a pan stripped by steel wool or vinegar needs a new base layer. Reseasoning in the oven fixes the last one in about an hour.

Made In’s oven method: preheat the oven to your oil’s smoke point (around 420°F for grapeseed), warm the clean, dry pan on the stove, rub a few drops of oil over the inside, then bake it upside down over a foil-lined sheet for an hour and let it cool in the oven. The same guide says acidic foods such as tomatoes, wine, citrus and vinegar can strip the patina, and that an uneven, patchy color is a normal stage that evens out with cooking.

Carbon steel and cast iron are cared for almost the same way; compare with our cast iron skillet guide.

Mistakes to avoid

• Soaking the pan in the sink, which leaves rust within hours.
• Putting it in the dishwasher, which strips the seasoning and rusts the pan.
• Air drying on a rack instead of drying it on the burner.
• Leaving a thick layer of oil after cleaning, which turns sticky and gummy.
• Using steel wool for everyday cleaning instead of saving it for rust or stuck-on disasters.
• Simmering tomato sauce or wine in a new pan before the seasoning is established.