Step by step: how to clean a pizza stone without soap or cracking it
Safety first. A pizza stone stays hot for an hour or more after baking. Never pour water on a hot stone or set it on a cold, wet surface, because the sudden temperature change can crack it. Take the stone out before running your oven’s self-clean cycle.
- 1
Let the stone cool in the oven
Turn the oven off and leave the stone inside until it is completely cool, usually 1 to 2 hours. Moving or wetting a hot stone is the most common way they crack.
- 2
Scrape off cheese and crust
Use a plastic pan scraper or rubber spatula to lift burnt cheese, sauce and cornmeal. Hold the scraper at a low angle and push, rather than digging at the surface. Avoid metal knives, which gouge the stone.
- 3
Brush and wipe with a dry cloth
Brush loose crumbs into the sink or trash with a stiff nylon brush, then wipe the surface with a dry cloth. Most everyday cleaning stops here.
- 4
Wipe with a barely damp cloth
If residue remains, wipe with a cloth wrung out until it is just damp. Use plain warm water, no soap. The stone should look damp only on the surface, not soaked.
- 5
Treat stuck spots with baking soda paste
Mix about 2 tablespoons of baking soda with 1 tablespoon of water, spread it on stubborn spots, wait 5 to 10 minutes, and scrub with a nylon brush in small circles. Wipe the paste off with a damp cloth.
- 6
Let it dry completely before baking
Stand the stone on edge or set it on a rack to air dry for several hours, ideally overnight. Water trapped inside turns to steam when heated and can crack the stone.
- 7
Bake off heavy grease when needed
For thick grease or blackened spills, put the dry stone in a cold oven, heat it to the highest bake setting and leave it for 1 to 2 hours. The residue turns to ash you can brush off once it cools.
Why you should not use soap on a pizza stone
Most pizza stones are unglazed and porous, so they absorb soap and water like a sponge. Soap can leave a taste in your next crust, and trapped water can crack the stone when it heats.
FibraMent’s care instructions call for a dry rag and a rubber spatula, and for burning off heavy spills by running the oven at its highest setting for 60 to 120 minutes. They also note the stone is porous and absorbs anything it touches, which is why they say to remove it before cleaning the oven.
Glazed ceramic stones are the exception. Emile Henry’s pizza stone has a sealed glaze and is listed as dishwasher safe, so you can wash it with soap. Check your stone’s instructions if you are not sure which kind you have.
How to clean each type of pizza stone
Cleaning depends on what the stone is made of. Unglazed stone needs dry methods; glazed ceramic and steel can be washed.
| Type | Everyday clean | Deep clean | Avoid |
|---|---|---|---|
| Unglazed cordierite or clay | Scrape, brush, damp wipe | Baking soda paste or high-heat burn-off | Soap, soaking, dishwasher |
| Glazed ceramic (Emile Henry and similar) | Warm soapy water | Dishwasher if the maker allows | Metal scrapers on the glaze |
| Baking steel | Scrape, wash, dry on the stove | Re-oil and heat like cast iron | Leaving it wet, which rusts it |
| Cast iron pizza pan | Wash, dry, thin coat of oil | Re-season in the oven | Soaking, dishwasher |
For a cast iron pizza pan, follow our guide on how to clean a cast iron skillet.
Are stains on a pizza stone a problem, and when should you replace it?
Dark stains are normal and do not need to come out. FibraMent’s FAQ notes that stones naturally darken with use, and that the seasoning from grease and toppings can help reduce sticking.
- Replace the stone if it cracks all the way through or a piece breaks off, since it can split apart when hot.
- A hairline surface crack that does not go through can often still be used; watch it for growth.
- Replace it if it smells of soap or mold after being soaked and stored damp.
- FibraMent explains that moisture turns to steam at 212°F, so a stone that was washed and not dried can crack on the next preheat. Dry it overnight and preheat it from a cold oven.
Mistakes to avoid
- Rinsing a hot stone under the tap, which can crack it instantly.
- Washing an unglazed stone with dish soap and getting a soapy-tasting crust.
- Soaking the stone in the sink, then preheating it before it has dried.
- Scraping with a metal knife and leaving gouges that trap food.
- Leaving the stone in during the oven’s self-clean cycle.
- Scrubbing for an hour to remove normal dark stains that do no harm.
Products that make this easier
Optional. Everything above works with basic supplies; these just save time or effort.
- See it on Amazon
For stuck cheese
OXO Good Grips Pan Scraper
A stiff plastic edge lifts burnt cheese and sauce without gouging the stone the way a metal knife would.
- See it on Amazon
Brush and scraper in one
Pizza stone cleaning brush with scraper
Stiff bristles and a built-in scraper clear crumbs and cornmeal. Choose nylon bristles if you are worried about scratching.
- See it on Amazon
For stubborn spots
Arm & Hammer Baking Soda
A mild paste scrubs stuck-on bits without the soap residue that unglazed stones absorb.
- See it on Amazon
Easier-clean replacement
Emile Henry Pizza Stone
A glazed ceramic stone that can be washed with soap or in the dishwasher. It browns a crust a little differently from bare cordierite.
As an Amazon Associate, Broombook earns from qualifying purchases. Links open the product on Amazon, where sizes, sellers and prices change.