Hey Mama's! I know that you aren't supposed to use detergent on them,right? What do you use to scrub it? Where and how do you store it? Do you wash it before you use it again? I get worried,since we cook meat on it and then I oil it that it will get rancid and someone will get ill. I am a freak about cleanliness though and this whole no detergent thing just freaks me out a bit!:D Thanks!

I find that scraping food off my skillet with a plastic utensil works well (doesn't take the good stuff off). I occasionally need to use a brush, but I've heard you aren't supposed to. I feel that this with hot water works well to get it clean. I'm not sure if hot water is okay, though.

I don't personally leave oil on mine all the time. I just add a little oil and spread it around every time I use it. I do the whole seasoning thing about twice a year too.

That is what works for me:)
Good luck,
Cary

I never heard of not using detergent, do you mean any cleanser?

So I guess I could be in the wrong, but I wash mine with Dr. B and never really scrub that hard. I think that is why I like cast iron so much I do not have to try so hard to get it clean, it looks black all the time and more black just gives it character. :D

Sometimes I soak them for a tiny bit to get the big crusties off, I dry them with a paper towel and then let them finish air drying on the stove. Sometimes I put them away in the cabinet, but most of the time they get used before they get put away.

My old nutrition teacher always recommended cast iron cookware. She seasoned them every couple of months, but hand washed them as normal in sudsy water. The only thing she said you have to do is to not let them set even a moment after washing, to turn on the stove on High and let it sit there to dry out and cool off. Then just put it away with the rest of your cookware. I would imagine that if you use detergent in them, that you ought to at least use butter or oil when you cook, so that the protective layer is never really completely washed off.

But yeah, she said the key was to dry them immediately like that, and they'd never rust. Even if they do rust though, it's just a good form of iron. :D

According to all I have read and learned from my MIL, you never use any kind of soap on them. Just rinse them in HOT water. Once seasoned, you should never need to reseason. You are doing something wrong if you do. (I learned this the hard way.) To get off stuck on stuff (which should not be often if you have it seasoned right), you put just enough water in it to cover the bottom and put it on a hot flame/eye. Heat until water bowls. Use plastic turner to remove "gunk". It should release easily. Drain, allow to cool then rinse in hot water. Since learning this, I have not had to reseason my pans. I ONLY use cast iron. Tomato products are hard on them and with prolonged cooking, can remove the seasoning/weaken it. Olive oil and coconut oil are excellent for seasoning them. Make sure you purchase/have high quality. They season better and last much longer. Low quality will often not hold seasoning and rust or break when exposed to extreme temps.

Thank You All!:heart: