Do You Know How To Clean Your Cast Iron Pans?

I think you are actually asking about seasoning them. When you clean them, never soak them, many people do not even use soap on them. They can do that if they are well seasoned. There are a lot of instructions, even videos about it. It generally consists of using either shortening or oil and melting it in the pan. You can either keep it at about 350 on the stove top, or most people put it in the oven. I have read everything from thirty minutes to an hour. When it is through baking the oil in wipe it with a paper towel and store it for the next time. I saw on a video, probably Martha Stewart, that you should put it upside down on a cookie sheet in the oven so all the sides are evenly coated and the excess grease runs off.

Well I was taught you can clean it with anything but curing it so it won't stick or rust is different. My grandmother taught me to dry it in a oven then cool but while still warm enough to take a paper towel with shortening or lard and swipe around till it's thoroughly coated then set back in the oven and cook on 350 for awhile. I usually do this while I'm cooking something else to save money.

The first two responses are correct. I dry mine differently though. Since I wash my pans immediately after I use them I just put them back on the burner or in the oven, where it is still hot, and let them dry that way. I was told, besides soap, to never use a towel to dry them, that is why I do this and they have last me many years..

I think olive oil is for seasoning your pan. To clean my pan, I use only water (NO SOAP, or your food will taste soapy!). I use a soap free scouring pad. Then after rinsing with water, I dry my pan thoroughly immediately. If you don't dry it right away, it will rust.

I only use water for them and dry them with heat over the stove so they don´t rust. The oil must be for seasoning the pan. I use a teeny bit of oil in a paperfor my cast iron skillet when I make there those awesome T bone steaks.

I try to clean mine right after I use it while it's still hot. I run water in it and wipe it out before the stuff cakes on. If it's really junked up, I do use a scrubber and a little soap, but I make sure I re-oil it with cooking oil before I put it away. It's better if you can do it without soap though and that's what I do most of the time. If I only used it for frying and it's just got oil, butter or grease in it, I just wipe it out with a dry paper towel. Again, this works best while the pan is still hot. As long as you keep them coated with a little oil, they will work great and last forever.