Seal up the skillet up in the plastic bag and leave the cleaner-soaked skillet outside or in the garage for 24 hours to let everything soak in. After 24 hours, scrub the skillet with steel wool and very, very hot soapy water. It’s best to wear rubber gloves for this step again. Rinse skillet and repeat this step. Follow the steps above to clean and remove slight stains. Soak the interior of the cookware for 2-3 hours with a mixture of 3 tablespoons of household bleach per quart of water. To remove stubborn, baked-on food, boil 2 cups of water and 4 tablespoons of baking soda. Boil for a few minutes, then use a pan scraper to loosen the food. In my (Faith’s) house, washing a cast iron skillet is extremely basic: Wash with a little regular soap and a scrub brush, which is gentle but firm and will remove any bits of food without harshness. Dry with a towel and, if you like, heat up briefly on a burner to evaporate any moisture more quickly. That’s it. Lightly coat the cast iron pan with a neutral oil that has a high smoke point: canola oil, vegetable oil, and grapeseed oil are great options. Rub the oil all over the pan—both inside and outside—with a paper towel. Position the pan upside-down on the piece of foil in the oven. Leave in the oven for an hour. Turn off and let it cool. Step 1: Soak. Before you get started, assess the damage: If the amount of rust on your cast iron pan is minimal you should skip this vinegar soak step entirely. Vinegar is pretty hard on cast iron—if you leave your pan soaking too long in the stuff, you’ll have bigger problems than rust. That said, the pros at Southern Cast Iron tell us . Of course, if you rarely use your cast-iron skillet, oiling it only two to three times a year will work. 3. Bake. Preheat the oven to 350˚F. Place the pan upside down on the middle oven rack—This prevents the oil from pooling inside the pan. Put a sheet of aluminum foil on the lower shelf to catch any drips. Put about one cup of salt into the wok and heat for a few minutes. Spread across the rusted areas with a spatula for some minutes. Allow the wok to cool down, and then continue scrubbing with a small piece of clothing. When you are satisfied with the scrubbing, put the wok back on the heat. Follow these steps for seasoning your ceramic pan. Step 1: Clean the Pan. Before you begin, make sure your ceramic pan is completely clean. Use some dish soap and the soft cloth to gently clean the surface of the pan. Avoid scrubbing it with an abrasive brush or sponge, especially if your pan is new, as it may damage its surface. Everytime I use my pan I do a real quick season just to maintain the surface. Get the pan hot. Pour in a dollop of Flax Oil. Rub it around. Wait till the pan smokes. Take it off the heat. Wipe the pan one more time. Walk away and let it cool. Ask Question. 1. Leave the pan to soak straight after use. 2. Use a gentle tool to remove stuck-on food. 3. Clean with baking soda to restore the original color. 4. Avoid using chemicals or metal utensils to keep the surface smooth. By Chiana Dickson.

how to clean cast iron pan before first use