Cast Iron Cleaning Tools

If you love cooking with a well-seasoned cast-iron skillet, but dread scrubbing it down, you’re going to want to check out these four game-changing accessories. From brushes that get deep into the nooks to scrubbers that spare your seasoning, each tool makes cleanup faster, easier, and way less annoying. Whether you’re a weeknight cook or a weekend skillet chef, having the right cleaning gear can turn cleanup from a chore into a breeze.

How to Clean a Cast Iron Skillet

One question that I always get from my readers on my blog, emails, and social media is how I clean my cast iron skillet. So, I’m sharing with you today how to clean a cast iron skillet in three simple steps and super fast.

First: After using the skillet to make your dinner, clean it immediately, meaning you’ll clean it while it is still hot or warm. Rinse the skillet under hot water.

Please, don’t put your skillet in the dishwasher. Instead, wash it by hand, and also, don’t soak it and leave it in the kitchen sink because your skillet will rust.

Second: If your skillet is not totally clean after you rinse it with hot water, use a proper pan scraper or a stiff brush (more about those below).

If, after this, you still see some stuck-on food, just add 1/2 cup of water to the skillet and bring to a boil for 3-5 minutes. When the skillet is cool, use a scraper or a stiff brush to remove any stubborn pieces of food.

Third: Rinse it again and immediately dry your skillet with a paper towel. It’s very important that you dry your skillet otherwise, it may rust.

4 Great Accessories For Cleaning Cast Iron Skillets:

These 4 great Accessories For Cleaning Cast Iron skillets will make your life easier in the kitchen after cooking a delicious one-pan meal in your cast iron skillet. These are my favorite accessories for cleaning your cookware without damaging it.

1. Cast Iron Brush

When I first bought my cast iron skillet, I was cleaning it with a sponge (so wrong), and obviously it wasn’t doing a great job. So I bought a kitchen brush designed specifically for cast iron. Wow, what a great choice I made.

Now, if my cast iron skillet is not very dirty, I just turn on the tap with hot water, scrub the skillet with the brush, and done.

2. Lodge Pan Scrapers

This pan scraper is another great accessory to help you clean your skillet. Sometimes, only a kitchen brush is not enough to get off food pieces that have stuck in your skillet.

So, this is a situation where you may need to use a pan scraper.  It’s super durable and it comes in 4 different shaped corners for cleaning any shaped pan.

3. Grips Cast Iron Cleaner

I found this Gripps cast iron cleaner the other day on Amazon, and I fell in love with it. I mean, this is genius. I love the design and the built-in sponge. It’s like a mix of sponge and scrubber.

And the best part, this grip cast iron cleaner is a multi-use and multi-purpose scrubber since you can use it as a bbq grill brush, kitchen brush, pan scraper, scrub brush and it can be used for sink, glassware, stainless steel, pizza stones, pie pans, plates, baking sheets, tea pots, cookie sheets, kitchen faucets, and so on.

4. Cast Iron Seasoning Ultimate Bundle

This bundle comes with Cast Iron Oil, Cast Iron Soap, and Cast Iron Scrub. The cast iron oil is great to protect and prolong the lifespan of your cast iron skillet, preventing it from rusting.

The cast iron soap is super natural and doesn’t contain parabens, phosphates, or synthetic foaming agents. The cast iron salt scrub is amazing to remove food residues while protecting the natural seasoning. This kit is really good to help restore and maintain the natural seasoning of your cast iron skillet.

How To Season Your Cast-Iron Skillet:

All the cast iron skillets that I have are already seasoned, but over time, I do like to season my skillets. And here is how I do it:

• First: Spread a thin layer of seasoning oil, avocado/grape oil, or vegetable oil over the skillet.
• Second: Using a paper towel, rub the entire skillet to coat it evenly. Don’t forget to flip the skillet and do the same thing on the outside, too.
• Third: Transfer the skillet upside down to an oven on a middle oven rack at 375° and bake it for 1 hour.
• Four: Bake for 1 hour, turn the oven off, and allow the skillet to cool down completely in the oven. Done! It’s really as simple as that.

5 Best Cast Iron Skillet Recipes for Dinner:

My skillet recipes are very popular on my site, and I think it’s because they’re made in one single pan, require only a few ingredients, and they’re easy to make. So, I selected the most popular cast iron skillet recipes for dinner that will please even the pickiest ones.

1. This Shrimp and Sausage Vegetable Cast Iron Skillet Iron Skillet is a quick, flavorful one-pan meal packed with juicy shrimp, savory sausage, and vibrant veggies — perfect for busy weeknights!

2. This Chicken and Bell Peppers Cast Iron Skillet is a quick, colorful, and flavor-packed one-pan meal that’s perfect for busy nights.

3. This Italian Sausage, Onions and Peppers Cast Iron Skillet is a hearty one-skillet meal packed with savory sausage, sweet onions, and colorful peppers for an easy weeknight dinner.

4. This Quick Beef and Zucchini Cast Iron Skillet is fast and flavorful recipe that brings together tender beef and fresh zucchini for a simple, satisfying meal in minutes.

5. This Easy Broiled Salmon Recipe is a quick, foolproof salmon recipe that delivers perfectly flaky, flavorful fish with almost no effort.