After cooking with cast iron, the challenging part is removing stuck food on the surface. So, it’s essential to know the tools to clean cast iron.

One night, after we finished our dinner at my grandmother’s house, she was vigorously scrubbing her beloved cast iron skillet with a scouring pad to remove the stubborn bits of food stuck to it. Despite her efforts, the food seemed to be particularly resistant and wouldn’t budge from its spot. She kept scrubbing and scraping away at the cookware in hopes of success but found herself struggling with no luck.

Best Tools to Clean Cast Iron Skillet

When I returned to my Nana’s house the next day, I brought different tools to clean cast iron skillet. My Grandma is an old-fashioned cook who typically relies on traditional cooking methods and cleaning her cookware. However, I think it might be the best time to introduce her to more modern tools. It could make the job easier when removing stuck-on food from cast iron pans.

Chainmail Scrubbing Pad

The first tool we tried to clean the cast iron skillet was the chainmail scrubbing pad. Chain mail scrubbers are an incredibly useful tool for cleaning and scrubbing surfaces. This unique type of scrubber is made up of a series of interlocking metal rings that form a mesh-like material. It’s similar to the armor worn by medieval knights. It’s perfect for getting into hard-to-reach areas. It can also remove stubborn dirt, grime, and food residue from cookware or other kitchen items. 

The chain mail construction makes it highly effective yet gentle on delicate surfaces like nonstick cookware, porcelain tile, stainless steel sinks, glass stovetops, and more. Furthermore, because it is so durable and long-lasting, it can be used over again without losing its effectiveness.

Cast Iron Pan Brush

The chainmail pad is a great aid in removing the large pieces of food that have become lodged onto the skillet’s surface. But some small particles remain stuck in harder-to-reach areas. So, we used the cast iron pan brush with small but strong brittles. The bristles of the brush were surprisingly sturdy. And given their size, and we found it to be extremely effective for getting into every nook and cranny of the skillet.

Pan Scrapers

We also use some pan scrapers, which, at first glance, may seem quite unassuming. However, they are specially designed with various angles to get into all the nooks and crannies of our cast iron cookware. These rigid scrapers are incredibly helpful for ensuring that we can clean every corner of my Nana’s skillet.

Cast Iron Salt Scrub

Kosher salt is traditionally used to help with the cleaning process of cast iron pans. However, there are now specially formulated cast iron salt scrubs that have been specifically designed for this purpose. These unique salt scrub mixtures can effectively and efficiently remove dirt, debris, and build-up from the surface of your cast iron cookware to ensure a deep clean.

Household Items to Clean Cast Iron Skillet

In addition to using modern tools to clean cast iron, my Nana and I also attempted some of the suggested common household materials to remove the stubborn food particles from our cast iron cookware. We wanted to ensure that all possible measures were taken to eliminate any food residue. We used cotton swabs, toothpicks, and even old toothbrushes.

How to Restore Uneven Cast Iron Seasoning

Nana and I decided to tackle the issue of her uneven seasoning cast iron. Since we were already in the middle of a major cleaning in her kitchen, we thought it would be best to take advantage of the opportunity and fix the cast iron someone had borrowed from her.

According to Grandma, the uneven texture of cast iron cookware is mainly due to using too much oil for seasoning. This can result in a build-up of excessive amounts of oil, creating an irregular surface on the pan. Usually, well-seasoned cast iron is smooth and shiny in texture. You can’t feel any rough parts or patchy areas.

The goal of seasoning cast iron is to fill the tiny pores with a small amount of oil, which will then harden when heated and form a protective layer on top. If too much oil is used, it can result in irregular splotches on the skillet that can be difficult to remove. Therefore, it’s essential to use only enough oil for the seasoning process to achieve optimal results.

So, how are we going to fix the uneven cast iron seasoning?

The splotches on my Nana’s cast iron pan were minimal, and only small sections felt rough. To fix this, we decided to re-season the skillet to even out its seasoning coating. We repeated the process twice until all of the splotches had been eliminated.

Re-seasoning cast iron cookware is an uncomplicated and effortless process. Whether you prefer to utilize an oven or not, the method remains the same. All you need to do is heat up your pot or pan until it’s hot enough for the oil to be applied evenly across the surface. Once that’s done, simply allow your cast iron piece to cool before using it again.

On the other hand, if your cast iron seasoning is quite uneven and splotchy, Nana recommends that you strip off the damaged seasoning layer and begin re-seasoning it again. This process will require you to thoroughly clean your cooking surface by scrubbing off all of the existing grease and oil before applying a thin oil coating or shortening evenly over the entire surface. Then bake in an oven at 350 degrees Fahrenheit for about an hour. Finally, let it cool down naturally to room temperature before using it.

How to Prevent Uneven Seasoning

After restoring the cast iron with uneven seasoning, it’s also essential to learn how to avoid this issue in the future. Nana suggests that it is important to be mindful of how much oil you use when seasoning your cast iron cookware in order to prevent an uneven surface on the skillet or pan. She further recommends avoiding any harsh soaps when cleaning the cookware, as this could lead to damaging the seasoned surface.

When cooking with acidic foods in your cast iron skillet, it is important to remember that this can have an effect on the seasoning of the cookware over time. So, you should limit cooking acidic food to your cast iron. You should only cook recipes which are best suited for cast iron cookware in order to maintain its longevity.