The Forgotten Art of Dry-Cleaning your Cast Iron Skillet
Reviving the Old Ways
Before running water and dish soap, cooks cared for cast iron with nothing but heat, salt, and patience. Fire was their sanitizer, salt their scrub, and oil their armor.
Most cooks today give their cast iron a quick rinse under the faucet, a scrub with a brush, and a swipe of oil. It works — but a century ago, no one would have dared to run their skillet under water. They used heat, salt, and time. A quiet ritual that kept the pan strong for generations.
That old method is worth bringing back. It’s simple, chemical-free, and surprisingly satisfying. Here’s how to “dry clean” your cast iron — the way cooks did before dish soap and stainless sinks.
What “Dry Cleaning” Really Means
Instead of soap and water, you use coarse salt as an abrasive and heat as a sanitizer. It’s not mystical; it’s just the pre-plumbing way to clean. The salt loosens stuck bits, and a final pass of heat sterilizes the surface and refreshes the seasoning layer.
Here’s the step-by-step:
- Let it cool slightly. Warm — never hot — is ideal. If it’s too hot, the oil will burn before you start.
- Add coarse salt. About a tablespoon of kosher or sea salt works best.
- Scrub gently. Use a folded towel or the cut side of a potato to push the salt in small circles until residue lifts.
- Discard the salt. Wipe it out with a clean cloth.
- Reheat for two minutes. Set the pan over low heat to evaporate moisture and open the pores of the iron.
- Oil lightly. A few drops of neutral oil rubbed in until it looks satin, not slick.
- Cool and store. Let it rest on the stove or a rack — bone-dry and ready for tomorrow.
Salt’s secret: when warm iron meets coarse salt, friction creates micro-abrasion that smooths the polymerized oil layer — cleaning without stripping. It’s exfoliation for your skillet.
This process leaves your seasoning intact and your pan clean enough to fry an egg in five minutes later.
That said, if you cook something particularly aromatic — bacon, onions, or heavily spiced foods — a quick rinse with hot water before re-oiling can help prevent lingering flavors. Even the best seasoning layer can hold a trace of yesterday’s dinner if it isn’t refreshed occasionally.
Even purists who swear by the dry method will tell you there’s a line: skip water too often, and you can trap flavor memories you didn’t ask for. A quick rinse after bold meals keeps your pan seasoned, not scented.
When to Use Which
- Use Dry Cleaning (salt + heat) for: everyday residue, eggs, pancakes, or searing where nothing burned on.
- Use Hot Water + Brush for: saucy dishes, sugary or cheesy bits, fish, lots of garlic/onion, or any strong spices.
- Always finish by drying over heat and oiling lightly to keep the seasoning fed.
Today, most cooks rely on water and a brush — but bringing back the old salt-and-heat method adds a layer of quiet care that modern routines often skip. A mix of both approaches keeps your skillet nonstick, rust-free, and deeply seasoned for life.
For the truly stubborn mess: When food is baked on hard — like blackened cornbread or burnt sugar — sprinkle coarse salt and a splash of water, then simmer gently for a few minutes. The heat and steam soften residue without harsh scrubbing. If that still fails, a quick paste of baking soda and water can lift the last layer without harming the seasoning. Just remember to dry and oil afterward.
Pair It With Proper Seasoning
If your pan ever looks dull or sticky after cleaning, it may need a quick re-season. Our guide on how to season a cast iron skillet walks you through restoring that deep, natural sheen.
And when you’re ready to test your skillet’s even heat again, try the honey cast iron skillet cornbread — the kind that releases with a perfect crust every time.
Bring back this small, forgotten habit, and your skillet will thank you — not with words, but with the sound of butter hitting hot iron.