Avoid cooking in it.
Seasoning the pan after each use creates a thin layer of polymerized oil that protects the skillet and becomes a nonstick surface. If you only use your pan a few times a year, then this “nonstick” coating is going to be very thin and prone to sticking or damage.
If cast iron is left in the sink to soak, put in the dishwasher, or allowed to air dry, it will rust. It can also happen when you store your cookware in moisture-prone environments, such as a cabinet near a dishwasher, an open cabinet in a humid location, or stored outside.
Cast iron pans can leach a sizeable amount of iron into your food, exceeding dietary intake in some cases. Acidic foods will contribute to much more leaching while an old, heavily-seasoned pan will leach much less iron than a newer one.
There are two common products to protect cast iron… spray protectants, and paste wax. Spray-on products are probably my favorite, but they both have pros and cons.
When cooking in cast iron, you should add a little oil to the pan before adding your food. This helps ensure the food doesn't stick, and it helps build layers of seasoning. You can generally use whatever oil you prefer, as long as the cooking temperature is below the smoke point of the oil.
Daily Upkeep
Gently clean your skillet after each use with water and very little soap, if necessary. Use the firm scrubbing side of a two sided sponge rather than an abrasive metal scrub. After you finish washing and rinsing the cast-iron, dry it thoroughly with a towel and return it to a warm oven for 10 minutes.
Cast iron is porous, meaning that long exposure to water can cause it to soak up the moisture and eventually rust.
Clean cast-iron skillet after every use
Wipe interior surface of still-warm skillet with paper towels to remove any excess food and oil. Rinse under hot running water, scrubbing with nonmetal brush or nonabrasive scrub pad to remove any traces of food. (Use small amount of soap if you like; rinse well.)
Can I use steel wool or a metal scrubber to clean my cast iron pan? No! We recommend using a pan scraper or the Lodge Chainmail Scrubber to remove any stuck-on residue.
"You can't clean cast-iron the same way you clean stainless steel," kitchen expert and author of "Kitchen Matters," Pamela Salzman says. "It's very porous," Rach adds. "That flavor will stay in there and literally bake into the pan."
Olive oil is another popular choice for seasoning cast iron because most people probably already have it in their pantry. However, extra virgin olive oil has a relatively low smoke point, so heating it to higher temperatures will cause it to break down and turn rancid.
How often should you season your cast iron skillet? Generally, we recommend seasoning your cast iron about once per month, but after every time you use it works as well if you find that it could use some seasoning. What type of oil is best for seasoning a cast iron skillet? Canola, vegetable, or coconut oil are best.
Olive oil is a great option for seasoning your cast iron skillet because it is affordable and easy to find. It also has a high smoke point, which means it can withstand high temperatures without burning.
How often should I season my skillet? — To get the best out of your cast iron skillet, it's recommended that you oil it after each use. However, depending on how frequently you use it, 2-3 times a year is sufficient.
After each use, to get the most out of your cast-iron skillet, it is best practice to apply a thin layer of oil on the surface. Regularly oiling your cast iron skillet will provide a protective layer to the surface and help keep it from rusting.
Cast iron is a very dense metal, making it nearly impervious to damage and the king of holding on to heat. Even heating means that meats brown better and vegetables cook faster without having to constantly manage the heat source or rotate pans in the oven.
Deterioration of cast iron pipes is normal after just 25 years, so homeowners should conduct routine inspections. An estimated 76 million American homes have failed cast iron pipes that must be replaced.
Cast Iron: Cast iron pipes last between 80-100 years, and are built to withstand a high amount of water pressure.
The acidity of tomatoes makes them challenging to cook in cast iron. Anyone who's ever eaten a tomato or cooked with tomatoes can verify that this fruit is quite acidic. As it happens, the tomato's acidity is precisely why doesn't work well with cast-iron cookware, especially for long cooking stretches.
WD-40 Specialist® Rust Remover Soak quickly dissolves rust and restores tools, equipment, and surfaces to bare metal without chipping, scraping or scrubbing. Great for removing rust from tools, metal, cast iron, chrome parts, and more without harming paint, gaskets, trim, or other surrounding parts.
Soap doesn't remove seasoning, but it can remove some oil.
Cast iron is beloved for its natural non-stick quality. This is built up over months and years of use, as a layer of seasoning develops on the pan's surface.