Yes, you can absolutely use soap on cast iron. But before you go squeezing out a deluge of Dawn, you should know a few things about using soap on cast iron.
So, bottom line, never use Dawn on your cast iron pan. You might think your getting your pan cleaner, but in fact, you're making it harder to create and maintain your seasoning. And that's a big problem when your talking about a useful cast iron pan.
All you need is hot water and a scrubbing brush, steel wool or a copper cleaning cloth to do this. You can use kosher salt, a scrubber and neutral oil to scrub it. Important- do NOT use any soap. If you find it difficult to remove, you can leave water in the pan overnight to soften the debris.
You should absolutely clean cast iron cookware. Just don't use anything abrasive like steel wool. Also don't soak for very long. And use a standard dish detergent like Dawn. The notion of not cleaning is decades outdated and comes from when soaps were lye-based (lye will break down the seasoning).
Cast iron needs to be cherished, and rust is the enemy. The easiest and fastest way to remove rust from cast iron is Evapo-Rust®. It will spare your knuckles, as there is no scrubbing with brushes or steel wool involved. It is also safe to use on your cooking supplies.
Cooking with a cast iron pan that has a little bit of surface rust on it isn't likely to hurt you. If your pan is seriously rusty or has visible rust flakes, you shouldn't cook with it until the rust is removed and the pan is washed and re-seasoned.
Stick to mild dish soaps to clean your cast iron skillet.
Common cooking oils like olive oil will gradually produce seasoning, but won't be as effective as grapeseed oil. Canola, other vegetable oils, and shortening are a little better.
Clean your cast-iron skillet each time you use it. Doing so prevents stuck-on food from staying on the skillet between uses. If the skillet is only slightly dirty, a quick wipe after cooking in it will work. If dirtier, or food is stuck, then scrubbing it is best.
They are most likely carbon deposits. This happens due to overheating of fats and oils. Using an oil with a low smoke point will carbonize at high temperatures and cause residue from the pores of your pan to rub off onto your food. While unappealing, they won't hurt you in such a small amount.
You should only need to fully re-season your cast-iron cookware one to two times a year, but you may also want to give it some extra seasoning love anytime you cook something that requires a heavy-duty cleaning.
Dawn. Dawn dish soap is by and large the best of the mild detergents to use. It is gentle enough to keep your finish on your deck, but strong enough to remove tough stains.
You can generally use whatever oil you prefer, as long as the cooking temperature is below the smoke point of the oil. Olive oil, vegetable oil, sunflower oil, and grapeseed oil are all great multipurpose cooking oils—you can use them for everything from sautéing to baking.
Dish Detergent: A few drops of dish detergent mixed with water is a simple strategy for cleaning a soleplate that has non-stick coating. Dip a paper towel or cloth into sudsy water and gently wipe away buildup.
Oil, especially canola oil (bad, unhealthy oil), should not be used. If a quick oiling (not seasoning) in between is desired, it's best to use a high temperature oil like avocado. A quick rub can do the trick, if your pan looks a bit dry. I have one pan that is about 100 years old!
Bake your cookware upside down at 450 degrees Fahrenheit in the oven for one hour. Allow the pan to cool down completely, and repeat three more times.
When using carbon-steel and cast-iron pans, some people like to heat the dry pan first, then add the oil. This is because high heat causes the oil to oxidize and polymerize, allowing it to bond to the metal, filling in any small pits and divots—a process that seasons the pan, essentially giving it a nonstick surface.
This whole “don't use soap to wash you cast iron” comes from back in the day when soap was made out of lye which is aggressive stuff. Nick Fields I don't use a lot but I use a pad a little bit of dawn. Cleans the pan perfectly, and I've never had an issue with sticking or rusting.
The Lodge 10.25-Inch Pre-Seasoned Cast Iron Skillet has proven time and time again to be the best overall cast iron due to its unrivaled consistent heating at a stellar price.
Yes, Coke contains phosphoric acid which helps remove rust from cast iron. Pour Coke on the rusted area and wait 15 to 20 minutes for the acid to break down the rust. Then wipe the pan with a scrubby sponge or dish towel. Repeat this process until the rust is completely gone.
Rust is not a food safe material so it should not be ingested. If you see rust on the surface of a utensil such as a cast-iron skillet or knife, remove all the rust before using it.