Hi Barb,

Wipe out your Oven with some paper towel,newspaper or similar to remove the oil/fat & baked on food. Then boil up some water in the oven and let it boil for a while, throw it out and your oven should be pretty clean. I never use anything to scrub it out unless I burn something onto the base. A quick wipe out & back on the beads for a bit to completely dry the oven and then a light coating of oil for storage & to prevent rust.

Hope that helps
Skip

Hey Two Bears,

That would be how I do it. The only thing about oiling it after use is that if you don't use it for a few weeks then the oil goes rancid. So for long term storage I would do it dry.

As far as the brush, just add a drop of dish soap and scrub it in your hand. It cleans up nice and a good rinse and it is clean for next time.

Best, Duncan

Little_Kopit wrote on Aug 5^th, 2008 at 5:19am:


The "No Soap" rule may go back to the days when soap was made with lye and thus very harsh and damaging to the seasoning. Modern dish soap does not have lye in it. I do agree that too much modern soap is bad for the flavor of your next dish. 

In general, I do not use any soap on my cast iron, however, I do use one drop to cut the grease if the hot water is not doing it on its own.

My rule is that you use soap only as needed and only enought to get the job done, no more.

Duncan, why oh why do you want to use soap?  You want to leave the oven with all of it's seasoning.  & if it has oil, so what?

Soap does nothing for sanitizing.  Hot water does that.  Why oh why do some people think soap is essential to hygiene or cleanliness? 

Try it without for awhile, eh!

Me too, I subscribe to the "No Soap" method. A bit of hot water and if need be a bit of a scrub with a nylon brush.
I give my babies a thin wipe with olive oil after I've cleaned them and store them with the lids askew to let the air circulate, no problems.
pd

Two Bears wrote on Aug 5^th, 2008 at 9:30am:


Ha,Ha,Ha,Ha,
Hate to say "I told you so"!!!

Mick.

Two Bears wrote on Aug 5^th, 2008 at 9:41am:

Now that you put it that way Barb..
We are crazy.   
But thats ok with me.
I like this form of crazy..at least its entertaining.

Aart

Little_Kopit wrote on Aug 5^th, 2008 at 8:20am:


Nine time out of ten I do not use soap. As I said I only use a drop to cut the grease as needed. Soap and hot water do nothing for sanitizing, or at least not much with how I have my water heater set. Sanitizing comes from returning the iron to the heat and rasing the temp up high. With a little oil, I have some re-seasoning going on.

If you do use soap make sure that you rinse it real good, or you will need to run for the out-house.

I understand both sides of the soap issue, we will just have to agree that we don't agree.

To an extent I think they're selling product.  They've always had their seasoning temperature very low. 

I don't use oil after drying.  I usually have a dry house, even though I live near coastal waters. 

Where I am now, we're on day 4 of rain and rain and rain and rain (BTW 14' wind NE 30 km & I'm comfy in t-shirt ) , so my house isn't all that arid right now.

The point is properly dried, you shouldn't get rust.

timer just went off for lobster (sorry steamed it).

Mick
From what I have read about using Cola to remove rust, one has to be careful not to over do it... as the Cola will eat away at the cast, so care must be taken.
Muzz

Derek wrote on Aug 6^th, 2008 at 6:49pm:


I have not used either one on my iron. I it my understanding (have not done it) that Cola is a good cleaner of auto engines. As for vinegar it apperently helps with cleaning a pot that has rancid oil in it.

Again havent used either one.

Carolyn™ wrote on Aug 8^th, 2008 at 6:47am:


It may not be good for the belt line.

Here in the States all our sodas are made with High Fructose Corn Syrup, not sugar. Once I found out how it was made and how it is processed by the human body, I stopped using it. It is amazing how much it is used in most anything. It would also answer why our kids are getting fat.

Crazy Dog wrote on Aug 9^th, 2008 at 2:21pm:


Here here!!!
Or should I say WOOF WOOF, I'm with you Crazy, live while I'm alive, sleep when I'm dead.

Robbo

Carolyn™ wrote on Aug 10^th, 2008 at 7:49am:


Definitely a great day for CO cooking. I bought a cabbage so I can cook it in a veg dish outside so it doesn't stink the place out! 

Barb