Do You Want to Know About Common Mistakes to Avoid When Seasoning and Cleaning Cast Iron?

Applying too much oil: Excess oil is the most common cause of sticky, uneven seasoning. Users advise wiping the pan as if you never intended to put oil on it in the first place, leaving only a micro-thin layer. "The best advice I got was after putting oil into the pan wipe it out like you weren't supposed to put oil in it at all and need to get it all out."

Not wiping the pan again after heating: The surface tension of oil changes when heated, so wiping the pan a second time after it warms up helps remove excess oil that becomes visible. "Apply oil. Wipe. Preheat. Wipe AGAIN. Finish seasoning."

Using too high heat too quickly: Rapidly heating cast iron from cold can cause seasoning to burn off, especially over direct heat sources like stove burners. "Looks like the seasoning burned off above the burners. Fortunately it is fixable!"

Believing soap should never be used: Modern dish detergents do not contain lye, which was historically the ingredient that stripped cast iron seasoning. "Today's detergents don't contain lye. Today's detergents don't damage the seasoning on your cast iron."

Soaking cast iron: While soap is generally safe, soaking cast iron pans for extended periods can lead to rust. Instead, clean thoroughly and dry immediately. "I think for a lot of people the act of doing dishes in general involves soaking and you should never ever soak cast iron."

Worrying about black residue on paper towels: The black residue that often appears on paper towels when oiling a cleaned pan is typically just excess carbon and polymerized oil, and it's not harmful. "I don't think you're doing anything wrong, that's just the way cast iron pans are."