The day I realized my cast iron skillet was fine without soap scares

I used to scrub my cast iron with salt and water like some sort of ritual, thinking dish soap would strip the seasoning. Then last year I dropped it in the sink after a bacon mess, grabbed a drop of Dawn out of habit, and the pan cooked eggs perfectly the next morning. Has anyone else found their seasoning bounces back faster than the old-timers claim?

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chen.jenny2mo ago

You ever notice how the old school cast iron rules feel more like a gatekeeping thing than actual science? I was the same way, terrified to touch soap near my pan for years. Turns out a little dish soap once in a while does nothing to a well built up seasoning, especially if you dry it on the stove right after. The whole "soap strips oil" thing comes from back when lye was in dish soap, which nobody uses anymore. I still mostly wipe mine out with a paper towel and a tiny bit of oil but I don't panic if soap touches it now. Your bacon pan probably had enough layers of seasoning that one wash barely touched it... you're fine.

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piper_thompson312mo ago

Oh man, EXACTLY. I had a panic moment the first time my roommate tossed my cast iron in the sink with soapy water. I dried it on a low burner right after and hit it with a thin layer of Crisco, and it was fine. That seasoning you get from cooking bacon and frying stuff regularly is TOUGH. I still avoid scrubbing hard with soap, but a quick wash and dry on the stove has never set me back. You've got the right idea.

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