Quick take
- Cast iron: sources agree on drying it and keeping its oil layer, and disagree on soap and seasoning temperature.1234
- Stainless steel: wash soon after cooking, and dissolve salt in hot food rather than pouring it onto a cold pan.57
- Enameled cast iron: avoid sharp knocks and sudden temperature swings.6
- Ceramic-coated and solid ceramic pans have different rules. We list what each brand says in its own published guidance.78
Everything on this page is a care tip, not a safety test. When we describe what a brand says, we label it as the brand’s own statement.
Cast iron and carbon steel: the seasoning layer
Seasoning means a thin layer of oil heated until it forms a protective coating. A Virginia Tech food scientist explains that cast iron is pure iron and rusts quickly when bare, so the oil layer, once polymerized, protects it and gives it nonstick properties.3
Our plain-English version, drawn from the sources below:
- Dry it. Extension services and Lodge all say not to soak cast iron or put it in the dishwasher, and to dry it completely.124
- Oil it lightly. Rub in a very thin layer of oil after drying.1234
- Clean it soon. The University of Maine says to clean the pan right after cooking, while it is still warm, because stuck food is harder to remove later.1
- Don’t shock it. The University of Maine warns against rinsing hot cast iron under cold water, which it says can warp or crack the pan.1
- Be gentle with rust. Mississippi State says light rust can likely be removed with a wet towel and kosher salt.2 Lodge says steel wool is fine for removing rust, though not for daily cleanup.4
Where the sources disagree
On soap, the sources do not agree. Mississippi State advises against soap for cleaning.2 Virginia Tech’s food scientist says the no-soap rule comes from a time when soap contained lye, and that modern soap on a properly seasoned pan will not wash off the polymerized layer.3 Lodge says soap is fine.4 The University of Maine says there is no clear consensus and suggests a small amount, fully rinsed.1
See the evidence: how each source seasons and cleans
| Source | Seasoning oven step | Soap | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| University of Maine Extension | Thin layer of neutral, high-smoke-point oil, pan upside down at about 450°F for 1 hour, repeated 3–5 times.1 | No clear consensus; use a small amount if you do.1 | Foil or a pan below to catch drips.1 |
| Mississippi State Extension | Thin layer of vegetable oil, upside down at 350°F for 1 hour, repeated 3–4 times.2 | Advises against soap for cleaning.2 | Soaking rusted areas in vinegar for no more than 15 minutes at a time.2 |
| Virginia Tech food scientist | Thin layer of fat or oil, upside down at 450°F for 1 hour, repeated 2–3 times; suggests an oil high in polyunsaturated fat, such as soybean or flaxseed.3 | Modern soap is fine on a properly seasoned pan.3 | Wipe with oil after each use.3 |
| Lodge (brand) | For re-seasoning: 450–500°F, upside down, 1 hour, cool in the oven.4 | Soap is fine.4 | Brand’s own guidance for its own cast iron.4 |
The temperatures differ by 100°F or more, and the repeat counts differ too. We did not find any side-by-side testing of these methods. When a pan comes with its own care sheet, follow that first.
Sources agree on drying and a thin layer of oil, and disagree on soap and temperature.
Carbon steel. We did not find a university or independent care source for carbon steel pans, so we won’t write method steps for them. Consumer Reports says cast iron and carbon steel skillets develop a seasoned patina over time that can become like a nonstick coating.11
Stainless steel
Clemson says manufacturers caution against letting acidic or salty foods stay in stainless steel for long periods, and that undissolved salt can pit steel surfaces.5 Caraway’s own care page for its stainless line says to wait until food is hot to add salt, preheat on low to medium heat, avoid oil sprays and let the pan cool before running it under cold water.7 See our stainless steel guide for the research on nickel and chromium.
Enameled cast iron
America’s Test Kitchen says enamel cracks or chips if sharply struck, and advises against sudden temperature changes, especially near moisture, and against heating an empty pot.6 Caraway’s enameled cast iron care page says the same kinds of things in its own words: hand wash only, no metal scrubbing pads, and let the pan return to room temperature before cold water touches it.7 Our enameled cast iron guide covers the enamel in more detail.
Ceramic-coated pans and solid ceramic pans are not the same thing
Two cookware types are both called “ceramic,” and their brands give different instructions. Here is what each says about itself.
| Ceramic-coated (Caraway’s published guidance) | Solid ceramic (Xtrema’s published guidance) | |
|---|---|---|
| What the brand says it is | A ceramic-coated pan; the care page says to use low to medium heat only.7 | Xtrema says its cookware is clay, water, natural minerals and oxides, with no nonstick coating and no metal core; its testing page describes a fired glaze on the exterior.89 |
| Heat | Low to medium heat only; avoid leaving an empty pan on a hot burner.7 | Preheat 3–5 minutes on the lowest setting, and generally don’t go above medium.8 |
| Thermal shock | Let the pan cool before cold water.7 | Thaw frozen food first, and be mindful of sudden changes such as cold water or a cold countertop.8 |
| Utensils | Wooden, silicone, plastic or nylon.7 | Wooden, silicone or nylon; metal may leave marks.8 |
| Washing | Hand wash only.7 | Xtrema says dishwasher-safe or hand wash with a non-metal scour pad.8 |
These are the brands’ own statements, not our testing, and they apply to those brands only. Xtrema also states that its cookware “does not contain PTFE, PFOA, PFAS, or a ‘ceramic’ coating,” and that it tests every shipment for extractable lead and cadmium under California’s Proposition 65 and posts results.89 We have not independently verified any of these claims. Remember that PFOA-free is not PFAS-free, and see our label decoder and our ceramic nonstick guide for how to read them.
Glass bakeware
Iowa State’s AnswerLine reports that glass bakeware can shatter or crack under thermal shock. It lists Consumer Reports’ precautions: place hot glassware on a dry cloth or potholder, don’t use it for stovetop cooking or under a broiler, don’t add liquid to hot glassware, don’t go straight from freezer to oven, and discard dishes with chips, cracks or scratches.10
A short weekly routine
- Wash soon after cooking, and dry cast iron immediately.
- Skip steel wool on coated and enameled surfaces. Brand guidance for coated and enameled pans says to avoid metal scrubbing pads.7
- Let pans cool before they meet cold water.
- Give coated pans a visual check, and retire ones with worn or flaking surfaces. Consumer Reports says of PTFE-coated pans that long-used ones with scratched coatings may not be as safe as pans in pristine condition.11
- Store pans so surfaces don’t grind together. Xtrema suggests a soft towel between pieces,8 and Caraway suggests a protective sheath for bakeware.7
What we don’t know
- Which cast iron seasoning method is best. We found no side-by-side testing.
- How to care for carbon steel. We did not find a university or independent source.
- Whether brand care rules produce the lifespans the brands describe. We did not test any pan.
- How the brands’ safety and testing claims hold up. We read what each publishes; we did not test their cookware.
Related: cookware materials compared and the kitchen registry guide.