If you’ve ever Google searched “how to clean XYZ pan,” the internet will instantly flood your results with an overwhelming amount of feedback. It’s enough to make you a skeptic. Which method rings true? Which of these results is a paid product push? Which of these is safe to potentially ingest after cleaning? HOW much is this?! The list goes on. Before you know it, your search has been redirected by the Googlesphere, and you’re suddenly shopping for new pans, wondering how on earth you got here.

When it comes to cooking and cleaning in the kitchen, I’ve realized that more often than not, the most trustworthy, reliable, simple, and straight-to-the point answers we can find come from asking the experienced home cooks in our lives what they would do. When it comes to cleaning cast iron, my mother-in-law had it right all along, and her tried and true solution isn’t some expensive spray or sponge from Amazon or the latest and greatest state-of-the art bottled chemical. To remove stubborn bits and food stains from your cast iron pan, you need just two things, and both of them are likely already hanging out in your pantry. Looking for a new cast iron pan? Discover some of the best cast iron skillets here.

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