Best dish scouring pads according to redditors

Cleaning cast iron

You can join us over in /r/castiron

But in general: Contrary to what some think, cast iron cookware isn't allergic to being washed. Give it a good washing with plenty of whatever dish soap is handy. Just don't soak it for days at a time (short hours is fine). (It also isn't allergic to temperature -- screaming-hot cast iron is how medium-rare steaks get a lovely crust. Whoever says otherwise needs more cooking lessons -- I'm looking at you, /u/krazykitties.)

What usually happens with my cast iron stuff when I do things like cook hamburgers with Worcestershire sauce is that the sugars from the sauce form a hard, black glaze on the pan. It's a bitch to get rid of, but the burgers are worth it, so I keep doing it.

I use a blue scrubbie sponge ("non-scratch", here in the States), and that gets most of it off usually. For extreme cases, I use a green scrubby sponge (guaranteed to resurface your copper pans and strip your Teflon!). And sometimes, because I'm lazy or I've thrown the sponges away recently (they do get gross), I use a stainless steel wool pad like this...although for some messes the stainless thing is my first go-to.

Don't be gentle. Make it happen. You can't hurt the pan in any lasting way.

But first, this: Put some water in the pan and put it on the stove on high and leave it at a fiercely-rolling boil for a few minutes. The tiny little explosions that happen as the water turns to steam at the surface of the pan (and within the cooked-on grunge) do wonders for loosening up stuck-on caramelized goo.

If you fuck it all up, no worries: Put some Canola oil or Crisco in the pan, wipe it all out (yes, all of it -- or at least all you can wipe up) (use coffee filters for very cheap, throw-away, lint-free wipes), and throw it in the oven at 450 for half an hour. The oil you applied will polymerize and make a new non-stick coating. Repeat as needed.

And then cook some bacon. And some eggs. And eventually, the bacon grease and the egg proteins will form a new, hard, non-stick layer that even caramelized sugar can't stick to for very long.

Before long, you'll be cooking like your Grandma did.

There's no reason to actively strip a pan that isn't new to you. (Unless you use flaxseed oil. Don't. It's a trap promoted by a singular blogger that has been parroted since by folks who are ever-since stymied that the seasoning flakes off of their pans. Don't get exotic; your Grandma certainly didn't. She just used, and cleaned, the thing.)

I'm always super careful to only hold scotch bright in tension so that if it catches it'll just slip out of my grasp. Anything in compression gets a tool to separate it from my fleshy bits; like pliers or tongs.

or...maybe?

I'd rather spend .01% of my life being an anal annoyance than have it cut short or spend the remainder without my precious fleshy bits. I'm too ugly to lose my polishing hand.

Same. I love mine, it makes cleaning the pan super easy. Here is the one I bought: https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B07F76P97C/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_search_asin_title?ie=UTF8&psc=1

> stainless steel wool

More specifically- a "stainless steel scrubby"

I got this one (was on sale for $10): https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B01EHF0G0C

I actually ended up thinking it was too large and split it in two. I could live without it, but I wouldn't say I'm unhappy with it. I don't know how it compares with other chainmail scrubbers, but I suspect they're all very similar except maybe for size.

If you have cast iron, these chain-mail scrubbers are dual purpose.

/u/FredWampy should get this because it is cool

/u/Sieberella should get this because I like it and it is a lot of money.

Grab one of these. Awesome for cleaning cast iron.

http://www.amazon.com/Blisstime-Cleaner-Stainless-Chainmail-Scrubber/dp/B00N7DCCEO/ref=sr_1_5?ie=UTF8&qid=1453078084&sr=8-5&keywords=stainless+scrubber

Like /u/itgotthehoseagain said, kosher salt and hot water is great.

Or one of the chainmail scrubbers meant for cast iron that you can get on Amazon like this:
http://amazon.com/Blisstime-Cleaner-Stainless-Chainmail-Scrubber/dp/B00N7DCCEO

It's what I use and I love it.


But don't worry about removing your seasoning. If it's on there good, you really won't remove it. And if it's not on there very good and coming off from hard scrubbing, then it wasn't applied very well anyway and needs more time.

I'd like to share my perfect combo.

• Chainmail scrubber but the version where there's a sponge inside.
  
• Spray bottle containing dishwashing fluid diluted in water.
  
  
  After rinsing the cast iron, you blast it with the spray bottle. The small amount of dishwashing fluid in the water instantly reacts with the grease that it starts to disperse immediately. The wet chainmail-encased sponge scrapes off all the stubborn food bits while at the same time, water oozing from it rinses the diluted dishwashing solution away. After only a few seconds of doing this, you immediately wipe it with a suitable cloth rag.
  
  
  You'll notice that the cast iron is still water resistant from the seasoning that's still intact. You'll also notice over time that there's no carbon buildup because of the regular but quick swipes of the chainmail. If you're using a Lodge where the texture is rougher than overpriced artisan CI, it's the bumps that catch the chainmail and the micro-valleys of the surface keeps the seasoning intact. If you're using the smooth fancy cast iron, it's usually patches of ugly seasoning that come off in flakes.

I'm not sure there are any perfect solutions - If there are I haven't found them yet.

But for dishes:

• Own fewer dishes. Even if you dirty all of them, the pile will be more manageable/less-intimidating. You could downsize a bit or go on the extreme end and have only 1 or 2 of each dish.
  
• Get a countertop dishwasher if you can. You can look for one used so it's not so expensive.
  
• Soak your dishes. You may not be able to get into cleaning them right after, but always at least put water in them. Otherwise, they will be harder to clean later.
  
• Get one of these dish wands. I don't know if you have any specific issues with doing the dishes, but I used to absolutely hate it and thought it was really gross. I still don't get excited to do the dishes but using a dish wand has made it easier for me personally and that has helped a lot.
  
• Do your dishes while you're waiting for something else. Commercials during TV? Wash some dishes. Waiting for the oven to preheat? Water to boil? Do some dishes. If you're waiting for something in the kitchen it at least makes you less likely to walk off and forget about it anyway.
  
• Find something else that makes doing dishes more enjoyable. Sometimes I like watching TV or listening to podcasts while I'm doing dishes and I find that helps.
  
• If you can't handle the thought of doing them all at once, promise yourself you are going to only wash a couple of dishes. Washing 3 dishes is a smaller hill to climb than washing all of them.
  
  Laundry is a lot harder and I still struggle with it tbh. But these are my tips:
  
  
• Schedule a time in the week to do it. Otherwise, it becomes easier to keep putting off because it takes a good amount of time to leave and go do it.
  
• You can hand wash some of your clothes (good for the ones that shouldn't be in the wash anyway). Quick tip: Instead of wringing your clothes (which isn't that great for them), you can also lay them flat on top of a towel, roll up the towel, and then stand on it. Unroll it, and it will be damp instead of soaking wet. You can hang it up overnight and it will be dry in the morning. This is good if you need to wash a couple important things but would be too much work for all of your laundry.
  
• Also tip for putting away laundry after - put all of your socks into mesh laundry bags to avoid losing any and to make it easier/faster to put them away afterwards. You can also buy the same socks so that they all match.
  
• Make going to the laundromat more enjoyable. Bring a book? Go to Starbucks before (or after)? Try to pair it with something you like doing.
  
  Basically my strategies are just make it more enjoyable, make it easier, and make it a habit. It's still not easy though.

I cook exclusively on cast iron or stainless steel. I won't use teflon or aluminum. The cast iron has worked great for me. If something burns onto the bottom of the pan, I just scrape it off with a metal spatula and give the pan a scrub with chainmail (similar to this) which IMO is a must-have for cast iron users!

Last night, I lazy-baked whole wheat bread on the stovetop in my cast iron chicken fryer with a lid on top. (You just smash the dough out flat instead of loaf shaped and pop it in there when the iron is hot, no oil or grease required) One of the loaves burned a little bit because I got distracted, I just scraped up the burned bits with my spatula and kept on baking. My husband likes the burned loaves, anyway.

I season the cast iron with a very tiny amount of coconut oil or bacon grease in a 400 degree oven and it keeps the surface nicely shiny and nonstick. I don't worry about the seasoning "contaminating" my food because all the oil burns off anyway.

100% polyester stuffing (used for quilts) will work. You can find that in the fabric section of walmart.

You can also use (new) dollar store nylon pot scrubbers as a bio media...
http://www.amazon.com/Dozen-Round-Scrubber-Scourer-Dishwasher/dp/B00I29PYIY

stainless steel gets rid of garlic smell. on amazon you can get a chainmail scrubber that is fucking awesome for scrubbing stuff. it would get rid of the smell.

in general though, fuck any kind of brillo, or any other scrubber at the grocery store. this thing is superior. and it doesnt seem to damage anything when you use it. get one.

LINK

The chainmail will work, but its a bit overkill for most things if your pan is in good shape. If you too crazy with it, you might rip a little seasoning off.

In addition to the old salt/oil method, plastic scrubbers ( like these ), Scotch Brite Non Scratch, the blue kind, not the green ones, and/or a stiff nylon brush under hot water all work great. Lodge also makes Scrapers that are very useful.

Interesting. I've been cleaning stainless steel pots and pans for a few decades and never heard that before. Makes sense, it is an acid. Some web sites claim it will leave the surface pitted, and some claim soaking them in anything will do the same. I've never had a problem with an overnight soak.

In most kitchens I've worked in, if you can't get it off after scrubbing and soaking and scrubbing some more, just leave it. It's just carbon, and will not hurt the food you cook in it. You can put the pan on the stove and burn it some more, just to make sure anything not-carbon turns into carbon. (I know that's not very helpful.)

Good luck with it. Green Scotch Brite pads and stainless steel scrubbies like these have always been my go-to for burnt-on stains. (Scotch Brite pads come in different colors for different purposes, like different grits/coarsenesses of sandpaper. Green is common in the kitchen for scouring metal. Blue is safe for non-stick pans. When you get into maroon and greys, I think they are used to sand paint off cars and stuff. I don't know the details. Just know green is good for scouring steel pans, but will leave the surface scratched. Blue should not scratch metal and is supposed to be safe for Teflon coated pans, though I don't trust anything abrasive on those.)

Yeah, they work great actually. It takes a bit of getting used to cleaning them. They’re thicker than standard ziplocks, but work well. For cleaning I fill them with soapy water & give the inside a quick scrub with one of these & prop them upside down over a glass to dry.

https://smile.amazon.com/Food-Grade-Antibacterial-Multipurpose-Antimicrobial-Company/dp/B076W4H86Y

This.

I've never cleaned a hot pan before. I wait hours to clean. I just use warm sink water and piece of chainmail. Scrub until smooth, heat up on stove and season with whatever oil I have on hand.

Here's the chainmail I have

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B07GPGZVJ1/ref=cm_sw_r_fm_apa_i_SU-jDbDBEKTRP

Cook bacon, scrub thoroughly with chainmail pad, wipe with paper towel, repeat.


Blisstime Cast Iron Cleaner Premium Stainless Steel Chainmail Scrubber, Square https://www.amazon.com/dp/B07F76P97C/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_i_T.ITDb4WHGDJD

Edit: no water, and definitely no soap

This is the thing I have https://www.amazon.com/dp/B07QGC4X4Y/ref=cm_sw_r_sms_apa_i_d4tCDb6NXBPD2

These are fantastic.

We use this

At home too. Just scrub it out with some water. Easy peasy.

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B07CYQGRCZ/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_apa_i_mnUpDbXW0NJ22

You've got some great ideas here already but here's a few more.

Some chainmail to clean his cast iron pans:
Amazon link Chainmail Scrubber $10

An apron:
this is a nice BBQ one for $20

Hope you find something cool, I'm sure he'll like whatever you get him.

Once you have it out of the vinegar (a little left-over rust is OK here, as long as it's not flaky - at six days now, it's probably already good), scrub it down with steel wool and dishwashing liquid, rinse until clean, and dry. Apply veg oil (something with a high smoke point, like peanut), and bake at 500 F. Let cool, lightly scour the resultant surface with a greenie and water, then dry, oil, and bake again.

That should get you an ideal cooking surface.

https://www.amazon.com/Round-Nylon-Scrubber-Scouring-Scrub/dp/B01MS1VX7Z



Or any similar product. Mine come from a dollar store.

Scrubbing steel wool:

https://www.amazon.com/Brillo-Basics-Steel-Scrub-8-ct/dp/B01L65FY3U/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1486434871&sr=8-1&keywords=brillo+pads

I would get a chain mail cast iron scrubber. Heat up the pan a bit and soak it in hot water before scrubbing gently. You could heat it up again to dry it and see if enough came off, if not, repeat? Seems like you could remove a bunch without ruining all the seasoning and kind of encase it? https://www.amazon.com/Cusfull-Premium-Stainless-Chainmail-Scrubber/dp/B01H1AQGVI

Good to know. Good thing I didn’t buy a big bottle of flaxseed.

What are your thoughts on those chain mail scrub things?

https://www.amazon.com/Cusfull-Premium-Stainless-Chainmail-Scrubber/dp/B01H1AQGVI/ref=asc_df_B01H1AQGVI/?tag=hyprod-20&linkCode=df0&hvadid=167152462925&hvpos=1o1&hvnetw=g&hvrand=16784287026253467428&hvpone=&hvptwo=&hvqmt=&hvdev=m&hvdvcmdl=&hvlocint=&hvlocphy=9061254&hvtargid=pla-305941095488&psc=1

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B01H1AQGVI/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_awdb_t1_SVGiDbKSWMPVN

Saw this earlier if you want a fancy gadget to clean with

This.

I bought one of these about 2 1/2 years ago. Still in perfect shape and does an amazing job. Also, cleaning the chainmail is so much easier than trying to get bits of food out of a scrubbing pad, sponge or brush.

Plus, it looks cool hanging in the kitchen

Although small amount of carbon in the pan are pretty normal, thick layers on burnt-on food will prevent additional layers of seasoning from forming, so this will affect how non-stick your pan will be in the long run. Try putting some kosher or coarse-grain salt in the pan with a small amount of oil and scrub well with a rag or scouring pad and see if you can remove most of it. If it's really, really bad you can try scraping with a metal spatula but I wouldn't normally recommend that because you could scrape off some of the seasoning if you are not careful. Boiling some water in the pan and scraping with a wooden spoon can help too. So can a chainmail scrubber like of these: https://www.amazon.com/Cast-iron-Stainless-Steel-Chainmail-Utopia-Kitchen/dp/B010VRTV2O/ref=sr_1_2?s=kitchen&ie=UTF8&qid=1472952952&sr=1-2&keywords=chainmail+scrubber

Make sure to dry thoroughly after washing and occasionally wipe a thin layer of oil around the pan. If you are getting a lot of burnt-on food when cooking I recommend cooking at a lower temperature (you should hardly ever need to go above the "medium" or half-way setting on your stovetop - cast iron retains heat better than other types of cookware.) and using slightly more oil when cooking until your seasoning is more built up.

I recommend taking a read of the subreddit's FAQ: https://www.reddit.com/r/castiron/comments/1ttytx/a_collection_of_cast_iron_information_from_reddit

I second the chainmail srcubber - I use this one (https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00N7DCCEO) when I need something more than the brush (https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00G0T3CE6/)

make sure you're re-greasing after drying. also, over a weekend, just let it sit on low/mid-slow on a burner for a few hours while wiping it down with oil a few times. it all helps. I'd got my shitty Emeril skillet like glass after a few months of doing this and using it primarily for meats initially. Today, with a tab of butter, I could make sunny-side-up eggs perfectly.

Also, not sure how you're going about scrubbing, but you might consider a chainmail scrubber instead of a brush or sponge. That'll help get the grit off of it without scrubbing away the good stuff. http://www.amazon.com/Blisstime-Cleaner-Stainless-Chainmail-Scrubber/dp/B00N7DCCEO/ref=sr_1_3?ie=UTF8&qid=1450286841&sr=8-3&keywords=chainmail+scrubber

I typically put one back to back for a couple weeks if I know one is going on the wayside. However, once I started learning about filter media I started just stuffing my Hang-On-Back filters with filter floss and ceramic rings. Right now my HOB has a small bag of purigen, a little clump of poly fill, and a pot scrubbie.

I experiment with different media regularly, but you always want to seed your new media by placing it in the tank(near the water flow) or, preferably, in the filter itself.

This thing is a blessing .
Cast Iron Cleaner XL 7x7 Inch Premium Stainless Steel Chainmail Scrubber https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00N7DCCEO/ref=cm_sw_r_sms_awd_QZDKwb9DHTSKJ

We clean ours one of two ways:

1. pour salt on it and use a rag to basically exfoliate the surface. Rinse with water.
   
   
2. eventually we found this chainmail sponge type thing that’s actually made to clean cast iron and it’s been great.
   
   Do not under any circumstances use soap.
   
   Edit: adding link to a scrubber: GreaterGoods Cast Iron Chainmail Scrubber, Easy on Your Hands, Dishwasher Safe, Cleaner Scraper & Scrubber for your Cast Iron Skillet, Wok, or Pan https://www.amazon.com/dp/B07PN5R4H5/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_i_YrRLDb8P4NX1G