Q&A for How to Care for a Cast Iron Skillet

There are special cast iron scrubbers out there that you can buy. They're great if you're worried about damaging the cast iron.

I'm fond of flaxseed oil or olive oil. Either of those are a really good option.

Yes, you can get it wet. Some people think you can't, but it'll be fine so long as you dry it thoroughly. You can even soak a cast iron skillet in water if you're trying to get burnt food off. Just make sure it's totally dry before you store it and keep it well-seasoned.

No. Whether preseasoned or seasoned yourself, once it's done, as long as you care for your pan--keeping it away from dishwashing liquid unless needed to remove sticky food and wiping dry immediately after rinsing to avoid rust--your pan is good to go.

Rust is fairly harmless if ingested, no, it won't give you tetanus, but will leave a metallic taste in the food that you cook. To prepare a rusted cast iron skillet for reuse, submerge it in vinegar for several hours. Wash with hot water and scour with a stainless steel scrubber, and dry completely. Place it in your oven and turn on the self-cleaning cycle (removing everything else in the oven since temperatures can exceed 1000 degrees Celsius!). Scour again with scrubber, wash with hot water, and dry. Then, preheat the oven to 500 degrees, coat your skillet with a thin layer of vegetable oil/lard/fat substitute, and place it in the oven for two hours.

Treat it as you would a rusted pan. Use vinegar and, if needed, make a paste from vinegar and salt and scrub the outside. Then reseason the pan.

Season the entire skillet; otherwise the seasoning will be uneven and your cast iron won't last long.