How to Clean a Carbon Steel Pan 100% from Rusty to Seasoned
Table of Contents
A fiery beginning
The Taipei night market pulses with energy. Vendors calling. Crowds murmuring. Coins clinking. I find myself at one of the quieter stalls, sitting across from the owner. He's a man likely in his mid-60s, with crinkled hands. Knowing eyes.
I order some classic Chinese noodles — the same takeaway shop kind you'd get back home. As I watch him work, I start seeing magic. His stove roars to life. Flames dancing higher than I thought possible. He wields a massive wok. The biggest I'd ever seen. He tosses the noodles with elegance that only comes with decades of practice. Each movement is choreographed. Precise.
What really got my attention though was that fire. Blazing tongues of light that would ruin any ordinary pan. Yet, this wok handled it. Like it was child's play. Then it hit me. I thought to myself — what kind of pan can take this beating and still cook so elegantly?
The answer was carbon steel.
This wasn't just any pan the vendor was holding — it was a carbon steel wok. The kind you'd find at the back of a real Chinese restaurant. As someone who loves kitchen heat and intensity, I was stunned. Up until then, I'd only been searing with cast-iron, which isn't bad per se — but it just isn't as nimble.
Carbon steel bridges this gap seamlessly. While similar to cast-iron in many ways, it's unrivalled in agility and heating speed. From rusting to seasoning, there's a whole world to explore. Let's get into it.
What to do when rust appears
Watching that vendor work, I realise carbon steel is more than just cooking. It's about relationships between cooks and pans. But let's be real, this bond only truly develops via the pan's seasoning. When rust appears, here's what to do:
You'll need:
Most guides out there will say "don't use anything abrasive." I reject this. The aim is to get to the bottom of things. Let me explain. Firstly, the "carbon steel" name is deceptive, for these pans are 99% iron. Iron sits at the pan's very base — beneath the rust and gunk. True restoration needs you to get to the naked iron. And the best way to achieve that is through grinding. Elbow grease if you will. The good news is, even if your pan has been left outdoors — it's probably still very saveable. Here's the process to use:
Step 1: Remove what comes off easily
Clean off what you can at the sink with the rough side of a sponge. This won't cure deep-set rust, but will lay footing for what's ahead. Use plenty of cleaner to expose as much iron as possible. The idea is to loosen the rust as best we can.
Step 2: Dissolve the rust with vinegar
Fill your sink or tub with 1:1 water to vinegar. All cooking surfaces should be engulfed for 30 minutes. Honestly — if using the sink, I just pour the whole vinegar bottle in when I don't feel like measuring. Vinegar is cheap, and even if the ratio leans acidic, it's safe as we're reseasoning anyway. This gives vinegar time to act and leaves an easy-to-rinse residue. As a side note, some pans have stainless steel handles, which are rust-resistant. I covered that resistance in my stainless pan blog. Any rust that does accrue on there can be sorted with steel wool.
Step 3: Scrub away the remaining rust
By now, the rust should be a manageable film. This comes off easily with a simple soap and sponge. However, some rust will be embedded and stubborn, and this needs abrasive scrubbing. Steel wool is what really does the work while cleaners act more as lubricants. Guides these days always advocate bicarb vinegar 'cleaning pastes'. But don't be fooled by the fizz if you do decide to combine these. Don't forget — grinding is always the answer. Work thoroughly on the surfaces, edges, and handle - especially around rivets.
Step 4: Heat-dry to remove all moisture
Unlike cast-iron skillets, carbon steel is light enough to flame-dry safely. So go ahead and do that. If you don't have a gas stove, towel dry as well as you can. Rotate the pan around over medium heat to kill residual moisture.
Step 5: Oil and heat to create seasoning
Once you've got the pan totally dry, place it on a trivet and add a paper-thin layer of oil (around 1 teaspoon). Spread that oil all around the pan, using your dish cloth to evenly distribute. Fold the cloth a few times so that you don't burn yourself doing this. If the handle is stainless steel, you can skip oiling that section. Otherwise, no area should have obviously shiny grease spots. This is so that you get a well-rounded, even sheet of seasoning. Finally, heat it once more on a medium flame so the fats get nice and solid.
Step 6: Cook something fatty immediately
To double down on the seasoning we just created, fatty foods help tremendously. Cooking bacon, steak, or burgers works wonders to release extra fat. This fat creates even stronger chemical bonds. Once you've cooked something fatty, a quick rinse and wipe should have the pan good to go. For extra protection, repeat steps 4 & 5 prior to storing to create a slim protective barrier. Cool your pan before storage and the iron will be rust-free.
Which oils to use for seasoning
| Avocado oil (refined/ |
271°C for refined and 200°C for unrefined | Medium to high |
| Coconut oil (refined/ |
204°C for refined and 177°C for unrefined | Medium |
| Peanut oil | 232.2°C | Medium-high |
| Canola oil | 204°C | Medium |
| Olive oil (refined/ |
200~240°C for refined and 170°C~210°C for extra virgin | Medium to medium-high |
| Sesame oil | Placeholder | Placeholder |
| Grapeseed oil | Placeholder | Placeholder |
| Sunflower oil | Placeholder | Placeholder |
| Corn oil | Placeholder | Placeholder |
| Vegetable oil | Placeholder | Placeholder |
* These are general guidelines. Many brands don't write smoke points on their products, so you need to look for your specific brand online.
I've put together a table showcasing common oils and their smoke points. Bookmark this page so you can try different kinds on your shopping trips. The goal is to stay below the oil's smoke point so it doesn't become toxic. Here's the thing. A typical gas stove on medium-high reaches temperatures of 190°C to 232°C. At high heat, it can reach upwards of 260°C. Which means — if we stay at medium heat with our cooking, we'll largely be safe from oils overheating.
Food for thought
Which brings me back to that night market vendor. He doesn't have a choice in hospitality given how busy food joints are. But there's still a lesson here: even though you can cook with high heat, it doesn't mean you should. Most people say it's okay to exceed smoke points during seasoning. I don't agree. There's no need if you understand simple chemical properties. With oven seasoning, I urged using 180°C in my cast-iron post. I still stand by that. Ovens give you precise temperature control, letting you stay well below smoke points.
Frequently Asked Questions
What about light cleaning for everyday use?
If your seasoning's intact, just detergent and a sponge will do. Patina is naturally non-stick so maintenance should be easy. Just make sure to dry thoroughly - since water brings on rust. For even lighter cleans, like post frying an egg, a paper towel wipe suffices.
(Insert patina definition as tip).
What about stubborn, burnt-on food?
Kosher salt and coarse scrubbing with a dish cloth usually does the trick. It removes food particles without damaging your seasoning. When the salt turns brown from the food, rinse the salt away and repeat as needed. Alternatively, try boiling warm soapy water in the pan — and stir and scrape with utensils as it boils. Spatulas won't scratch carbon steel, so use any type you'd like. I wouldn't recommend soaking though, as that's a surefire way to wear out the seasoning. Ideally, minimise water contact so droplets don't seep into the iron.
What should I avoid to preserve my seasoning?
Dishwashers. The tablets are packed with degreasers that wither out seasoning. Hand-washing is the preferred method. Don't cook or store acidic foods in the pan for over 30 minutes either. I discuss this in my nonstick pan blog on why we never leave saucy pasta in pans. The same principles apply to carbon steel.
One last bit of TLC
Don't subject the pan to temperature shock. Whether that's from stove to sink or adding chilled foods to a hot pan. Not to keep criticising the vendor, but one last thought. In a business where speed matters, he was right to crank up the heat that fast. But at home where we have more time on our hands, it's best to start slow and work our way up. Too sudden a change can have pans deform whichever way the heat swings.
Why I love carbon steel
Carbon steel thrives in ovens or on open flames like the vendor used. It's also great over grills, campfires and frankly any stove. These searing heats all have the potential to leave nasty residues. Even then, I've never had trouble restoring even the worst looking pans. This shows how durable and long-lasting these pans are with the right care. Use what you've learnt and your pan will certainly stand the test of time.