My neighbor in Tulsa told me she scrubs her cast iron with soap after every meal
I was helping my neighbor carry groceries last week when she mentioned she washes her cast iron skillet with dish soap and a sponge after every single meal. I have always heard that soap would wreck the seasoning, so I asked her about it and she said her pan has been going strong for 12 years and the seasoning is fine. Now I am wondering if the no soap rule is outdated advice or if she is just lucky. Has anyone here used soap regularly on a well seasoned pan without problems, or should I keep avoiding it?
Learned the hard way that soaking my pan overnight was way worse than a little soap ever could be. Modern dish soap is pretty mild and won't strip seasoning if your pan is actually seasoned right, so your neighbor isn't just lucky. Give it a quick wash, dry it on the stove, and you'll be fine.