The $15 Tool That Makes Cleaning My Cast Iron Pan Effortless
This is the first time I’ve said (erm, written) it out loud: I used to be afraid of cast iron cookware. Soap or no soap? Towel dry or put back on the stove? Should I season it after I clean it? Is it game over if it rusts? Advice on taking care of cast iron can be conflicting and intimidating! Even after reading some very helpful articles (I recommend this one and this one), my cast iron skillet only got occasional love. I wanted all the amazing benefits of cooking in the stuff, but I just couldn’t seem to convince myself that I would be able to take care of it properly. That is, until I got my hands on Lodge’s Cast Iron Scrub Brush.
Now, you may be thinking, “Really, a brush? A brush changed her mind?” Well, let me tell you why… I already own other cleaning brushes like a bottle brush, and a few other general scrubbing brushes. So, I figured another brush could do no harm. When I came across the Lodge Cast Iron Scrub Brush, I actually got excited. A scrub brush that is any amount of aesthetically pleasing is a win in my book. With a mock wood handle (which totally fooled me) made out of rubber, natural-looking nylon bristles, and a matte black head that mimics the look of cast iron itself, this brush proudly lives next to my sink.
The most important factor of this Lodge Cast Iron Scrub Brush, however, is that it gets the job done. There is just something about those bristles that cleans the cast iron better than any other brush (or cleaning tool, for that matter) I’ve tried; even after months, it remains perfectly intact. It effortlessly sloughs grease off the surface of the cookware without retaining any in its brush head. This scrubbing solution removes the grease and leftover food bits without stripping away the seasoning, so that fine flavorful patina I’ve been building (now that I actually use my cast iron!) stays intact.
There is nothing I love more than cooking in my cast iron skillet. Its versatility is endless, and it has a magical way of deepening the flavors of any dish. It seems so silly to say, but I can’t believe it took a brush to get me over my reservations and actually utilize one of the most reliable and loved pieces of cookware in history. But it did. Now I plan on gifting these brushes to as many friends and family as possible this year, because everyone deserves to cook in cast iron!
Buy: Lodge Cast Iron Scrub Brush, $14.70