I'd heat it up on the stove, add a little oil to the pan, and then wipe it out. See what comes up then.

I'll try that -- thanks!

If I have to wash with a Brillo pad, after rinsing, I use a bit of oil and salt and scrub it with a couple of paper towels, then rinse well just to make sure there is no pad residue.

I'd wash well with dish detergent this one time. Scrub lightly and rinse. Then use it normally.

I just started cooking with mine, I didn't remove or do any extra seasoning. I use my cast iron skillets all the time.

No Brillo pads ever! Tiny fibers of them become embedded in the pan and rust. I would scrub with dish detergent rinse and dry and then season it myself properly before use.

I have never used cast iron that wasn't enameled and I just bought a Lodge cast iron frying pan and haven't used it yet because I haven't researched how to season it properly. It still sits in the box. My cousin who lives with me says she won't eat food out of a pan that hasn't been washed with soap after cooking. I am looking forward to cooking with it

Don’t use the Brillo pad unless you have absolutely baked on food on it. Ever. You have probably removed the pre-seasoning by now. So lightly soak part of a paper towel with vegetable oil. Do not use olive oil or any other low temperature oil. Shortening is fine, or lard. Wipe the entire skillet with it. Place in a 200-250 degree oven for about an hour or 2. Then after it is cool, remove from oven and wipe excess oil. You can use it now.

Actually you can use it before doing any of this, but this will speed up the seasoning.

If you have any stuck bits, use a plastic scraper or a little coarse sea salt and scrub lightly. I store mine with a paper towel between them to ensure they stay dry. I hardly ever put them away until the next morning.

Yes, a little soap won’t hurt a cast iron skillet. Just don’t be aggressive about scrubbing away the patina you are trying to achieve.

The gray was probably carbon. Okay to eat, but I understand wanting to wash it off.

Gentle dish soap will not remove properly applied seasoning. When you season your pan, it shouldn't feel sticky after. If it does, you applied too much oil. Wash it off and try again.

The oil should be applied to all parts, thinly, then heated. You can aslo season on the stovetop, or do it as OutsidePlaying said.. On the stove, just get the pan hot enough that you want to pull your hand away from hovering over it, then turn off and allow to cool in place. When it's completely cool, repeat the oil and heating.

If you remove the seasoning through over scrubbing (but unless you have a real problem, use a plastic or plant scrubber, rather than metal), just reseason it. If it rusts, remove the rust and polish the pan and reseason it. It's iron. It'll wear like iron. :)

Annie always says she just makes french fries three times, and the pan is reseasoned.

My Mom taught me to lightly apply vegetable oil and then put the pan in the oven on a low temperature (I think 200) for a couple of hours. I have a few pre-seasoned Lodge pans. But even thought they are pre-seasoned, every once in a while I re-season them if needed, not often, several years go by without needing to do that. I do wash my cast iron pans with soap and water, but I don't scrub them to death.

pllllog is right, I use mine to make french fries. The cooking oil just kind of soaks into the pan while heating and cooling. Pour out the cooled oil, wipe the pan. Make more fries. Hot, crunchy salty fries and a well seasoned pan, how could it be better? (grin)

My old Griswold is so slick I can fry eggs without sticking, but I'd never, ever consider a brillo pad. Most things will wipe right off but if something gets really stuck a wipe with the dish cloth and a tiny bit of dish soap will do the trick. Only once in a while I use the plastic scrubbie.

Annie

A good practice after washing with soap and water is to heat up the pan briefly to dry it completely. So before doing that, wipe on a thin layer of oil and add a layer of seasoning.

That's a good practice even if just washing it with water.