These are mild steel care instructions for any item I make that’s intended for use with food. If what you purchased is not a food related item, then you can safely ignore this instructions.
Everything I forge is made of mild steel. Because the item is not stainless steel it requires some proper care to ensure it does not rust. It’s really simple and it’s nothing to be afraid of.
If you’re familiar with taking care of cast iron, then this is exactly the same.
Hand Wash
Your item needs to be washed by hand in warm water. It does not go into the dishwasher.
Do not use abrasives to clean the item such as steel wool (S.O.S pads). Use a nylon brush, sponge, or dish cloth to wash the item. You can also use soap.
Alternatively, you can use salt to scrub the item as well. It works well at being an abrasive for really stuck on food without harming the metal.
Lastly, do not let the item soak in water to loosen up any food stuck to it.
Hand Dry
Make sure the item is thoroughly dry after washing. Use a cloth to dry the item by hand. Don’t set the item wet on a cloth or in a drying rack to air dry.
Coat with Oil
Once the item is completely dry rub a light coating of oil on it with a paper towel. Recommended oils are vegetable, canola, sunflower oil, or avocado oil. This oil prevents rust from forming on the item.
Seasoning (Optional)
If you want to go the extra mile, then you can season your item just as you would with cast iron. The above steps are sort of like seasoning but missing one critical step and that’s heat.
Follow the above steps before proceeding to this step.
Ovens or toaster ovens are great for this. Preheat your oven on 450 degrees Fahrenheit and place the item in. Let the item sit in there for 45 minutes to an hour. Turn off the oven, leave the door closed, and let the item sit in there for another 15 minutes. Once it’s cooled you can remove the item and you’ve just seasoned it!
The heat causes the oil to form a bond with the metal. This bond is even more effective at preventing rust than doing the same steps without heat.
While this step is optional it’s highly recommended. You don’t have to do this step every time you use the item. Unlike a cast iron pan, you aren’t heating up the item for every use and in turn require this step. I suggest doing this step every few months to ensure there’s a good seasoning on there to prevent rust.