Anonymous wrote:I have a carbon steel one that I seasoned (simple to do). To clean it, I use a sponge and warm water, no soap. Nothing really sticks too bad, probably because it’s seasoned. To dry it, I put it back on the stove with a low flame underneath.

On work with carbon steel pans professionally and you can definitely use soap on them. You just don't want to deglaze them.

Anonymous wrote:Did you try baking soda? Get the pan wet, liberally sprinkle on baking soda in a thick layer and leave it overnight or until totally dry and cracking. Then take a rag or sponge just barely wet with water or vinegar for extra oomph and scrub. The caked on stuff should flake off with the baking soda layer.

Thanks, I'll try that tonight. I tried baking soda and left it on for a couple hours but not overnight.

I tried barkeeper's friend this afternoon. It made the non-caked on parts of the pan look great but didn't do much for the blackened parts.

Anonymous wrote:Why not use a non stick wok? Easy to clean

Such things shouldn’t even exist.

Why not use a non stick wok? Easy to clean

Did you try baking soda? Get the pan wet, liberally sprinkle on baking soda in a thick layer and leave it overnight or until totally dry and cracking. Then take a rag or sponge just barely wet with water or vinegar for extra oomph and scrub. The caked on stuff should flake off with the baking soda layer.

Barkeeper's Friend is great on stainless pans, but i would not suggest on cast iron and probably not on carbon steel. Use it with gloves. For the cast iron (and maybe carbon steel?) there are "chainmail" scrubbers that work wonders. Not sure why they are so effective on cast iron, but they are.
And yeah, stir fry is at very high heat, so expect smoking oil. Can also help lessen the sticking/burning if you make sure your ingredients are not fridge-cold. Closer your are willing to let the ingredients get to room temp before cooking, the less things stick.

Thanks all!

And yes, I'm talking smoke from stuck-on burnt food that I can never get fully off so it just accumulates more and more despite scrubbing like a maniac.

I'll try barkeeper's friend.

And keep a carbon steel wok in the back of my mind.

Anonymous wrote:Woks always smoke. You want them at a higher heat than the smoke point of any oil.

If your wok isn’t smoking, what’s the point? It’s not hot enough.

To use a wok properly you need a serious exhaust hood. Or to use it outside.

I think OP is talking about smoking due to food particles and what she called “gunk.” Not necessarily just the normal small amount of smoke from high heat cooking.

I have a carbon steel one that I seasoned (simple to do). To clean it, I use a sponge and warm water, no soap. Nothing really sticks too bad, probably because it’s seasoned. To dry it, I put it back on the stove with a low flame underneath.

Woks always smoke. You want them at a higher heat than the smoke point of any oil.

If your wok isn’t smoking, what’s the point? It’s not hot enough.

To use a wok properly you need a serious exhaust hood. Or to use it outside.

Try rubbing a lemon over it while it is heating.

Yes, you can use barkeepers friend on cookware. I used to use it on stainless pans. But I got fed up with food aticking with stainless so I switched to cast iron but I could never get the seasoning right. I moved on to carbon steel and I like it so far. The only thing is that carbon steel doesn’t ever look pristine, so if you need sparkling clean looking cookware, don’t go watch carbon steel! IME the oil doesn’t go rancid, but I make sure to rub it in with a paper towel until it’s just a barely there sheen. I can actually cook eggs in my carbon steel and I love it!

Anonymous wrote:For stainless, what about using barkeepers friend?

I have a cast iron pan (not a wok). I just get it hot before adding oil and cooking. Then I basically just wipe it out. Otherwise I scrub it with a brush under hot water and then get it bone dry and add oil and wipe out. Just like cast iron.

Thanks -- is barkeepers friend safe to use on cookware? I've only heard of using it on sinks and tubs.

I hate cast iron which is why I am hesitant to get a carbon steel wok. But I don't think I've used a properly seasoned cast iron pan. So you put oil on then wipe it off -- it doesn't get rancid?

For stainless, what about using barkeepers friend?

I have a cast iron pan (not a wok). I just get it hot before adding oil and cooking. Then I basically just wipe it out. Otherwise I scrub it with a brush under hot water and then get it bone dry and add oil and wipe out. Just like cast iron.

I've been getting into wok stir-fries recently and they're great, but my stainless steel wok is taking a beating. It's very hard to clean, and if it's not perfectly clean -- which it never is -- it smokes, and then more gunk builds up, etc. Anyone have cleaning recommendations for stainless steel that aren't horrendous? (I don't have a dishwasher by the way so I need to clean by hand.)

Or, if I should switch to a carbon steel wok, can someone explain to me how you clean it? I know it has to be seasoned before use. But then are you not supposed to use soap and/or scrub it when cleaning? How does it come clean enough?

Thanks!