When your cast-iron pans need some heavy-duty cleaning, reach for one of these cast iron scrubbers to remove cooked-on food and more.
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The Best Cast Iron Scrubbers, According to Our Test Kitchen
Updated on Mar. 15, 2024
Cast-iron pans are our go-to for weeknight meals, comforting dinners and even some delightful desserts. But when it comes to cleaning these sturdy skillets, you often need more than your average dish sponge—you need a cast iron scrubber.
With so much advice out there about how to clean cast iron, it can be hard to know which scrubbers will get the job done without hurting your precious seasoned pan. That’s why our Test Kitchen set out to find the best cast iron scrubbers.
Our Test Kitchen-Preferred Cast Iron Scrubbers
After trying multiple different scrubbers on their own cast-iron skillets, members of our Test Kitchen team found the best cast iron scrubbers for getting rid of burnt-on bits, sticky food and even rust (yes, you can restore rusted cast-iron skillets!). Here are their three favorites.
Best Overall Cast Iron Scrubber: Scrub Mommy
Greasy, stuck-on food was no match for Scrub Mommy. Similar to the Shark Tank-famous Scrub Daddy sponge, this scrubber softens with hot water and becomes stiff and abrasive with cold water. It also has a soft sponge side to wipe away any remaining mess.
This combination gave all our burnt-on bits a one-two punch. The stiff, abrasive part of this scrubber was just the thing to pull up stuck-on food and the softer side helped dry the pan. After cleaning up with the Scrub Mommy, our editors’ pans looked like new.
Our Test Kitchen also loved the Scrub Mommy’s design, which gives you an easy and comfortable grip for cleaning. And it’s not just good for cast iron—we put the Scrub Mommy to work cleaning tile, baseboards, cupboards and sinks. Best of all, we could toss this sponge into the dishwasher for an easy clean-and-sanitize session.
We can’t recommend Scrub Mommy enough—it’s a real kitchen superstar, just like your cast-iron pan!
Most Convenient Cast Iron Scrubber: Casabella Mini Brush
Best Cast Iron Scrubbers for Re-seasoning: Scotch-Brite Stainless Steel Scrubbers
How to Care for Your Cast-Iron Pans
Cast-iron pans are resilient! They can stand up to all kinds of scrubbers, sponges and cleaning tools. Just stay clear of harsh cleaners—a mild dish soap is all you need.
For other methods of cleaning cast iron, we recommend using coarse sea salt or chainmail, which is a chain link piece of stainless steel. And if you’re new to using cast-iron cookware, check out our cast iron cooking guide for tips, recipe ideas and more.
Teddy Nykiel, Taste of Home Associate Digital Editor, contributed to this article.
Note: This blind taste test was performed by our staffers and was not part of a sponsorship. All opinions shared are our own, and have not been influenced by advertisers.
