I agree with Tessagin's advice, that is what my Dad use to do. Don't know where it disappeared after his death. Not a problem because I am a lousy cook.

The directions I got with my Lodge pans was: Do not use soap, just hot water to clean.
Mine have never seen soap. I have stainless steel scratchers that I use with hot water, and they work very well. I always use lard, bacon grease, coconut oil or butter for frying, and nothing sticks. (these are the natural fats with no trans fats.)
I also have a stainless steel set, but I use the cast iron whenever I can because when you cook in them, you are adding just a little more iron to your food and that is good.

I have 3 cast iron items all with porcelain interiors. My Dutch oven, a 3 qt. saucier and my newest addition a large covered skillet. The latter was a Christmas gift from my husband, all with the Cobalt blue exterior. So easy to care for and cook with. The manufacturer says do not use cooking spray instead use a little bit of oil. Hand-washing only for these beauties along with my stainless steel cookware.

I have a lodge grill sits on 2 gas burners. I slice zucchini, yellow squash, onions and salt and pepper, and 2 blobs of butter. Yummmmm. I turn them 2 or three times while cooking on low. No sticking at all. Very good.

Here is a very good article about restoring old cast iron to like-new: http://foodal.com/kitchen/pots-pots-...cleaning-oven/

I cleaned mine this way this summer and now they are beautiful and nothing sticks.

I keep mine in the oven all the time. Even when I am baking something else. Doesn't hurt the pan and holds oven temp steady.

if they get a lot of burned on grease on the out side of them or if you find one in thrift sale that don't look very nice. you can build a wood fire or a charcoal fire , get the coals nice and red and than put the cast iron frying pan in the hot coals burns off the old grease , than just re season it

I have two pieces of non enameled cast iron. A 12 inch wide 3 inch deep skillet and a rectangle that is a grill on one side and a griddle on the other. I mostly use these when camping and cooking over a fire. Every few years the skillet's exterior catches fire and burns off all the crud.

In the house I have a red enameled Dutch oven. The lid is flat and can be used as a skillet too. I use that pot all the time, stews, soups, risotto, pot roast and more.

My Kiwi grandmother had a cast aluminum Dutch oven with a removable handle. I have never seen another one. It was great because it was not as heavy as iron, but maintained an even heat.

I have many iron skillets and dutch ovens...some belonged to my Mom and one to my Grandmother. I use dish detergent to scrub with a plastic bristle brush (no brillo or metal scrubbers)...I rinse well and then dry on a burner of the stove and then apply a thin coat of oil with a paper towel...This works very well for me....if some food is stuck salt or baking soda works to remove it....never soak you skillet...

I have two iron skillets and a large dutch oven. When they need it I wash them all. When they are oiled again they work fine. I have a recipe for bread baked in the dutch oven. It makes a huge loaf and is nice to take to pot luck suppers. Never have an left over.