One way to get the perfect pizza crust at home is with a pizza stone. Luckily, a versatile pizza stone allows you to cook a variety of foods, so you can use it for different dishes. But so that it can last for years, you should learn how to clean your pizza stone.
Cleaning the pizza stone: Effective tips and home remedies for proper care
The pizza stones heat evenly to achieve the correct baking temperature for the pizza dough. Since you have a porous surface that absorbs any cleaning agent, you need to be careful how you clean it. Just remember that your pizza stone will get stains over time and some of them won't go away no matter how often you clean it. However, these stains do not affect your food. Around your pizza stoneto clean properly, follow these steps.
Clean the pizza stone only with water
Always allow your pizza stone to cool completely before cleaning it, as it may crack or break if it comes into contact with cold water while it is still hot.
To clean your pizza stone with just water, you will need rubber or plastic spatula, a damp rag, and a stiff-bristled nylon brush.
- Add a small amount of water to the stone. Just enough to make it slightly moist.
- Using a rubber or plastic spatula, scrape the large chunks of baked goods to remove them.
- Take the nylon brush and carefully remove any stains and food residue.
- Wipe the stone with a damp rag and allow it to air dry completely before placing it in the hot oven.
Clean the pizza stone with baking powder
A pizza stone should be cleaned after each use to remove food residue. After repeated use, you can perform a more thorough cleaning to restore its natural surface.
- Wait for your pizza stone to cool completely. This may take 2 to 3 hours. Never immerse a hot stone in a sink full of dishwater, otherwise it may break.
- Remove leftover food with a rubber or plastic spatula.
- If the residue is stuck and won't come off even after scraping, make a paste using a tablespoon of baking soda and a few drops of water.
- Dip a nylon-bristled brush into the paste and gently scrub the problem areas.
- Use a damp microfiber cloth to wipe away the baking soda and food residue.
- Once all visible stains have been removed, wipe the stone with a clean, slightly damp cloth.
How do you clean a burnt pizza stone in the oven?
If the food residue cannot be removed with a scraper or brush, you can put your burnt pizza stone in theClean the oven thoroughly.
- Preheat the oven to 260°C.
- Place the pizza stone on the top rack in the oven.
- Let it bake for about an hour. Pay attention to the fact that fat bubbles should form and burst.
- Start your oven's automatic cleaning cycle when the bubbles have stopped. If the pizza stone is very dirty, it can produce a lot of smoke as the leftover food burns off.
- When the cycle is finished, wait for the oven to cool down.
- Then take out the pizza stone and wipe it with a clean cloth.
- If the heat doesn't clean the stone, you can sand off the crumbs with a piece of medium-grit sandpaper.
How do you remove mold?
There is no need to panic if mold forms on your pizza stone because it can be fixed with a simple pastecan be removed with home remedies.
Mix a teaspoon of baking soda and a teaspoon of white vinegar until you have a fine paste. Apply this paste to a rag and rub the mold areas in a circular motion. Don't scrub too hard. You can also use toothpaste if it contains baking soda.
Make sure you wipe away the paste with a clean damp rag. This ensures that no mold or paste remains on the stone, and once dry it is ready for a delicious pizza again within a few hours.
What should you never use for the pizza stone?
- Soap and dishwashing liquid:You don't want pizza that tastes like soap, do you? Avoid soaps or other chemical cleaners that are easily absorbed into the stone.
- Too much wateris bad for your stone. The absorption of water affects the baking time and stability. Therefore, avoid anything beyond a quick rinse.
- Scrub brush:Abrasive tools will damage the surface, so avoid steel wool and similar cleaning tools.
- Oils:Never grease your pizza stone. Since it is made of porous material, the oil is absorbed into the stone. Then it is very difficult to clean.
Also read:Cleaning the pizza stone: What is allowed and which means are not?
