No matter whether you use your pizza stone in the oven or on the grill, it sometimes gets more dirty, sometimes less dirty. Burnt things in particular can be really stubborn and since this is an absorbent stone (it is supposed to absorb the moisture and then evaporate), you don't want to use aggressive chemicals when cleaning and possibly ruin the stone. How should you clean the pizza stone?
The stone heats up enormously when used, so that any germs are killed. However, bacteria can develop over time (e.g. during storage without prior cleaning). In addition, the more often dirt is caked on, the more stubborn it becomes. Cleaning the pizza stone after each use is definitely recommended.
Clean for the first time before using it for the first time
During the production, packaging and storage of the stone, it becomes contaminated. And since you want to prepare your food on it, you should do a quick cleaning before using it for the first time.
- Wipe the surfaces with a cloth. You can also moisten it beforehand.
- Alternatively, a soft brush can be used.
Clean the pizza stone after use
In general, cleaning is not complicated and expensive cleaning products are absolutely not necessary. But if things are more difficult, you shouldn't immediately resort to abrasive or aggressive means out of desperation. There aregentler options, which you should try first.
Absolutely taboo are:
- Dishwasher
- Dishwashing liquid for firebrick and cordierite
- aggressive cleaning agents
- hard brushes, such as wire brushes
- Pressure washer
Basic cleaning after each use
Very important:Before you start cleaning, the stone must have cooled down sufficiently. The highly heated material could literally shatter or at least crack if it suddenly comes into contact with cold water (perhaps this has already happened to you with glass).
Firebrick and cordierite are very porous, which is why even dishwashing detergents that are actually considered mild and universal are unsuitable. The type of stone absorbs the substance into its pores and, as you can imagine, you will later have the taste on your pizza.
How to clean the pizza stone:
- Let it cool down! Half an hour after use, it should be sufficiently cool to avoid any damage.
- If you find large pieces of food that are also burnt, scrub them off with a soft brush. A plastic spatula can also be used.
- What's left now can go under the running water. Now you can either scrub again with the brush or with a sponge. Dishwashing liquid etc. comes herenotfor use!
- Did scrubbing with plain water help? Then isSalt another option. This is placed on the damp surface and then slowly rubbed in, for which it is best to use a damp cloth. Afterwards, rinse the salt thoroughly so that it does not remain on the surface or collect in the pores.
- Baking powder is also suitable as an alternative to salt. Mix this into a paste with water and rub it onto the affected areas. Then rinse thoroughly.
- Then let the pizza stone dry thoroughly before packing it up or reusing it. The drying process should also be gentle, which means: no sun, no oven heat, no heating. It's best to just let it air dry like the dishes. By the way, a tea towel is not an option as the moisture penetrates into the stone and cannot be adequately absorbed by a cloth.
Didn't get all the stains off? How to clean the pizza stone
We have to disappoint the perfectionists among you: sooner or later stains appear that simply cannot be removed. This is completely normal and is usually the case with an ordinary baking tray. It is important that you distinguish between actual food residues and unsightly discolorations, because food residues are potential sources of germs, while discolorations are not a problem, except perhaps purely visually.
You can make a paste to try to remove the stains, but this is not always guaranteed. To do this, simply use a remedy that we have already mentioned above, namely salt.
- But since you now have to prepare a paste, you also need some flour and water (1:1:1).
- Apply the finished salt paste to the stains.
- Leave it on for a while.
- Then brush them off again with clear water. If that doesn't work, repeat the process, this time using soapy water to rinse (but with the risk that this will affect the taste later).
- You may have to repeat the process (a few times) before you notice a difference (if at all, as it depends on the stubbornness of the contamination).
Bonus tip: Should you oil the pizza stone?
To prevent sticking and burning on the stone, some people are tempted to apply oil (like in the baking pan or on the baking tray). However, this is not recommended in this case, because the oily surface is more likely to burn (if there is no food on it), which initially creates smoke during baking and, as a result, stains.
If your pizza stone is made of granite, you canread herehow you can clean it.
