My Friend Washed My Stone With Soap!!

[feather18]

My friend was helping me out washing some of my dishes, and she accidently washed my stone with soap! Once she noticed she stopped, but will it mess the stone up? it wasnt much soap, but i just dont want anything to taste like soap now!

 

[chefann]

Wash it really well with a lot of hot water. If you want to make sure there's no soap residue, you can cover the entire baking surface with crescent rolls (use the cheapies, unroll them, and spread them over the entire surface). Bake as directed. When they're done, remove the bread and throw it out.

 

[feather18]

ok thanks!! I will try that, maybe feed those to my husband.. haha.. nah just kidding.

 

[chefann]

mmm.... croissants with soap and jelly....


bleah! :yuck:

 

[jrstephens]

I do not think it will affect the stone with one soap washing. I have a friend whose husband put hers in the dishwashing and it is fine. I also have a customer who washes hers in soap no matter what I say and hers does not taste like it. She says when it does she will buy a new one.

 

[raebates]

I tell people that, once your stone is seasoned, you can run a soapy dishcloth over it without any problem. You never want to soak it in soapy water or squirt dish soap directly on it, though.I also tell people about the crescent rolls or biscuits. I had a customer with a bad fish smell on her stone. (She had put it aside after cooking fish sticks, then left for over a month to take care of a family emergency.) Twice with the biscuits worked wonders for her.

 

[carlacooks]

I have walked into the kitchen to find TWO host's moms scrubbing the heck out of my covered baker ("just trying to get the brown stuff off for you") and it was immersed in a sink full of hot, soapy water. It's fine.

 

[scottcooks]

SCIENCE TIME:

Soap acts as a "search and isolate" agent in sinkwater - literally surrounding oil and breaking it apart so it can be removed from pans / glasses / metal / etc.

That we Want the oil to stay adhered to stoneware to season it, is the reason we don't use soap to 'clean' it. In actuality, the soap doesn't clean anyting - the hot water does. All soap does is loosen and break apart the oil. The brush/sponge/scraper/scouring pad/ dishcloth are what do the 'cleaning'.

So - will it hurt a stone? No. Will it make a baked item taste soapy? Not unless you rub it with a bar of soap then put your baked item right on that. (Or squirt it with dish soap then put your dough on that). Yum--no thanks, you enjoy that one with your family...

As long as you rinse thoroughly, you are happily on your way to re-seasoning a stone.

If you're concerned about soap 'exposure' you can pop any stone in the rinse cycle of a dishwasher, or put it in a self-cleaning oven and leave it through the cleaning cycle.

Take Care, and God Bless you!

-praying for Paige and her family-

 

[ChefLoriG]

I believe you aren't supposed to put a stone in a self cleaning oven, that could make it crack, since you don't have any food on it.

 

[HockeyLover]

SCIENCE TIME:

Soap acts as a "search and isolate" agent in sinkwater - literally surrounding oil and breaking it apart so it can be removed from pans / glasses / metal / etc.

That we Want the oil to stay adhered to stoneware to season it, is the reason we don't use soap to 'clean' it. In actuality, the soap doesn't clean anyting - the hot water does. All soap does is loosen and break apart the oil. The brush/sponge/scraper/scouring pad/ dishcloth are what do the 'cleaning'.

So - will it hurt a stone? No. Will it make a baked item taste soapy? Not unless you rub it with a bar of soap then put your baked item right on that. (Or squirt it with dish soap then put your dough on that). Yum--no thanks, you enjoy that one with your family...

As long as you rinse thoroughly, you are happily on your way to re-seasoning a stone.

If you're concerned about soap 'exposure' you can pop any stone in the rinse cycle of a dishwasher, or put it in a self-cleaning oven and leave it through the cleaning cycle.

Take Care, and God Bless you!

-praying for Paige and her family-

My mom bought some stones years ago, when they first came out. When she found out she couldn't clean them with soap, she was disgusted. She ended up giving them to my sister (who couldn't be happier!). I shared this little tidbit with her (and emailed the file 'why stonewear won't harbor bacteria'). She said, "Guess I'll have to have another show to get a few of those stones again! You know your sister won't give them up now!"

Thanks for the info!

 

[KellyTheChef]

I believe you aren't supposed to put a stone in a self cleaning oven, that could make it crack, since you don't have any food on it.

Plus, it could catch fire since it gets so hot in there...the grease on the stone from seasoning could ignite. HO does NOT advocate putting them into the self clean cycle. It voids the warranty...

 

[chefann]

Thanks for posting that info Scott. There was a flyer going around the loops several years ago that was basically a letter from a microbiologist that said the same thing. I try to keep a couple of copies of that with my paperwork at shows just in case someone comments. Since it's written by a scientist, they treat it more seriously than if I tell them the same thing.

They must not know that my brain is full of facts like that.

 

[BethCooks4U]

SCIENCE TIME:

Soap acts as a "search and isolate" agent in sinkwater - literally surrounding oil and breaking it apart so it can be removed from pans / glasses / metal / etc.

That we Want the oil to stay adhered to stoneware to season it, is the reason we don't use soap to 'clean' it. In actuality, the soap doesn't clean anyting - the hot water does. All soap does is loosen and break apart the oil. The brush/sponge/scraper/scouring pad/ dishcloth are what do the 'cleaning'.

So - will it hurt a stone? No. Will it make a baked item taste soapy? Not unless you rub it with a bar of soap then put your baked item right on that. (Or squirt it with dish soap then put your dough on that). Yum--no thanks, you enjoy that one with your family...

As long as you rinse thoroughly, you are happily on your way to re-seasoning a stone.

If you're concerned about soap 'exposure' you can pop any stone in the rinse cycle of a dishwasher, or put it in a self-cleaning oven and leave it through the cleaning cycle.

Take Care, and God Bless you!

-praying for Paige and her family-

This is great advice EXCEPT the part I highlighted! NEVER put a stone in the dishwasher or cleaning cycle of an oven - NEVER!! The stone could get a thermal shock and break (usually later - the next time it's used) and it also voids the warranty. The stones are fired at very high temperatures but that DOES NOT make them able to stand that high a temperature (per very experienced potters at Seagrove - a great place to visit in NC - lots of potters in a close proximity to each other).

Another thing that you could do to clean the stone if you feel the need is make a paste of baking soda and water and spread it on the stone.

Scott's advice that the soap isn't what cleans is SO on target. The thing that makes things grow :yuck: on dishes is the food particles that are left on. Scrape them off under running water and you're good to go.

Duke University did research on this very thing and found that there was no more bacteria on dishes that were washed with only water than on those that were washed with soap.

 

[bethsbiz]

When talking about stones at shows, I try to address the soap issue up front. As a part of this, I tell folks "if someone ever does use soap on your stone, don't panic....this is what you do to quickly reseason a stone and remove the potential soap flavor.....blah, blah, blah."

If I have time, I share a story of a host who had just had a fight with her husband. She left the house mad. When she returned, the hubby had cleaned the house AND done the dishes. She called me in a panic because her hubby had tried diligently to scrub off the brown color on her well-seasoned stone and he'd used SOAP! I talked her down from her panic, gave her advise such as those listed above (cresent rolls, etc.) and she is still enjoying her stone to this day. I love it when she is a repeat guest/host cause she then shares the story herself.

So...as a preventative customer service opportunity, use the time at your show to tell people to "remain calm and call me for advise". I get calls all the time and they are always appreciative that I can "save their stone".

If you are new to PC, do read the use and care info carefully AND search the files section of this site for info sheets that further explain the concept of stones. When you understand how the stone cooks so evenly AND why we don't use soap, you will have a lightbulb moment and begin selling more stoneware with confidence.

 

[scottcooks]

OK - so my drawers are getting all in a bunch reading what you have replied...

The oven cleaning cycle thing does work. Think about it--the stone is fired ceramic, unglazed. You are kind of firing it again. Thermal shock is when you have a frozen clump of whatever on a stone and the stone can't expand next to the frozen chicken breast. Can you put a stone in a freezer? Of course. Would you take it from the freezer at put it under a broiler? NO. Put it on a burner ever? NO. Thermal shock is the sudden temperature change--particularly to an isolated part of a stone, not extreme temperature.

Also, a stone in the dishwasher without soap on full cycle or on the rinse cycle has worked out just fine. I have done this with every pizza stone I have owned and they are beautifully smooth and golden brown. I'm not worried about voiding a warranty that expired 7 years ago for our large round and 3 years ago for our rectangle stones! The stones are more beautiful than before I did this. I do it about once every 2 years, when they start to get some kind of buildup...feel bumpy instead of smooth and even.

No, these aren't HO approved remedies, but this forum exists to help one another by sharing our experiences with one another. These have been mine, and they are here for your to benefit from, or not. You are welcome to your opinions and certainly to your own expereinces; I am simply sharing what has worked for me.

Thank you - soap box away. God Bless You, and Take Care!

 

[BethCooks4U]

Glad it has worked for you, Scott, but I would never suggest using these methods to guests. If someone asked or said another consultant suggested it my answer would be "I have heard that some have done that without a problem but I have not tried that and Pampered Chef does not recommend it."

IMHO

 

[itsjustCarla]

I have to agree with scott - while I haven't tried the self-cleaning cyle, I put my stones in the dishwasher all the time WITHOUT SOAP. I have never had a problem - my stones actually come out perfect every time. I don't remove them from the dishwasher until they've cooled off entirely. I've not mentioned this at my shows, but I have mentioned this to friends and family who I know would LOVE their stones, but are too leery of using them due to the cleaning issue. In fact, the dishwasher makes the water a lot hotter and gives everyone peace of mind.

 

[friday]

Sorry- gotta disagree. My mom is clay artist. She has her own kilns. I asked her and she said that if a student decides to reglaze something and refire it without telling her that it explodes in the kiln, destroying the work of every other student who put things in to fire that day. She hates it when that happens but every so often someone does it- using the same logic as above. The thing is that when you fire it it is wet clay. I know lots of people who have done it and been lucky, but its a chance I wouldnt want to take.

I dont have a dishwasher so I dont know how that works, but I dont think it gets nearly as hot as the self cleaning cycle of an oven.

Just telling you what my mommy told me.

 

[Teresa Lynn]

Mine go in the DW every day with the rest of my dishes and my rinse agents and they are fine.

HOWEVER, PLEASE be the cautious with putting them on a self cleaning cycle in your oven. During this time the oven door will LOCK!!! IF your stone does catch on fire the fire will not stay inside it will escape out the side of the oven door and if its a built in spread to cabinets and walls it is not recommended or approved method by HO and doing so could cause damage to your home, or family...

 

[CrockedUp]

I bought a used Pampered Chef bread crock online. When it came I noticed a distinct perfume odor to it. The Seller refunded my money and told me to keep the crock and do what I want with it. Will the crescent roll trick work to get rid of the perfume odor? Do you think I can salvage the crock?