How To Clean a Pizza or Baking Stone and Make It Last Longer

Pizza stones can be cleaned with brushes, a towel dampened with water or for more stubborn stains, a baking soda paste. Avoid using commercial cleansers or soap. The scent from soap and its residue may become embedded in the porous surface, changing the food’s flavour.

A pizza or baking stone has become a vital item in most kitchens as long as tasty pizza goes; mostly because it offers crispier crust results and exactly the same effect as masonry or brick oven. It does this using its permeable feature which usually soaks up moisture and ensures even heating throughout, a process leads to an evenly baked and crispy pizza. But are you handling your pizza stone with enough care to help them stand the test of time?

Caring for a pizza or baking stone may appear straightforward with many new users believing it is unexacting, especially because most people assume they would never have some baked-on bits or residue stuck to it. Well, if you’re one of those, you may be surprised to find a really messy baking stone to clean after baking. According to Chantelle Malarkey, a home, aesthetic, and cleaning expert: “you’ll need a spatula to scrape away food, some water, and a cloth to dry it”.

What Exactly is a Pizza Stone and Why Does It Matter?

Pizza stones are slabs typically made from materials such as ceramic or stone, that are often used in ovens to recreate the baking process of a brick oven and achieve that desired crispy and golden crust loved by pizza enthusiasts. It’s role is to ensure that the heat is evenly distributed during baking to prevent dough from being undercooked or edges from getting overly charred. The pizza stones moisture absorption property also helps to strike a balance between the outer layer and the soft chewy center of the pizza.

What Does a Pizza Stone or a Baking Stone Do?

Pizza stone or baking stone is great for cooking nearly everything you can think of due to their ability to regulate and distribute heat evenly. One thing that makes them a better choice than other types of pizza makers is because of their ability to absorb moisture and cook evenly. They’re not just for baking but can also be used to roast.

What is the Best Way to Clean a Pizza Stone or a Baking Stone?

We asked for expert opinion on this matter:

Pizza oven cleaning experts from both Ooni and MasterChef, recommend that you avoid using chemicals on pizza stones, instead, you can use a dry brush or high heat to burn off debris.

Cleaning pizza stone or baking stone is not such a daunting task but maintaining or cleaning your pizza stone can be quite tricky due to its porosity. This is basically due to the fact that it can absorb whatever cleaning agents you are using and possibly affect the supposed yummy taste of your next baking.

Hence, we have listed steps that will help you clean your baking stone and make the best use of it according to the expert.

1. Avoid using detergents or soap when washing your pizza stone. Since a pizza stone usually has minute interstices, it can absorb soap when immersed in it. When soapy water passes through it, this might affect the taste of your next pizza. Of course, you don’t want to ruin your pizza with a soapy taste.

2. When cleaning a pizza stone, it is advisable to avoid soaking it inside water. The reason isn’t far-fetched. Just like with soap, water can permeate into the stone. Rather than submerging in water, allow your stone to fully cool. Then gently scrape off any baked-on food stuck to it using a sturdy, dry brush or plastic scraper. Wipe it down with a damp cloth. This may not get your pizza stone perfectly cleaned because there could be tough food spots or marks. However, using a very wet cloth to clean can ruin your pizza flavor or taste as much as soaking in water or soap could.

3. Cleaning without water may seem not so sensible which is why we advise the use of medium-grit sandpaper to sand down any raised bits when you think your stone is very dirty beyond wiping with a damp cloth.

4. You can leave a pizza stone in the oven on a self-clean mode. The heat will take off as much as 90 percent of baked-on food. Avoid putting in a rack that is susceptible to breakage if exposed to heat. Also, avoid extreme heat and allow the stone to cool down on its own and store up your stone in the oven to create more even heat for baking.

“Pizza stones are one of the most versatile and durable baking tools around,” according to Mel Gunnell, founder of food blog Mel’s Kitchen Cafe and author of Mel’s Kitchen Cafe Cookbook.” If cleaned well after each use, they will continue to bake evenly and last forever,”.

Pizza Stone Cleaning Methods

Step by step guide for cleaning and maintenance of a baking stone or pizza stone:

• Allow the stone to cool after cooking before cleaning to prevent cracks
• Remove from the oven
• Using a plastic spatula, scrape off stuck-on food
• For light cleaning, rinse or wipe the stone using a soft cloth and warm water – never soak or use soap
• For stubborn stains, make a paste of baking soda with water and scrub gently, then wipe thoroughly clean
• For eco-friendly cleaning, use diluted vinegar or lemon juice for stubborn spots, then rinse and dry
• Allow the damped stone to dry for 24 hours before using again
• Store. You can store in the oven or on the grill which helps to increase heat retention. Just don’t forget that stone is in the oven when cooking other meals.

Pizza Stone Care Tips

Why Do You Need To Clean A Pizza or Baking Stone?

Tools You Need to Clean a Pizza Stone

Cleaning a pizza stone requires minimal tools. All you need is:

• A dough scraper or spatula for removing stuck-on food
• A dry cloth or soft brush for wiping debris
• Baking soda for more stubborn stains
• Stone or wire brush with soft bristles
• Lemon juice or white vinegar (optional for eco-cleaning)
• A bowl of warm water (optional, use sparingly and avoid soaking the stone)

The taste of your pizza depends hugely on two things; the material of your stone and the ingredients you have used in the food preparation. When it comes to the stone material, cordierite is very popular since it can heat evenly and absorb moisture, which is vital for a crispy crust. But no matter the material of your stone, if it is not well maintained, you are bound to end up with a pizza that tastes nothing like what you eat at your favorite pizzeria. So cleaning your pizza stone is important for even cooking of your topping, and a great crust.

How to Remove Baked-On Food

For stubborn baked-on food, resist the urge to soak the stone in water. Instead, gently scrub the area with a baking soda paste or use a plastic spatula to lift the residue. You can also leave the stone in the oven during a self-cleaning cycle, but be cautious, as the high heat can sometimes lead to cracks. Tim Hagedorn, Sr. The Culinary Product Manager at Weber-Stephen Products and former Food and Trend Innovator at Pampered Chef, recommends the use of nylon scraper such as Fox Run Nylon Pot or Pan Scraper (Buy from Amazon, $7.61) to remove any stuck-bits, then following up with a baking soda paste. The fizzy baking soda will cut through and lift the toughest of stubborn food particles.

Is It Okay To Clean a Pizza Stone With Soap?

You should never use soap on a pizza stone because the porous nature of the stone can soak up the soap and make your pizza taste like soap. It is best to stick to dry cleaning methods or try using baking soda for any spots that need cleaning.

Tips for Cleaning Stains and Stubborn Residue Off Your Pizza Stone

Stains are common when using a pizza stone and won’t alter the taste or quality of your pizza in any way. However, for those who prefer a spotless stone, baking soda is your best friend. For residue, simply sprinkle baking soda directly onto the stone. Gently scrub with a damp cloth. If the stain lingers, no need to fret as it is all part of the seasoning process for the stone.

An acclaimed Italian-born chef, entrepreneur, and Winner of MasterChef Season Four, Chef Luca Manfè, recommends keeping your dirty stone in the oven for 45 to 60 minutes at the highest possible temperature. “This will make the stone almost new again,” according to him. This is to enable the heat burn off any tacky remaining bits, while also killing any bacteria on the stone at the same time.

This Yoube video from Tom Voyage explains exactly how to do this:

Is It Common For a Pizza Stone To Get Stained Over Time?

Certainly! It’s totally fine for a pizza stone to get some stains over time. It is just part of the process! The darkening of the stone is actually a thing because it means it is soaking up those oils from the dough and becoming more non stick as a result! So don’t worry about the stains; they won’t affect how well your pizza stone works and are a reminder of all the meals you’ve cooked with it in your kitchen!

Tips for Keeping Your Pizza Stone in Top Shape for Extended Use

A pizza stone doesn’t require seasoning like an iron skillet does; however using it often helps enhance its cooking performance over time as the oils, from the pizza naturally season the stone surface. Avoid soaking the stone in water or subjecting it to abrupt temperature variations as these may cause cracks to form.

How Frequently Do You Need To Clean Your Pizza Stone?

Remember to clean your pizza stone after each time you use it to get rid of any food bits that may get stuck on it. This is crucial for maintaining its quality and ensuring it stays in shape over time! While a simple scrape and wipe down is usually sufficient for day to day maintenance tasks like these; a thorough cleaning using baking soda should only be done when necessary.

How Do You Prepare a Pizza Stone For The First Time?

Most companies always advice preheating your pizza stone in an oven for an hour before putting a pizza on it. A stone preheated up to 60 minutes delivers a better crust than one not preheated or preheated for less amount of time. After cooking, you can use a pizza peel to take out the pizza from the stone and don’t forget to let the pizza stone cool down inside the oven when you’re done with the cooking.

What Temperature Do You Cook Pizza On a Stone?

A pizza stone is usually built out of cordierite, which is great for high heat baking and grilling. The cookware can match an oven’s highest temperature due to their ability to evenly distribute heat. One great reason to choose the cookware when grilling or baking in the oven is that it will help draw off moisture in the food so that your pizza or bread will have a thin and crispy exterior.

As mentioned earlier, the hotter your pizza stone, the better the browning and expansion of the dough. A preheated stone produces great pizza with a well-brown crust unlike unheated stone or one heated for less than 60 minutes. However,  425 degrees F have proven to be the best temp for a baking stone.

Do You Need to Season A New Pizza or Baking Stone?

There has been a long-held belief that seasoning a pizza stone lends it a non-stick feature. But this is one of the oldest lies ever told. Pizza stones develop a patina through use and this lends it a nonstick feature as it develops. This means that the cookware would naturally get more seasoned the more you cook with it. The result of this natural process is non-stickiness, so you don’t have to rush your stone by applying oil in the name of seasoning.

Consequently, you can use your brand new pizza stone once you pull it out of the package for the first time. All that is required is to wipe it down with a damp cloth and warm water to clean off any factory debris. Allow the moisture to completely evaporate before use and preheat for an hour.

As an option, especially if you really need to speed up the natural process of seasoning, you can use cornmeal, fine polenta, or semolina on top of your stone instead of oil. These don’t end up with a sticky consistency when water touches them.

Alternatively, you can use a parchment paper that is usually safe up to 400 degrees Fahrenheit and nothing more than 450 degrees F. Just make sure that you cut off the edges of the parchment to match the size of the stone with a small overhang that you can manage when cooking on the grill. Also, ensure that the overhang is nowhere close to the wall. This is to prevent burning.

Greasing or using oil of any kind on your pizza stone can cause the stone to smoke during use and may alter the taste of the baking. Apart from causing smoke, the porous stone can soak up the oil. Some manufacturers also recommend preheating your pizza stone in 425 degrees F temp for an hour before use. This helps your stone to become dark. You can repeat this process every time you want to bake.

Can You Use A Pizza Cutter On A Pizza or Baking Stone?

To avoid cracking your pizza stone, it is recommendable to always transfer the pizza from the stone to a tray before cutting. Always do this gently to prevent ruining your tray or stone.

Should You Put a Wet Pizza or Baking Stone in the Oven?

Yes, you can store or dry a damp pizza stone in the oven on medium heat to avoid damage. However, when it is wet, allow to fully dry for a day before using it again. You can also store the stone in the oven at room temperature but don’t forget to remove it when you are cooking other things to avoid cracking from the change in temperature.