Content

• Steps
• Method 1 of 3: Cleaning the stone by hand
• Method 2 of 3: Clean your stone with baking soda
• Method 3 of 3: Use the oven's self-cleaning function
• Warnings

The pizza tray is a small stone plate that allows you to get a crispier crust for pizza and other foods at home. In general, the stone does not need to be cleaned regularly, as this happens automatically during the cooking process. However, in the case of really heavy pollution, such a procedure must be carried out according to a certain method. Certain methods, such as soaking or using soap and water, can cause the stone to shatter. When cleaning a pizza stone, you should use one of several techniques that will not damage it.

Steps

Method 1 of 3: Cleaning the stone by hand

1. 1 Let the stone fully cool down. Allow it to cool in the oven for an hour before starting, otherwise it may crack, especially if the stone is immediately placed in cold water or the air around it is too cool. Make sure the stone has cooled to room temperature before cleaning it.
   • If there is a need for hot cleaning, use heat resistant gloves to avoid scalding. Make sure that the surface on which the stone will be cleaned is heat-resistant.
   • A pizza stone can also crack if placed in a preheated oven while cold.
2. 2 Use a blunt tool to gently scrape or scrape off pieces of food. You can use a stone brush or plastic spatula to remove any burnt food particles that have adhered to it. Clean the cooking surface gently.
   • Using a metal trowel can scratch the stone.
3. 3 Never do not use soap on the surface of the pizza stone. Although intuitively this seems to be the right solution, cleaning with soap in reality will lead to irreversible destruction of the stone. After such a procedure, its surface will never be the same.
4. 4 Wipe the pizza stone with a damp cloth if necessary. Soak a washcloth in warm water and wipe down the stone. Remove any food particles that can be removed without using a scraper.
5. 5 As a last resort, it is necessary to soak the stone in water. Baked or burnt food debris may need to be soaked to facilitate further removal. Soak the pizza stone in clean water overnight and try cleaning again. Keep in mind that this will absorb a lot of moisture, so give it time to dry completely for a week or so. After that, a large amount of moisture will still remain in it, even if the stone looks completely dry.
6. 6 The stone must be completely dry before reuse. One of the reasons for the appearance of cracks is that it was placed in the oven without pre-drying. Remember to store the stone at room temperature for a while before cooking again. Water is retained in the pores of the stone and deteriorates the uniformity of temperature distribution during heating.
   • Let the stone dry for 1 to 2 hours before reusing it.
7. 7 Avoid getting oil on any type of stone. Olive oil or any other type of fat can produce smoke when you cook. While some may regard the process of cleaning stone as similar to cleaning cast iron pans, the pores of the stone actually absorb oil rather than create a non-stick surface.
   • For a non-stick finish, use cornmeal on the surface of the stone.
   • Fat from food naturally seeps into the structure of the stone and does no harm, and even makes it more suitable for use in the cooking process. However, as mentioned earlier, do not use oil as you would with a cast iron surface.
   • The stone cleans itself naturally after cooking pizza or other food on it.
8. 8 Examine the discolored areas of the stone. Dark, discolored spots can often be found on the surface of commonly used stones. After that, the surface of the plate no longer looks like a new one, which has just been taken out of the store packaging. However, over time, the properties of the pizza stone actually only improve. Don't try to scrape it while waiting to give it a new look, or thinking like, "It looks too old, it's time to update it."

Method 2 of 3: Clean your stone with baking soda

1. 1 Mix equal parts baking soda and warm water in a small bowl. Stir until the mixture is smooth. In consistency, it should resemble toothpaste.This option will help remove stains that have stuck in the stone that cannot be removed with regular wiping.
   • Baking soda is sodium bicarbonate, which is great for cleaning up dirt and grease.
   • Baking soda is the best stone cleaner because it is moderately abrasive and will not change the taste of food.
2. 2 Remove large burnt food particles with a plastic spatula. Before you start cleaning the stone with baking soda, you need to make sure that all visible food pieces have been removed.
   • When cleaning the pizza stone, be very careful as each subsequent cleaning increases the chance of cracking over time.
3. 3 Apply the mixture to the surface of the stone with a brush. With a toothbrush or a special stone brush, make circular motions with a small amplitude and first of all clean problem areas. First, pay special attention to discolored and dark spots on the stone, and only then treat the rest of it.
   • You may have to walk again through problem areas with deep, burnt spots, if any, after wiping the entire surface.
4. 4 Wipe the surface with a damp cloth. After wiping, you need to apply a layer of soda mixture to the surface of the stove. Apply it with a damp cloth when you feel that the usual rinsing is no longer giving the desired result.
   • Re-walk the problem areas of the stone after cleaning if you are not satisfied with its appearance. Repeat the process until the problem area becomes lighter or disappears completely.
5. 5 Let the stone dry completely. This will absorb more moisture than if you simply wiped it off, but wait about one day before using it again. Residual moisture can damage the stone.
   • You can store the stone directly in the oven, which will keep it at room temperature at all times. You just need to take it out when cooking other food.

Method 3 of 3: Use the oven's self-cleaning function

1. 1 Reduce the use of this method to one time. There is a chance that the pizza stone will be damaged even if you follow the instructions given. Use this method only once and try to do all the work so that you do not have to redo it.
   • If the stone has already absorbed too much fat, it can cause it to burn or even ignite, which is incredibly dangerous.
   • Some ovens with a self-cleaning function will automatically lock the door during this procedure. So if a fire breaks out inside the oven, you cannot open it in any way.
2. 2 Clean the oven until all grease and dried food has been removed. Residual oil or any other fat will generate a lot of smoke when using the self-cleaning function. Clean the grate with a rag and cleaning agent.
   • Make sure the oven is dry before using the self-cleaning function.
3. 3 Wipe the stone with a dishcloth. First, remove the layer of grease and accumulated dirt from the surface of the stone. Although you will be using the self-cleaning function, removing food debris beforehand will prevent smoke from forming.
   • It is necessary to remove all large particles of food that are stuck to the stone.
4. 4 Place the stone in the oven and preheat to 500 degrees. It is necessary to gradually warm up the oven to prevent cracks in the stone due to the sudden temperature drop. Use the preheat function to increase the temperature gradually. Leave the stone in the oven for at least an hour after the temperature has reached 500 degrees.
   • The same method should be used when making pizza.
5. 5 Turn on the self-cleaning function. The self-cleaning function will provide a strong heating of the oven, it is designed to burn off residual grease and dirt.
   • Run a full cycle.Do not interrupt it if there is no danger of fire.
6. 6 Observe the pizza oven through the window. Continuously monitor the condition and heating of the oven. You should notice the appearance of bubbles of fat on the surface of the stone. Due to the generated smoke, do not open the oven during the self-cleaning process.
   • If a fire breaks out, immediately turn off self-cleaning and call the fire department.
   • The oxygen supply increases the intensity of the fire and can create a backdraft effect. For this reason, you should always keep the oven door closed.
7. 7 Let the stone cool. Let it cool down overnight. The self-cleaning process should remove any remaining dirt or stains.

Warnings

• Use the self-cleaning feature as a last resort.
• Self-cleaning may cause a fire.
• Hand cleaning is the best way to handle pizza stone.
• Always use heat resistant gloves when handling hot pizza stone.