Home › Home & Kitchen › Kitchen & Dining › Cookware › Woks & Stir-Fry Pans How to Clean a Wok Published: July 9, 2026 · Updated: July 9, 2026
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For a seasoned carbon-steel or cast-iron wok, rinse it with hot water while it's still warm and scrub with a soft brush or bamboo whisk — little or no soap — then dry it on the heat and wipe on a thin film of oil. That last step drives off water and protects the seasoning, which is what stops rust and sticking.
Recommended Hot-water rinse and soft scrub, no harsh soap, then dry on the burner and re-oil — protect the seasoning — A traditional wok is carbon steel or cast iron with a built-up oil seasoning that makes it non-stick, and harsh detergent or steel wool strips that layer and invites rust, so cleaning is gentle by design. Right after cooking, while the wok is still warm, rinse it under hot water and loosen residue with a soft sponge, a bamboo wok brush, or a nylon brush; a tiny drop of mild soap is fine now and then, but skip the scouring pads and heavy degreasers. For stuck-on or burnt food, simmer a little water in the wok to lift it, or scrub with coarse salt as a gentle abrasive, then rinse. The non-negotiable step is drying: put the wok back on the burner for a minute so every drop evaporates, because water left on bare steel rusts it fast. While it's warm, wipe a thin coat of neutral oil over the inside with a paper towel to seal and feed the seasoning, then store it dry. If rust does appear, scrub it off, wash, and re-season. Enamelled or non-stick woks are the exception — those you can wash normally with soap, just no metal tools.
