[putnambr]

> never clean it with soap.

This is a myth. I was struggling with getting a good non-stick-ability on my Lodge, until someone pointed out the 'patina' is really just burnt carbon and does nothing for non-stick. The non-stick seasoning comes from polymerized oils, which aren't affected by lye-free soaps. I haven't had any sticking issues since I've started washing my pan with soap after a messy meal and leaving a microscopic film of Crisco on after drying.

[legitster]

It was years before I understood this and got a good patina on mine. Give the pan a good clean and do a lot of gentle frying dishes in a row.

The soap myth harkens back to the day when soaps were actually pretty caustic - they were lye based formulas that you had to use gloves to wash dishes with. That stuff would eat through enamel.