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How to clean ooni pizza stone ? Tip & Guides 2023
Cleaning your pizza stone can be a daunting task. It seems like there are so many steps, and it’s hard to know what you should do first. That is why we created this blog post! We’ll tell you how to clean an Ooni Pizza Stone, step by step.
Cleaning the Ooni Pizza Stone will result in better tasting food and more even heat distribution across the surface of the oven floor for cooking purposes. You’ll also find that cleaning will lengthen the life of your Ooni Pizza Stone by reducing wear on its cover from oils used during cooking.
What is an Ooni pizza stone, and why do I need one?
The Ooni pizza stone is an accessory designed for use with the Ooni Pro and Ooni 3. However, it may be used on gas stoves as well. The design draws heat from a natural fire source and redirects that heat onto a round cooking surface where you place your food to cook it.
They have been designed with a protective metal plate under the stone to prevent ground scorching below the oven.
>> Read more: Best Alfa Pizza Oven reviews in 2023
What are the benefits of cleaning a pizza stone?
Cleaning your Ooni pizza stone will lengthen its life by reducing the build-up of oils, fats, and other residues on the surface. This will make it easier for you to maintain a non-stick cooking surface, perfect for items like naan bread or rustic style freeform pizzas.
They’re also swift and easy to clean. If you do it immediately after use, there is no need to let them soak in water overnight. Washing with hot water is all that’s needed, with some mild detergent added.
If they are left dirty, then not only can they become harder to clean, but the food may stick more easily when trying to cook on them, incredibly sticky foods such as tandoori chicken.
How to clean an Ooni pizza stone?
Step By Step Instructions:
1. Ensure your Ooni Pizza Stone has cooled completely before attempting to clean it.
2. Spray the surface with some water and add a splash of mild detergent (Dawn dish soap works well) into the mix too. Mix this around until you get something that looks like thin porridge; it should be soupy but not runny. If the mixture is too thick, then add more drops of water to dilute it.
3. Dip either an old sponge (or one for non-stick surfaces) or an old rag into the soapy solution and rub over the surface in small circular motions until all visible food residue has been removed from the stone’s surface. For very stubborn ‘stuck on’ spots, you may need to use a metal spatula to help remove food residue.
4 . Rinse with clean water and wipe dry. If you have a dishwasher, place the Ooni Pizza Stone into your dishwasher as usual for an easy no-hassle clean!
5. Allow the stone to dry completely before placing it back into your oven.
*IMPORTANT NOTE: Always ensure that your stove is off and cooled completely before attempting to clean any part of it. It’s also best practice to only use mild detergent on the stone as harsher chemicals may damage the protective metal plate situated under the rock.
It’s also not advisable to use any steel wool or wire-bristle brush as this may damage the surface of your Ooni Pizza Stone, particularly on mesh inserts.
Why is it important to clean a pizza stone regularly?
Cleaning your Ooni Pizza Stone regularly will ensure that it stays in the best possible condition. Food residue left for prolonged periods can become hard to remove and may even cause staining to the stone, resulting in a less pleasing appearance.
Onion or garlic can be tough to remove from a pizza stone, so regular cleaning is recommended.
How often should I clean my Ooni Pizza Stone?
If you have been cooking foods with a high oil content at high temperatures, we recommend cleaning after every use as these types of food can leave stubborn residue behind (e.g., cheese-based items).
We recommend light duty tends for those who aren’t cooking such oily food or using high heat settings on their ovens (e.g.400-500F).
How to clean the pizza stone grill rack?
Cleaning your Ooni Pizza Stone Grill Rack is as simple as running it through the dishwasher if you have a dishwasher! If not, then hot soapy water and an old rag or sponge will do the trick too. You can wipe this down while still warm with a towel after cooking to remove any excess oils easily.
Do I need to season my pizza stone?
You may wish to season your Ooni Pizza Stone before use, but it is entirely optional. Seasoning helps speed up the break-in process of new cooking surfaces, allowing them to become more non-stick over time by adding a protective layer that prevents food from sticking.
The most common seasoning method is to rub a thin layer of oil into the surface then bake it in an oven at 200C for about an hour.
How do you clean a burnt pizza stone?
Cleaning your Ooni Pizza Stone after it has been burnt can be a tricky task; there are, however, some essential home remedies you may try. As always, the first step is to ensure that the stone has cooled entirely before beginning any cleaning attempts.
Baking Soda Paste: A simple paste of baking soda and water applied to the surface with either an old sponge or rag, then rubbed over in small circular motions until all food residue has been removed should do the trick!
You may need to scrub quite hard, which will make this difficult for smaller surfaces like mesh inserts but should be fine on flat surfaces such as stones. After applying the baking soda mixture, allow it to rest on the surface for up to 20 minutes before rinsing off with clean water.
For stubborn burnt areas, allow soaking for longer, even an hour or more!
Baking Soda & Salt Paste: It’s also not a bad idea to use salt when making your paste when cleaning pizza stones after burning as this will help wear down any burnt food residues that the baking soda may not shift by itself.
Mix in equal parts and apply with either an old rag or sponge-like baking soda mixed with water. If necessary, you can combine both methods to ensure all residue has been removed, but ensure the stone has cooled completely before attempting this method.
Toothpaste: This was something we hadn’t heard of until recently, but apparently, toothpaste (gel type is excellent for removing stains from the surface of pizza stones) applied to the rock with an old rag or sponge,
then rubbed in small circular motions can help breakdown particularly stubborn burnt residues left behind on your Ooni Pizza Stone. Rinse off with clean water when finished.
Vinegar & Water: If you’re looking for something a little more unique, then vinegar and water is another method that has been seen to work well! Mix equal parts of each liquid in a bowl or bucket that is large enough to submerge the whole stone before giving it a good stir.
Once you’ve made up this solution, pour it directly onto the surface of your stone and allow it to soak for between 20-30 minutes before scrubbing over in small circular motions with an old brush or scourer.
Rinse with clean water and dry immediately to prevent the stone from rusting; mark rust spots may appear on your Ooni Pizza Stone if they’re not dried straight away!
Caustic Soda & Hot Water: This is probably one of the more dangerous methods for cleaning burnt-on food residue after cooking, but it has worked well for some people in the past. Mix three teaspoons of caustic soda with 2 liters (about 70 ounces) of hot water before pouring directly onto the surface of your still-hot pizza stone.
Leave this to soak anywhere between 5-20 minutes until all burned residues have been removed, then scrub over gently with a metal scourer or brush to ensure all stuck food particles remain dissolved in the solution. Carefully rinse off with clean water and dry to prevent the stone from rusting!
Lime & Salt: Finally, if you’re looking for a natural way to remove burnt food residue, then placing a halved lime on each side of the surface of your pizza stone and sprinkling salt overtop will help this happen after letting it rest overnight.
The following day carefully remove both limes and any remaining salt before scrubbing away at the surface to remove all waste and rust marks leaving your Ooni Pizza Stone looking as good as new!
How do I clean my OONI Koda 16 pizza stone?
Cleaning your OONI Koda 16 pizza stone is no different from cleaning any other type of stone or steel surface when preparing food. We recommend wiping the entire surface clean with a damp cloth after each use to prevent rust spots from forming;
if you do notice any marks, scrub them away in small circular motions with a metal scourer and some salt until all stains have been removed.
For stubborn residue, we’d recommend mixing equal parts of baking soda and water before applying this mixture to the entirety of the surface using either an old sponge, rag, or brush before resting for up to 20 minutes and then scrubbing over well in small circles.
You may even need to leave it to soak overnight, depending on how bad things are!
Other ways to maintain the life of your pizza stone
Include:
- Avoid using metallic utensils on the stone; avoid sharp edges as these can cause irreparable marks to appear over time.
- Leave your pizza stone to cool completely before attempting to wash it, ensure you dry it thoroughly after washing, and try not to use soap unless necessary.
- Never flush or store food in your oven when it’s still hot! The best way is to allow the oven to cool down first before removing any leftover food waste for later disposal.
FAQ:
How much food can fit on the Ooni Koda 16 Stone?
You should comfortably fit three large pizzas or six smaller ones.
Can I use my oven liner with this pizza stone?
While not recommended, if you’re desperate to do so, then it is possible, but please note that your warranty will be voided as a result. We always advise against using an oven liner inside your appliance as they are prone to rupture or damage, which can cause danger to you and anyone else nearby.
Always wait for the surface of your Ooni Pizza Stone to cool before attempting to remove any excess debris left behind once finished cooking, along with ensuring you clean up any food residues straight after each use.
Can I put it in the dishwasher?
No, avoid putting your pizza stone through a dishwasher or submerging in salt-based solutions, as both can lead to rusting. Instead, wipe over with a damp cloth and allow to fully dry before storing away somewhere safe when not in use. Never wash while hot!
How do I clean burnt-on food from my oven?
This is likely going to require some elbow grease on your part, but if you combine baking soda and water into a paste before applying this all over the surface of the affected area and resting for up to 20 minutes before scrubbing away at will usually remove most stains left behind from residue previously cooked within the appliance.
Should you wash pizza stone?
No, it is important to never wash or store food in your oven when still hot as this can lead to a fire hazard. Try letting the surface of your pizza stone cool down before attempting to clean any excess debris left behind after cooking, and then carefully remove any burnt-on residue once thoroughly cooled with a damp cloth and metal scourer, just as you would with a stovetop pan or pot that has been used for cooking.
Can I re-season my pizza stone?
In short, no. Suppose you have seasoned your Ooni Pizza Stone correctly from the outset. In that case, there is no need to apply an additional layer as this will only cause issues later down the line as it’s purpose was simply as a temporary protective coating that will quickly fade away with use along with any re-seasoning process potentially causing your pizza stone to crack or split due to the outer layer being forced further inwards which is extremely dangerous and can lead to irreparable damage.
How often should I season my pizza stone?
Ooni recommend seasoning your pizza stone at least once every three uses, but please note that if you’ve been using it on a fairly regular basis, then you may have noticed the most outer layer of seasoning has already gone, this means that it’s time to replace with another thin coating of oil so don’t worry about throwing out an unusable product!
If you are still unsure whether or not your Ooni Pizza Stone is ready for replacement, please get in touch with customer support via e-mail before attempting anything.
Final thoughts on how to clean ooni pizza stone
As you can see, it is not difficult to maintain an effective clean on your Ooni Koda Stone; follow all of the above guidelines, and you will be able to use it for years with little effort involved.
As long as you don’t attempt to cook anything too sticky or messy without cleaning up after yourself, then this should suffice in keeping your cooking surface looking brand new each time!
