Domakihub How to Clean a Pizza Stone So It Lasts Forever
Keep your stone in top shape with five simple steps — no soap, no stress.
Reviewed by Domakihub cleaning pros · 2026-06-23 · 4 min read
A pizza stone is one of the most useful tools in any kitchen — whether you are running a holiday rental in Crete, a hotel kitchen in Athens, or simply baking at home. The video above walks you through the full process visually, while this guide breaks it down into clear, ordered steps you can follow every time. Done correctly, cleaning takes under ten minutes and will extend the life of your stone by years.
Why pizza stone care is different from normal cookware
A pizza stone is porous by design. That porosity is exactly what draws moisture out of dough and delivers the crisp, evenly browned base that a regular baking tray cannot. But it also means the stone absorbs whatever you put on it — including soap, which can seep in and release an unpleasant taste into your next bake.
This is why the rules for cleaning a pizza stone break almost every habit you have with other cookware: no soaking, no dish soap, no dishwasher. Once you understand the reason, the steps become obvious.
What a seasoned stone looks like — and why stains are fine
New pizza stones are pale beige or cream. After a few uses, yours will darken, develop brown patches, and show traces of previous bakes. This is normal and desirable — a well-used stone is a seasoned stone, and those marks do not affect food safety or flavour.
What you do want to remove are hardened food scraps, pooled cheese, and oil residue that can smoke heavily on the next use. The goal of cleaning is debris removal, not whitening.
How to clean a pizza stone: 5 steps
- 1
Let it cool completely
Never run a hot stone under water or place it on a cold surface straight from the oven. Thermal shock can crack even a thick stone. Leave it in the switched-off oven or on a wooden board until it reaches room temperature — usually 45 to 60 minutes. Patience here prevents an expensive replacement.
- 2
Scrape off loose debris dry
Once cold, use a stiff plastic or metal bench scraper — or a dedicated pizza stone brush — to dislodge any baked-on cheese, crust fragments, or sauce. Work in short, firm strokes across the surface. Tipping the stone on its side and scraping over a bin makes this cleaner and faster.
- 3
Use hot water only — no soap
Rinse the stone briefly under hot running water, or wipe it down with a damp cloth wrung out in hot water. Rub stubborn spots with a paste of baking soda (bicarbonate of soda) and water, scrubbing gently with a non-scratch pad. The mild abrasive lifts residue without leaching into the stone's pores the way soap would.
- 4
Dry thoroughly before storing
Pat the stone dry with a clean towel, then stand it upright in the oven with just the oven light on, or place it in a warm (100 °C / 210 °F) oven for 15 minutes. Any trapped moisture can cause the stone to crack on the next high-heat use, so this step is non-negotiable — especially in the humid Greek summer or coastal rental kitchens.
- 5
Store it in the oven if you use it regularly
Rather than moving the stone in and out of a cupboard, many professional and home bakers simply leave it on the lowest rack of their oven year-round. It doubles as a heat buffer that stabilises oven temperature. Just remember to factor in preheat time — a stone needs 45 to 60 minutes at full temperature before you bake on it.
Rather have a pro handle it?
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FAQ
- Can I use dish soap on a pizza stone?
- No. Pizza stones are porous and will absorb soap, which will then release into your food during the next bake, giving it an off flavour. Stick to hot water, a scraper, and baking soda paste for stubborn spots.
- How do I remove burnt cheese or oil that is really stuck on?
- Make a paste from baking soda and a small amount of water, apply it to the affected area, and let it sit for five minutes before scrubbing with a non-scratch pad. For very thick carbon deposits, place the stone upside-down in a 250 °C (480 °F) oven for 30 minutes — the heat will carbonise the residue further and make it easier to scrape off once cool.
- My pizza stone cracked — was it something I did when cleaning?
- The most common cause of cracks is thermal shock: putting a cold stone into a blazing hot oven, or rinsing a hot stone in cold water. Always preheat the stone with the oven, and always let it cool before any contact with water. Hairline cracks do not always mean the stone is unusable, but a stone broken in two should be replaced.