Cook the sticky off, or start over.

Scrub it with hot water and a stiff brush — the seasoning isn’t ruined, just not polymerized.

The gummy mess happens when you used too much oil or didn’t heat it hot enough for long enough. Oil needs to be heated past its smoke point to bond into seasoning. If it’s just sticky, it’s still oil.

Bake it hot (450–500°F) for an hour, upside down on a rack, with foil below to catch drips. That usually burns the excess off and hardens the rest. If it’s still sticky after that, scrub it clean with steel wool and dish soap — yes, soap is fine on bare iron — then reseason with a very thin layer of oil. Wipe it on, then wipe it off like you didn’t mean to put it there.

Less oil, more heat. That’s the whole trick.