Re-season only when it looks sad.

Not that often — only when the cooking surface looks dry, patchy, or rust is starting.

Most people overthink this. If you cook with oil or fat regularly, you’re maintaining the seasoning automatically. Bacon, fried eggs, seared steak — that’s basically a free reseason every time. The pan will look slightly darker and more even over months. That’s fine.

You only need a dedicated reseason session if food starts sticking like crazy, you see rust spots, or the surface turns dull gray instead of black. Another sign: wiping with a paper towel leaves orange residue (rust). At that point, scrub off loose flakes, apply a thin oil layer, and bake it at 450 for an hour. Done.

Don’t strip and start over unless you’re desperate. Most issues are solved by cooking more bacon.