Use less oil than you think.

Use less oil than you think.

Yes, almost everyone uses way too much oil the first time. You wipe it on like you’re buttering toast, and it pools in the center. Then you bake it, and the pan comes out sticky, patchy, or with little hardened droplets.

Here’s the trick: after you coat the pan, take a clean paper towel and try to wipe all the oil off. That seems backwards, but what’s left is exactly the thin layer that polymerizes into a proper non-stick surface. A thick layer just turns into gummy residue.

Other common first-timer mistakes: using flaxseed oil (sounds healthy, chips off in a month), cranking the oven too high past the oil’s smoke point, and not preheating the pan in the oven before applying oil. Also, don’t skip the initial scrub with soap and hot water to remove the factory wax — yes, soap is fine before seasoning.

The goal isn’t a mirror finish; it’s a matte, even coating. Multiple thin layers > one thick one.

You’re not feeding the pan. You’re barely feeding it.