How To Clean Ooni Pizza Stone In 6 Easy Steps (2023)

gas pizza ovens — gas pizza oven with a hot pizza stone

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Ooni pizza ovens are next-generation portable outdoor kitchen appliances that make it easier to prepare restaurant-quality, delicious pizza in your own home.

Furthermore, the Ooni pizza stone is made of high-quality cordierite stone that can withstand the high temperatures used to cook pizza in your oven.

However, it is still a porous material and needs to be cleaned regularly to avoid food sticking, burnt marks on the surface, and other issues.

But don’t worry, cleaning your pizza stone is simple and can be done in a matter of minutes. This article will show you how to clean Ooni pizza stone to make it look brand new again.

What Are Ooni Pizza Stones?

Ooni pizza stones, also known as baking stones, are made from solid cordierite stones and are extremely durable.

The best part is that these pizza stones will allow you to cook your pizza evenly so that it comes out with perfectly crispy crusts on the outside and a soft and fluffy inside.

Don’t worry if you don’t have an Ooni pizza oven, because you can still buy this cordierite stone baking board separately for use in your domestic oven to make homemade pizzas.

What Does A Pizza Stone Do?

A pizza stone is a baking stone used to cook pizza, flatbreads, and other baked goods. They are usually made from porous materials like ceramic, cordierite, or composite stone. These stones provide even heat distribution and help to cook bread evenly.

The primary purpose of using a pizza stone is to bake bread quickly. This is also the main reason why people use a pizza stone.

It helps to cook bread quickly without burning it. The heat from your oven transfers through the stone and cooks the pizza evenly, so there are no burnt edges or undercooked centers.

Should You Clean An Ooni Pizza Stone?

The answer to this question is a resounding “yes.”

Ooni pizza stones are porous, which means they can absorb the flavors of the food you’re cooking on them. They need to be cleaned regularly to prevent this from happening.

Furthermore, wiping down your pizza stone after each use allows you to scrape off any stuck-on burnt cheese or pizza dough easily.

This isn’t just about keeping your pizza stone clean—it’s also about ensuring it’s at its best when you use it. If your pizza stone isn’t clean, your crust will be unevenly baked and could end up burning on one side or not browning properly.

What to use to clean an Ooni pizza stone

If you’re thinking about cleaning your Ooni pizza stone, you might wonder what to use.

Firstly, avoid using dish soap, harsh chemicals, and oils—because the Ooni pizza stone is made of cordierite, which has a porous texture, anything placed on top will absorb into it and may ruin your food’s flavor.

If you want to give your pizza stone a quick wash, all you need is a bench scraper and a stone brush, or you can go with a 2-in-1 pizza stone brush from Ooni with a scraper and brush in one.

Our Top pick

Ooni Pizza Oven Brush

The Ooni oven brush is a two-in-one pizza oven cleaner. Whether you use it for cleaning, this versatile tool combines a comfortable wooden grip with durable stainless steel bristles for quick and easy cleaning.

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Check Price on Ooni

You’ll also need a high-heat-resistant glove to turn the baking stone without burning yourself.

Our Top pick

Ooni Pizza Oven Gloves

With a leather exterior and internal aluminum insulation that meets UK heat resistance standards, the Ooni oven gloves are designed to provide maximum heat protection and comfort.

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Step-by-step instructions on how to clean Ooni pizza stone

The Ooni pizza stone cleaning process is pretty simple. If you want to keep it looking like new and don’t want to spend a lot of time cleaning it, simply follow these simple steps:

Place the stone into the Ooni oven
Set it to the highest heat and let it heat up for about 15~20 minutes.
Allow for a 10-minute cooling period before turning the stone.
Set another coater to run for another 20 minutes.
Allow it to cool before removing the stone from the oven.
Brushing away any remaining dust or dirt with a soft-bristled brush.
Wipe the stone’s surface with a damp cloth, and you’re done!

Let’s take these steps in detail to understand better what to do.

Step 1: Place the stone into the oven

Do not remove the pizza stone after it has been cooked. If you’ve already done that, return it to the oven.

Step 2: Set it to the highest heat and let it heat up for about 15~20 minutes.

Set your pizza stone to the highest heat and let it heat up for about 15~20 minutes, or until it reaches a temperature of about 500°F (you can use a surface thermometer to monitor the temperature)

Make sure that the oven is turned on and that nothing is inside when you start heating the stone.

This process will help burn off any remaining food residue from the stone’s surface. After heating, allow the pizza stone to cool for about 10 minutes before turning it.

Step 3: Run the oven at the highest heat setting for another 20 minutes

After turning the stone, run the oven at its highest heat level once again for another 20 minutes to burn off any remaining moisture.

Step 4: Allow it to cool before removing the stone from the oven

It’s important to allow your pizza stone to cool before removing it from the oven. This will help prevent cracking and warping, which can happen if you try to remove the stone from a hot oven.

You might be wondering how long you should wait for your Ooni pizza stone to cool. We recommend that you let it cool for at least 10 minutes. The longer you leave it, the colder it will become.

Remember to wear gloves when removing the stone from the oven, which can cause serious burns because it’s still very hot even after we let it cool down.

Step 5: Brush away any remaining food residue or dirt with a soft-bristled brush.

Next, use a soft-bristled brush to brush away the burnt food and any remaining food particles from the stone. Repeat this process until no more sticking food debris is left on your pizza stone.

Step 6: Wipe the stone’s surface with a damp cloth, and you’re done!

Lastly, all you need to do is wipe the stone’s surface with a damp cloth or paper towel, then allow it to dry completely.

This simple process will help you clean your burnt pizza stone and keep your Ooni pizza stone looking new for years to come!

Side note:

If you are in a hurry and don’t have time for a long and complicated cleaning process, here is a quicker way to do it:

Simply take the pizza stone out of the oven when it’s completely cool, flip it over, and place it back in. By doing this, your pizza stone will be cleaned on both the top and bottom over the next few cooks.

How to clean pizza oven stone stains with baking soda

Stains on pizza stones are completely normal; they are not a sign that your stone is dirty or needs to be replaced. The stains are caused by the heating process of cooking on a pizza stone and help keep your pizza from sticking to the stone’s surface.

This means that you don’t need to replace it if you don’t notice any cracks in your pizza stone, and it’s still holding up well.

There’s no need to remove the stains unless you can’t stand seeing them on your pizza stone. However, if you still want to remove the stains, follow these steps:

Step 1: Scrape off any large pieces of stuck-on food using a plastic spatula or scraper.

Step 2: Mix 1 tbsp. of baking soda with equal parts water to form a baking soda paste.

Step 3: Spread the paste on the stained parts of the stone, and let it sit for 5 minutes. And use the brush in a circular motion to scrub off the stain.

Step 4: Wipe away the paste with a damp cloth and allow it to dry completely before using.

FAQs

You should never put wet pizza stones in the oven.

The first thing to remember about using a pizza stone is that you need to let it dry out before putting it in the oven. The danger of using a wet pizza stone is that if the absorbed water heats up enough to steam, the expansion may crack the stone.

This is why I recommend letting your stone dry out completely before using it.

The cleaning procedure for the Ooni Koda 16 is the same as described above. Since it is a gas pizza oven, cleaning is even simpler; simply place the stone in the oven, twist the knob to turn the gas on, and let it burn off the food residue.

There are many different reasons why your Ooni pizza stone could have cracked. The most likely reason is that it was exposed to too much heat, which can cause it to warp and crack.

Another possible cause is if the Ooni pizza stone was exposed to water. This can damage the material used in manufacturing them and make them more susceptible to cracking when exposed to extreme heat or cold temperatures.

There are additional potential causes, such as placing a cold baking stone in a hot oven or placing cool or cold food on the baking stone.

Final Thoughts

That’s basically everything you need to know about how to clean Ooni pizza stone in a nutshell. Don’t spend too much time worrying about cleaning your pizza stone, though. Just remember to clean your pizza stone right after you’re done using it. If you do that, your pizza stone will last for years and years to come.