 *Photo: Unsplash*
Wok cooking is woven into the fabric of Montreal’s East and Southeast Asian communities — from Vietnamese stir-fry kitchens in Côte-des-Neiges and Hochelaga to Chinese home cooking in Brossard and Chinatown, and Filipino adobo in Côte-des-Neiges and Laval. But the wok is also one of the most frequently miscleaned pieces of cookware in Montreal kitchens — particularly the carbon steel wok, where a single cleaning mistake (dish soap; abrasive scrubber; insufficient drying) can undo months of carefully built seasoning and leave a rusted surface by morning. This guide covers every wok type sold in Montreal, the specific cleaning protocol for each, and how Montreal’s humid summers and hard water affect wok care.
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Identifying Your Wok Type
Before cleaning, identify your wok:
Carbon steel wok (the traditional choice): Thin-walled, lightweight, grey-to-black metal that develops a brownish-black patina (seasoning) with use. Most traditional Chinese, Vietnamese, Korean, Filipino, and Cantonese home cooking uses carbon steel. In Montreal: Kim Phat (Brossard boulevard Taschereau, Saint-Laurent boulevard Thimens), T&T Supermarket (Marché Central, Carrefour Laval, Fairview Pointe-Claire), Wing Noodles (Chinatown). Online: Yosukata and Craft Wok at Amazon.ca. Carbon steel requires careful maintenance to preserve its seasoning and prevent rust.
Non-stick wok (PTFE or ceramic coating): The convenience option for Montreal households that stir-fry occasionally. T-fal, Starfrit, Circulon at Canadian Tire and Walmart; All-Clad and Scanpan at Zone Culinaire. Non-stick woks are easy to clean but have shorter lifespans, cannot tolerate very high heat (PTFE degrades above 260°C/500°F), and must be replaced once the coating chips or peels.
Cast iron wok (traditional Chinese cast iron or Lodge): Heavy, retains heat well, cooks evenly but is slow to heat and physically demanding to handle at full size. Less common in Montreal home kitchens but available at Zone Culinaire and online. Cleaning protocol is similar to carbon steel — no soap, dry immediately, oil after each use.
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The Soap Question: The Most Searched Wok Debate
The most important question: should you use dish soap to clean a carbon steel wok?
For carbon steel and cast iron, the answer is: no soap for daily cleaning, or only a minimal amount in specific circumstances.
Here is why. A carbon steel wok develops a seasoning layer — a polymerized oil patina built over many cooking sessions. This patina is what makes the wok naturally non-stick, gives it the characteristic dark sheen, and contributes to what wok cooks call “wok hei” (鍊氣) — the slightly smoky, caramelized quality that comes from a well-seasoned wok at high heat. Dish soap contains surfactants that break down fats. Repeated soap washing strips the seasoning layer, leaving bare carbon steel that will rust within hours in Montreal’s summer humidity (70–80% relative humidity in July–August).
For non-stick woks, mild dish soap with a soft sponge is the correct daily cleaning method. The coating is chemically inert and not affected by surfactants.
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Daily Cleaning Protocol: Carbon Steel Wok
This protocol preserves seasoning and prevents rust.
1. Clean while still warm. Residual heat keeps oils fluid. Do not let a carbon steel wok cool completely with food residue inside — it hardens and becomes more difficult to remove. 2. Rinse with hot water only. No soap. Swirl and pour out. 3. Use a wok brush or chainmail scrubber. A bamboo wok brush (available at Kim Phat, T&T, Wing Noodles, and online) loosens residue without scratching. A chainmail scrubber (Lodge, available at Zone Culinaire and Canadian Tire) is more aggressive and works well for heavier residue without stripping seasoning. 4. Do not use metal scourers or Scotch-Brite green pads. These scratch the seasoning and expose bare carbon steel, accelerating rust. 5. Dry completely on the stovetop. Place the wok back on the burner at medium heat for 30–60 seconds until all water evaporates and no droplets are visible. In Montreal’s summer humidity (70–80% RH July–August), water left on a carbon steel surface will cause surface rust within hours. Towel drying or leaving the wok on a dish rack is insufficient — always finish on heat. 6. Wipe with a minimal amount of neutral oil. While still warm (not hot), wipe the interior with a folded paper towel lightly coated in a neutral oil — vegetable oil, canola oil, or lard (avoid olive oil, which does not polymerize well at wok temperatures). This rebuilds the protective oil film over the seasoning.
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Deep Cleaning a Carbon Steel Wok
Deep cleaning is needed when: the wok has a rancid or fishy smell that regular hot-water rinsing does not remove; there is significant carbonized food buildup the brush cannot shift; or the wok was stored without drying and has developed rust.
Salt and Paper Towel Method (for minor buildup and odours)
1. Heat the wok on the burner until very hot — at or near the smoking point. 2. Add 2–3 tablespoons of coarse kosher salt. 3. Using a crumpled paper towel held with tongs, scrub the salt around the interior in circular motions. The abrasive salt loosens carbonized residue without significantly stripping seasoning. 4. Discard the salt and paper towel. 5. Rinse with hot water, dry on the burner, wipe with oil as usual.
Boiling Water Method (for heavy residue without soap)
1. Fill the wok with hot water and bring to a vigorous boil. 2. Use the wok brush to agitate the boiling water against stuck residue — heat plus movement loosens baked-on food without chemicals. 3. Pour out, dry on heat, wipe with oil.
Soap Deep Clean (last resort, followed by re-seasoning)
If the wok smells rancid or has absorbed strong flavours that boiling water alone cannot remove, a full soap wash followed by re-seasoning resets the surface: 1. Wash with mild dish soap and a soft sponge — this is the only time dish soap touches a carbon steel wok. 2. Rinse thoroughly. 3. Dry completely on the burner. 4. Proceed immediately with a full re-seasoning.
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Rust Removal and Re-Seasoning
If a wok develops rust (orange-brown spots or a dull orange film on the metal surface), it is fully restorable. Montreal’s July–August humidity (70–80% RH) is one of the most rust-aggressive environments for bare carbon steel in Canada — a wok left unwashed with water on the surface can show visible rust spots within 24–48 hours.
1. Scrub with steel wool and dish soap. Remove all rust and strip all seasoning back to bare metal. This is the one time you use steel wool and soap on a carbon steel wok intentionally. 2. Rinse thoroughly and dry on the burner until completely dry — no water visible anywhere on the surface. 3. Apply a thin coat of neutral oil. Vegetable oil, flaxseed oil, or lard work well. Wipe with a paper towel to create a thin, even layer — too much oil produces a sticky, gummy surface that takes many cooking sessions to correct. 4. Heat until the oil smokes and polymerizes. On a gas or electric burner: high heat, rotate the wok to cover the curved walls and bottom. The oil will polymerize — bonding to the metal and turning from shiny to matte-dark. Repeat the oil + heat cycle 2–4 times to rebuild seasoning layers.
Montreal hard water note: Montreal’s water (90–150 mg/L CaCO₃) leaves a calcium carbonate haze on the wok exterior from water splatter. This is purely cosmetic on the outside. If white scale builds inside the wok, a quick wipe with diluted white vinegar (1:3 vinegar:water) followed immediately by thorough rinsing and drying on the burner removes the scale without damaging the seasoning.
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Daily Cleaning Protocol: Non-Stick Wok
1. Let cool slightly before washing. Never plunge a hot non-stick wok into cold water — thermal shock warps thin-walled woks and can cause delamination of the coating. 2. Wash with warm soapy water and a soft sponge or cloth. Mild dish soap is fine. 3. Never use abrasive scrubbers (Scotch-Brite green pad, steel wool, chainmail scrubbers) — these permanently scratch PTFE and ceramic coatings. 4. Never use metal utensils while cooking. Silicone or wooden spatulas and ladles only. 5. Do not use aerosol cooking spray (PAM, Crisco spray, any pressurized cooking oil). The propellants and polymer components in aerosol sprays polymerize at the high temperatures used in stir-frying (200–260°C/400–500°F), building up a permanent sticky residue on PTFE that normal washing cannot remove. 6. Store with a cloth separator if stacking other pans inside the wok — metal-on-non-stick contact during storage scratches the coating.
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Cleaning a Cast Iron Wok
Cast iron wok cleaning follows the same principles as a carbon steel wok:
- No soap for daily cleaning — the seasoning patina is the same polymerized oil layer.
- Use a stiff nylon brush or chainmail scrubber with hot water.
- Dry completely on the burner at medium heat.
- Wipe with a thin coat of oil while warm.
- Never soak — prolonged water contact causes rust far faster on cast iron than carbon steel.
- For rust removal: same steel wool + soap + full re-season protocol as carbon steel.
The main difference is weight: a 14-inch cast iron wok can weigh 4–8 kg, making the burner-drying step physically demanding. If the wok is too heavy to tilt comfortably on the burner, dry with a clean cloth and immediately apply oil, then heat for 2–3 minutes before storage.
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Where to Buy Woks and Wok Accessories in Montreal
Kim Phat (Brossard boulevard Taschereau; Saint-Laurent boulevard Thimens): Carbon steel woks, bamboo wok brushes, wok spatulas (chân), long chopsticks. Best selection of traditional Asian cooking equipment in Montreal’s South Shore and North Shore.
T&T Supermarket (Marché Central Montréal; Carrefour Laval; Fairview Pointe-Claire): Carbon steel and non-stick woks, bamboo steamers, wok rings for flat-top stoves, wok brushes.
Wing Noodles (Chinatown, Montréal): Traditional Chinese kitchen equipment including carbon steel woks and bamboo brushes.
Zone Culinaire (Montréal, Brossard, Laval): All-Clad non-stick wok; Lodge 14-inch cast iron wok; Lodge chainmail scrubber set; Scanpan non-stick wok.
Canadian Tire, Walmart (across Montréal and suburbs): T-fal, Starfrit, Circulon non-stick woks at accessible price points.
Amazon.ca: Yosukata pre-seasoned carbon steel wok; Craft Wok 14-inch hand-hammered carbon steel; Lodge 14-inch seasoned cast iron wok; Lodge chainmail scrubber; bamboo wok brush sets.
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Frequently Asked Questions
Q: Should I use dish soap to clean a carbon steel wok?
A: No, for daily cleaning — dish soap strips the seasoning (polymerized oil patina) that makes a carbon steel wok naturally non-stick and protects the metal from rust. Daily protocol: rinse with hot water and scrub with a bamboo brush or chainmail scrubber while still warm, dry completely on the burner for 30–60 seconds, wipe with a thin coat of neutral oil. Soap is only appropriate before the very first seasoning or when the wok develops rancid odours and requires a full re-season.
Q: How do I remove rust from a wok?
A: Scrub the rusted area with steel wool and dish soap to strip all rust and existing seasoning back to bare metal. Rinse and dry completely on the burner until bone dry. Apply a thin coat of vegetable oil or lard with a paper towel, heat on the burner at high heat until the oil smokes and polymerizes, let cool, and repeat 2–4 times to rebuild the seasoning. Montreal’s July–August humidity (70–80% RH) causes carbon steel woks to rust within 24–48 hours if left unwashed or with water on the surface.
Q: How do I re-season a wok after cleaning?
A: After a soap wash or rust removal, wipe a thin coat of vegetable oil, flaxseed oil, or lard over the interior with a paper towel — use the minimum amount; too much creates a sticky, gummy surface. Heat on high until the oil smokes and polymerizes (the surface turns dark and matte). Let cool and repeat the oil + heat cycle 2–4 times. The wok will develop a smooth, dark, non-stick patina after a few more cooking sessions. See also our [carbon steel pan seasoning guide](/en/blog/how-to-season-a-carbon-steel-pan-montreal) for the full technique.
Q: Can I put a wok in the dishwasher?
A: Never put a carbon steel or cast iron wok in the dishwasher. The extended water exposure, high heat, and harsh detergent strips the seasoning entirely and causes immediate rust. For non-stick woks: even if labelled dishwasher-safe, hand washing significantly extends the coating’s lifespan — dishwasher cycles degrade PTFE and ceramic non-stick coatings over time.
Q: How do I clean a non-stick wok?
A: Let cool slightly, then wash with warm soapy water and a soft sponge or cloth. Never use abrasive scrubbers (chainmail, Scotch-Brite, steel wool), never use metal utensils while cooking, and do not use aerosol cooking sprays (PAM, Crisco spray) — the aerosol polymers build permanent sticky residue on PTFE at stir-fry temperatures. If the non-stick coating has permanent residue that normal washing cannot remove, the coating is likely compromised — replace the wok.
Q: How do I prevent my wok from rusting in Montreal?
A: Montreal’s July–August humidity (70–80% relative humidity) makes bare carbon steel rust rapidly — sometimes within hours if left wet. Prevention: always dry the wok on the burner at medium heat for 30–60 seconds after rinsing (a dish rack is insufficient — heat-drying is essential); wipe with a very thin coat of oil while still warm; store in a cool, dry spot. In basement apartments or buildings with high summer humidity, store the wok above the waterline and away from exterior concrete walls. If the wok will sit unused for more than two weeks, apply a slightly heavier oil coat before storage.
