Cast iron cookware is heavy, durable and long lasting as compared to most other cookware in the market. Here’s how it can be made to last longest:

1. Wash your cookware only once with soap: before the first use you can safely use soap/soapy water to wash the cookware as it hasn’t been seasoned. Once the seasoning is done, even mild soap may cause abrasions causing your food to stick to the cookware.
2. Seasoning it right: Scrub the pan or cookware with kosher salt and a paper towel to scrub away any dust or impurities in the pores. Then using vegetable shortening or an unsaturated vegetable oil on a paper towel, rub the fat down every surface of the cookware inside out. Unsaturated fats polymerize on the surface better to create a smooth layer. Heat the cookware in an oven: at about 450 Degree F for 30 minutes till the cookware smokes. Allow the pan to cool and repeat the oiling, baking and cooling a few times. The more you cook in such cookware with oil and fat, the better it will get at being non-sticky.
3. After every use, clean the cookware immediately and dry it too to avoid prolonged contact with water. Avoid soaping the cookware often as it may erode the seasoning. Use kosher salt instead.
4. Oil it again before storing it in a dry place away from water.
5. If rust develops, scrub it away with kosher salt or use a sprinkle of baking soda and a raw potato after the pan has been used regularly and aim at keeping it dry.

Proper seasoning of the cookware before its first use can help you maintain its quality and grade in the long run apart from maintenance. Caring for cast iron cookware can be done manually to its best without the use of abrasive detergents and dishwashing.