Taking care of your cast iron

I've always heard that you should never let soap touch your cast iron pan. Yet grandmothers I've spoken too have told me that this has never mattered so I haven't cared either. My cast iron has stayed black and shiny and it sears well. I make sure it's completely dry before putting it away, carefully balanced on another pan to ensure air circulation. Sometimes, I lightly oil the pan with mineral oil. It seems like a lot of care for someone who lets soap soil her seasoning.

And with all the cast iron features in magazines recently, I learned that you are supposed to wash the cast iron while hot (this works well when your meat is resting) and then use salt to remove grease and caked-on bits. After cooking steaks the other day, I did just that. Removed the steaks and left them to rest, then rinsed the pan in hot water, added a good dose of salt (originally purchased for fish baked in salt that I never made), and scrubbed away. A nice shiny surface and clean, too. Well, I guess I'm a convert. Let's see if it yields any flavor benefits.