How to Clean an Ooni Pizza Stone
How to clean an Ooni pizza stone the way Ooni advises: burn residue off at high heat, brush it out cold, flip for stubborn spots, and keep water away.
Updated November 1, 2026
To clean an Ooni pizza stone, use heat and a dry brush, never water or soap. Ooni’s own US cleaning guidance comes down to three moves: burn the residue off by running the oven at full heat, let everything cool completely, then brush the ash away and wipe the stone with a dry cloth. If stubborn bits survive, flip the stone so the next cook burns off the underside. A dark, stained stone is normal and does not need scrubbing back to its original color.
Propane and charcoal grills are for outdoor use only (NFPA), and no grill should be used inside a home, garage or camper because of the risk of carbon monoxide poisoning (CDC); for pellet and wood-fired models, follow your manual.
This guide follows what Ooni publishes for US owners: its pizza stone cleaning guide, its pizza oven cleaning guide, and the FAQ on its pizza stones page. Where those pages differ, we say so. Nothing here is a product recommendation, and the guide is based on research, not on cleaning trials.
Key takeaways
- Never soak the stone, run water over it, or put it in a dishwasher. Ooni says all three can crack it.
- Skip soap and every other cleaning agent on the stone. Ooni says the porous stone can absorb them and pass a soapy taste to later pizzas.
- Burn residue off at top heat, then brush it out once the oven is cold. Ooni’s guides give 30 minutes; its stones page gives 20 to 30 minutes at 850°F to 900°F.
- Flip the stone to deal with stubborn spots. The next cook heats the underside and burns them away.
- Stains are seasoning. Ooni’s measure of a healthy stone is a smooth surface, not a pale one.
Why Water and Soap Stay Away From the Stone
Ooni’s pizza stones are porous. Its stone cleaning guide says a stone absorbs moisture, that a soaked stone “may break the next time it heats up,” and that sudden temperature changes can cause cracks. The same guide lists three things never to do: soak the stone, put it in a dishwasher, or run water over it, hot or cold. All three, Ooni says, can cause cracking and permanent damage.
Soap is ruled out for a different reason. Ooni says the stone can absorb chemicals and release a “soapy” flavor into food later, and it tells owners to avoid all cleaning agents on the stone. Its oven cleaning guide repeats the point for the stone baking board in the electric Volt 12: do not apply liquid to the stone, do not submerge it, and do not use cleaning agents. Dish soap does have a place in Ooni’s routine, but only on the outside of the oven, as covered below.
If you have seen advice to scrub a pizza stone with a paste or a household cleaner, note that Ooni’s guides do not list any cleaning product as safe for its stones. Stay with heat and a dry brush.
What You Need
Ooni’s stone cleaning guide keeps the kit short:
- A stiff brush or scraper that removes burnt-on bits without cutting into the stone. Ooni names its own oven brush as an example; the point is a tool that scrapes without gouging.
- A clean, dry cloth or paper towel to wipe loose debris off the stone.
- Protective gloves. Ooni says to wear them whenever you handle or clean the oven.
- A damp cloth and a little light dish soap, for the oven’s exterior only.
Leave harsh metal scourers out. Ooni warns that very harsh metal tools can cut grooves into the stone, and those grooves trap food and make dough more likely to stick.
How to Clean Ooni Pizza Stone Surfaces, Step by Step
Step 1: Burn off the residue
Start with heat, not elbow grease. Ooni’s cleaning guides say to turn the oven on and run it at top temperature for 30 minutes; most food debris carbonizes and burns off. The FAQ on Ooni’s pizza stones page is more specific: fire the oven to 850°F to 900°F (450°C to 500°C) and keep it there for 20 to 30 minutes, and the residue turns to ash that brushes off easily. Either way, the goal is the same: turn sticky cheese, sauce, and grease into dry ash before you touch the stone. Ooni’s oven cleaning guide adds that most debris burns right off during normal cooking anyway.
Plan the burn-off for the end of a cook, while the oven is already hot, so you are not heating it from cold just to clean.
Step 2: Let the oven cool completely
Do the brushing only after the oven is cold. Ooni’s guides tie every cleaning step to a fully cooled oven, and its oven cleaning guide says the electric Volt 12 can take more than 90 minutes to cool after you switch it off. Give it the full time even if the outside feels cool, and wear gloves when you reach in.
Step 3: Brush out the ash
Ooni describes the brushing technique in some detail: work the brush sideways and back and forth to loosen hardened or burnt bits, then sweep the debris to the sides and out the front of the oven. For a cleaner finish, wipe the stone with a dry cloth or paper towel once everything is cold.
If you own Ooni’s rotating pizza stone, the stone cleaning guide adds one step: brush out debris from between the pieces and wipe the sensor with a dry cloth or paper towel.
Step 4: Flip the stone for stubborn spots
Some marks survive a burn-off and a brushing. For those, Ooni says to wait until the oven has cooled completely, carefully remove the stone, flip it over, and put it back. The next time you cook, the heat against the bottom of the stone burns that side clean. Ooni’s oven cleaning guide stresses doing this “very carefully,” so lift the stone slowly and with both hands.
Step 5: Wipe down the outside of the oven
This is the only place soap belongs. Ooni’s stone cleaning guide says to wipe the exterior shell with a damp cloth and a small amount of light dish soap once the oven is completely cool, then dry it right away with a clean towel to avoid streaks. Its oven cleaning guide adds that leaving the oven wet can encourage rust, and it warns against abrasive cleaning products and harsh chemicals on the shell.
Burnt Cheese, Stains, Smells, and Cracks
| Problem | What Ooni advises |
|---|---|
| Burnt cheese stuck to the stone | Run the oven at its highest temperature so the cheese fully carbonizes; once cool, it turns to ash that a stiff brush scrapes away. Do not wash it off with water. |
| Dark stains or a black stone | Normal. Ooni calls stains part of the stone’s natural seasoning and says discoloration is a sign of a well-used oven. If the surface is smooth to the touch, the stone is fine. |
| Raised, crusty lumps | These are the thing to remove. Burn off at full heat, brush when cool, and flip the stone if they persist. |
| A smell when the stone heats up | Likely lingering grease. Ooni suggests a 30-minute high-heat burn-off. |
| A small hairline crack | May not affect performance, per Ooni. |
| A stone that is unstable | Replace it, per Ooni. |
The main point of the table: do not chase a showroom finish. Ooni’s guidance is to keep the surface smooth and free of thick, raised patches rather than scrubbing stains away, since scrubbing hard is how stones get damaged.
Keeping the Stone Cleaner Between Cooks
Less residue means less cleaning. The FAQ on Ooni’s pizza stones page links two common problems to the stone: too much flour leads to a burnt, bitter taste, and sauce or cheese spills lead to smoke and bitter ash. A few habits follow from that:
- Go easy on dusting flour. Use only as much as the peel needs. Ooni’s Volt 12 cleaning steps include brushing excess flour off the stone, a sign of how often it builds up.
- Keep sauce and cheese inside the rim. Spills that reach the stone are what turn into the stuck, smoking residue described above.
- Let the stone recover between pizzas. Ooni suggests giving the stone about 5 minutes to reheat before launching the next pizza.
- Keep the stone in the oven it was made for. Ooni says its stones are designed for Ooni pizza ovens or domestic ovens only, and it does not recommend putting them on a barbecue or grill because of the risk of cracking or damage.
Cleaning Ash and Soot Around the Stone
On wood, charcoal, and pellet models, the stone shares the oven with a fuel tray. Ooni’s oven cleaning guide says to let the oven cool completely before removing the fuel tray, to dispose of cooled ashes in a fire pit, compost pile, or another environmentally friendly option, and to wipe soot away with a dry paper towel. It says to avoid water on the inside of the oven as well, not only on the stone. On the Fyra 12, the guide says an oily black substance on the outside of the hopper or chimney is creosote, which comes off the exterior with soap and warm water followed by immediate drying. That advice is for the outside metal, not the stone.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can you wash an Ooni pizza stone with water?
No. Ooni says not to soak the stone, run water over it, or put it in a dishwasher, because the porous stone absorbs moisture and can crack the next time it heats up. Burn residue off with heat and brush it away dry.
Can you use soap on an Ooni pizza stone?
No. Ooni says the stone can absorb soap and detergent and give later pizzas a soapy taste, and it tells owners to avoid all cleaning agents on the stone. Light dish soap is fine on the cooled exterior shell only.
Is it bad if my Ooni pizza stone turns black?
No. Ooni says discoloration is a sign of a well-used oven and that stains are part of the stone’s seasoning. Only raised, crusty lumps of food need removing.
How do you get burnt cheese off an Ooni stone?
Run the oven at its highest temperature until the cheese fully carbonizes. Once the oven has cooled, the cheese will have turned to ash that scrapes away with a stiff brush.
Should you flip an Ooni pizza stone?
Yes, when stubborn residue remains after brushing. Ooni says to remove the cooled stone, flip it, and put it back; the next cook heats the underside and burns it clean.
The Short Routine
After a pizza night, finish with a high-heat burn-off, let the oven go fully cold, then brush the ash out sideways and front to back and wipe the stone with a dry cloth. Flip the stone if anything stubborn is left. Keep water, soap, and harsh metal scourers away from the stone, and judge it by touch, not color: a smooth stone is a clean stone. For anything this guide does not cover, such as a cracked stone that wobbles, contact Ooni’s customer support before you cook on it again.
About the author
Riley Morrison covers griddles, pizza ovens, and outdoor cooking accessories. Riley's articles focus on cooking space, fuel options, equipment compatibility, and care instructions to help readers compare their options.