If we had to name our all-time favorite piece of kitchen equipment (don't make us do it!), the title would probably go to the cast-iron skillet. The trusty pan is a heavy-duty, versatile workhorse that we find ourselves using almost daily for everything from skillet chicken dinners to decadent brownies. But we feel less warm and fuzzy about it when it comes time to do the dishes.

There are many schools of thought on how to properly clean and season a cast iron pan, and the overload of information might make you want to throw in the towel. Luckily, there's a super-simple hack that requires just three items you probably already have in your pantry: coarse salt, oil, and a potato. 

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Here's the rundown, according to PureWow:

Clean the Pan: Preheat your oven to 400 degrees F. Sprinkle a generous amount of salt into the skillet. Cut potato in half so it fits in the palm of your hand and place it flat side down onto the pan. Scrub in a circular motion until clean, then rinse with water and pat dry.

Season the Pan: Pour a small amount of oil into skillet and spread in an even, thin layer with a paper towel all over pan. Place skillet in preheated oven for 1 hour. Remove and wipe off excess oil.

Yep, turns out taters are better for way more than making French fries (though that's still our preferred use). Now that you're clued in, go forth and cook without fear!

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