Check out my Pizza & Pizza Dough Recipes which also includes Pizza Making Hints and Tips, How To Use Pizza Stones, How To Use Unglazed Tiles, and How To Clean Pizza Stones.

Think of your pizza baking stone as a sponge; it will soak up everything put on it. These "stones" are actually molded sand, tightly compacted under high pressure. Like sand on the beach, they will suck in any liquid exposed to the surface. Anything else in the water -- including soap -- goes right into the stone. Manufacturers warn you to use only clear, plain water to clean a baking stone.

I think it is time to buy a new pizza stone, but just in case the following  might work, give it a try first:

First, completely submerge your baking stone in warm, clear, plain water for 15 to 20 minutes. This should thoroughly saturate the stone with clean water and dilute the soap residue. Next, remove the stone from the water and place it on a pie cooling rack on your kitchen counter. Allow the stone to dry completely overnight.

Repeat the same soaking and drying process five or six nights in a row. After the last round, bake some pizza dough on the stone. If the pizza stone still smells, I'm afraid your stone is destined for the trash.
 

---

Comments from Joe Lomedico (4/16/07):

I just read your article on cleaning the Pizza stone and I actually came up with another way. Hope this helps someone. Because of leaving my stone in my oven all the time I have gotten oils on it as well and this seems to work really well.

I use only Baking soda and water to clean my stone after each use. This gets minor things off but there are still some stains from oils that have dripped on it. My stone came out of the oven looking almost like new.

 

---