I've been cooking with cast iron for a long time. I don't think I have ever washed one with soap. The best spatula is a a thin flexible metal one. Look for a vintage Cutco or Ecko or Flint. You can't hurt a properly seasoned pan with any spatula. Go to a hamburger joint where you can watch the cook flipping burgers. That griddle is the same as the surface in your skillet. It never gets washed with soap. When it gets gunked up, the cook sprays a little water on it and scrapes it off. At home, heat up the pan a bit, but not too hot. Spray or drizzle a bit of HOT water on it so it sizzles and boils. That deglazes the pan. Don't use cold water, or too much because the pan could crack. Scrape it out, dry it with a couple paper towels and set it back on the still warm burner to dry. When it cools down, you can wipe it with a little bit of oil if it looks like it needs it. Those chain mail scrubbies work, but if you need one on a regular basis, you're not doing it right.