Totally OT: Le Cruset and other enameled cast iron pots

I'm a fan of Barkeeper's Friend and have never known it to harm anything - but before you work yourself too hard, try a Very diluted amount of bleach. Fill the pan with water and add about one tablespoon of bleach and see if that does the deed. That's how I keep my big red pasta pot as pretty as new. Polly

"monique" What's the best way to remove discoloration from the white enamel

I put some baking soda in the bottom of the pot -- about a quarter cup or a bit more in a dutch oven and less for a smaller pot -- and add about a half inch of hot water. Then I put it on the counter and leave it overnight. On the very rare occasions that doesn't work I just figure "what the hell, it's clean" and forget it.

Thanks! I'll give it a try.

M> I'm a fan of Barkeeper's Friend and have never known it to harm anything -

This is a great attitude. I wish you had been my mama! TAria

Mary wrote: On the very rare occasions that doesn't work I

Don't know about enameled cookware specifically, but I have gotten some absolutely horrid stains from plastic things and other types of kitchen stuff by using dry dishwasher soap. I have only tried this with the crystalline type of dishwasher soap, others might work, but I don't know. Have your tap water as hot as it can get. Sprinkle some of the dishwater soap into the container/pitcher/pan, and use more than you think you might want to, I use a good couple of tablespoons for a 1 gallon pitcher. Using a long handled brush or dish mop swish it around as you add hot water. This dissolves the soap and starts things working. When full enough to cover the stained area, let sit until the water cools. Use a "scrubby" and rub all around the stain. Should remove quite a bit of it, if not all of it, if it works. As I say, I have done this with Tupperware iced tea pitchers that have had too many batches made, one on another without a good scrubbing in between. Works very well.

Pati, in Phx

monique wrote:

I have the same issues.........there is a cleaner just for the pots but I don't know what is in it.......it's what I was going to tell you about but then I re-read your message ;-)

Laurie G. in CA

You could try denture cleaning tablets, such as Efferdent. Put in enough hot water to cover the stains, drop in a tablet or two, and leave it set for awhile. I've used it to remove coffee and tea stains from pitchers, mugs, and thermos. It also works well for cleaning flower vases.

Julia > What's the best way to remove discoloration from the white enamel

Yes, what Julia said. There is also a powdered denture cleaner called Stain-Away that is more powerful than the tablets.

Also, my sister is a big fan of Oxy-clean (which I think is pretty much the same thing as denture cleaner, though of course I could be wrong) and she swears it will clean the dirt/grease/stains off almost anything. It's certainly non-abrasive and would not hurt the finish on your pot. Don't mix it with a chlorine bleach, though! One of my brothers did that, and had a heck of a mess in the laundry room, LOL!

I love my Cruset cookware! It's rather heavy though; my son asked me if I "bought my pans by the pound". He was helping with the dishes at the time. Ha! I use the Cruset cleaner, don't know what's in it, but it works really well. And it only takes a little bit to clean them. I wouldn't want to use anything to void the lifetime warranty. Good Luck, Michelle

BonAmi is great..never scratches !..and I use it on my glass topped stove, sinks, Corian counters and sink, even tried it on some sterling silver earrings once and worked great there too .

I used to find that not only did the enamel discolour badly, but it also lost the glassy surface after a while, and became porous. Not good. Things stuck like glue to them and they looked dreadful. I had a lovely set as wedding prezzies, and to keep them looking good as long as I could, I did what the Le cruset shop advised This WAS 26 years ago!) and used oven cleaner on them when they really got bad. The ARE enamel, after all, and so long as you wash it all off carefully, there is no problem.

Eventually I got rid of most of them (I kept a small milk pan and the large saute pan), but replaced the rest with stainless steel. MUCH better! Lighter, easier to clean, and dishwasher proof! I wouldn't mind a nice cast iron casserole, but I can manage without, so unless I see one for a fiver or less in a charity shop, I'll stick with what I have.

*********************************************************** Pati's experience is in keeping with Polly's comment about using diluted bleach. The stain-removing ingredient in Cascade is bleach.

I keep a spray bottle of diluted bleach under the kitchen sink. I have all-white counter tops and cabinets that show everything. (Which is probably good, because I wipe them often to get rid of what shows, and thus get rid of nasty stuff. (Remember the dye tablets given to kids to chew to demonstrate how well or poorly they brushed their teeth? Something like that to show how well or poorly you've cleaned would be interesting ... or guilt-inducing.)) (My kitchen floor is oak parquet which reveals all too little.)

Cheryl Mendelson's "Home Comforts: The Art and Science of Keeping House" tells not only how but also why (physics/chemistry). You can find it in the 640's @ you-know-where.

Nann

I have a discolored Le Creuset dutch oven and I've tried everything imaginable to clean it and nothing works. I've tried bleach, baking soda, Comet, etc. I just live wiih the brown bottom.

I also have a couple Le Creuset knock offs from QVC, which were drastically less expensive, and they never stain, no matter what I cook in them. They work just as well as the Le Creuset.

Denise

I have done what Patti C said. hot water and lots of dishwashing soap, let sit until cooled. Use a scrubby made for teflon, so it doesn't scratch the enamel.

On another subject, does anyone around this cyber quilting frame know where I can go to get a bakelite knob for my dutch oven? It has a knob, not handle on top. Knob has finally split. It is such a nice size for making soups and stews in. There is a threaded screw that comes through the lid into base of knob.

G> What's the best way to remove discoloration from the white enamel

I see one over at

It says it's a wingnut or something and then another one down a few steps that says it's a handle. Either of them work for you? Polly

"Ginger in CA" On another subject, does anyone around this cyber quilting frame know where I can go to get a bakelite knob for my dutch oven? It has a knob, not handle on top. Knob has finally split. It is such a nice size for making soups and stews in. There is a threaded screw that comes through the lid into base of knob.

Dunno, Polly. Think I will have to call them and see what diameter screw the knob needs.

How ever do you find these things????

G> I see one over atwww.Sporeworks.com=A0 =A0It says it's a wingnut or somet= hing

s

I'd take it to the local hardware store and see if they have anything like that.

Julia > On another subject, does anyone around this cyber quilting frame know