Bar Keeper's Friend is absolutely safe to use on enameled cast iron. Even Le Creuset's website states that BKF is suitable for cleaning tough stains. The key is to let the product do the work, not to use an overly aggressive scouring pad. I use BKF on all my Le Creuset enamel (as needed) and have never had an issue.
I worked at Dierbergs School of Cooking as a Kitchen Assistant and Instructor for years. (We actually met at a soup class at the South County location.) The boiling Baking Soda method was our tried and true favorite cleansing method for pots and pans! Thanks for your amazing content!
You would wreck a Dutch oven with Bar Keeper's Friend. The step you could try which is recommended for Chasseur, Le Creuset and Staub (French brands) is a *light* application of bleach. So 4 cups water, 1 tablespoon bleach. Leave it to soak for a few hours or overnight. I used to put baking soda and 1 part cleaning vinegar, 1 part water, bring to boil, cool, scrub lightly - it generally got it clean. Another thing to know is because cast iron is such a good heat conductor and retainer of heat, cook whatever you cook on a lower temperature than suggested by a recipe. You will be less likely to stain the enamel. Once again: NEVER use Bar Keeper's Friend or any abrasive cleaner. To have it smelling nice after cleaning, rub with the outside of a lemon. Cooking temp recommendation from Le Creuset: "Cooking on a medium or low heat gets the best results - even for frying and searing. Let the pan heat up gradually for great tasting food that’s cooked evenly. If you do need to use a high heat, lower the setting once the desired heat has been reached." And Le Creuse on Cleaning (sorry, couldn't post a stable link): " Wait for your product to cool down before you start cleaning it. Wipe any leftovers off the base and sides of the product. If there’s food stuck on, fill the product with warm, soapy water and let it soak for 15 to 20 minutes before washing as usual. Do not use abrasive cleaning agents or metal, harsh abrasive or very stiff cleaning pads or brushes on any of the surfaces. Dry well after washing and store in a dry place. I've used a full set o Chasseur pots for 40 years and they still look new by following these instructions. Definitely cook on a lower temp for success. Ref: www.lecreuset.com.au/en_AU/p/cast-iron-round-casserole/CI1177.html
@@lillaserafin5212 Well I stand corrected, thank you. That liquid Bar Keeper's Friend is not easily available in Australia - most are the powdered version which wasn't recommended in the past. Well, if they say so. One thing which is definitely off the agenda is using a dishwasher 😱
Never needed to use bar keepers friend but I have successfully used the bleach method many times and it works great after using baking soda simmered on a stove and scrubbed out. Bleach would’ve been my recommendation!
Thank you! I am so glad that I like reading the comments. Most time it is where I find the best answers. I followed your directions with the bleach and my pan came out brand new. It looks as glossy as the date that I received it.
I am so glad I found this video, i burned food the the bottom of my dutch oven, the entire bottom of the pan had a thick layer of burned food stuck on it. I soaked the pan overnight in water and that did not help one bit lol watched this video and did the baking soda method(3 times in a row) and the pot was so clean, not a speck of burned food left on it!! It looks brand new!! Thank you!!
I use a baking soda, hydrogen peroxide and Dawn dish soap paste and scrub my Dutch oven with a dish scrubbing brush. I let it soak for a while before scrubbing it as well. My boss burned some brisket while using her Dutch oven in the oven and it looked so bad. The whole bottom of the pan was black with burned food stuck to it . She tried a lot of different cleaners and the only thing that worked was bringing some water to a boil in the pot, pouring lots of laundry softener and letting it sit for 2 days before scrubbing it. After that she washed it with some Dawn and a few drops of bleach. It looks like new!. She was very relieved because it is one of those 13.25 quarts Le Creuset Dutch Oven that is super expensive and it was a gift from her husband. My grandma used to clean hers with dish soap and bleach. It was always very clean.
Great video! Baking soda + dish soap paste has given me the best results. When I've used Bar Keeper's Friend it's removed staining, but it's also removed the gloss (I assume from micro-scratching the enamel). The wooden utensil is also important; when I've used a Scotchbrite pad, it's scratched the enamel
I can say with absolute confidence that any powder scrub will damage the enamel, I was able to damage an enameled dutch oven only using a paste of baking soda and water, so I can't imagine something harsher like barkeeper's friend. That said, this is how I keep mine clean and white: after cooking anything in it that browns, I put water into it immediately after I'm done cooking and the food is removed, to simmer and use a wooden spoon to scrape off the browning when it's fresh (I haven't used baking soda with it, but after seeing this video I will when it's being stubborn). After that, typically anything 3D comes off, but there is sometimes light brown staining that's in the pores of the enamel itself and this is when I use a mild bleach solution overnight and it is pristine by morning. Be careful when using bleach not to get it on clothes or towels you don't want to be damaged. Cooking anything with acids in it, like tomatoes and other fruit, will often strip the browning bits off the bottom during cooking, so keep that in mind (a great example would be browning meat for spaghetti and then pouring spaghetti sauce in with it and scraping the bits off the bottom easily after a short simmer). I have also learned that there are simply certain foods that it's better not to cook in the enamel, such as anything at very high heat for browning, such as fried rice. it's always a nightmare to clean after something that's meant to scorch and sear, I leave that to other dishes. Hope that helps!
My bonded on burned plum jam was ten times worse than that, and it got 97% clean with the baking soda/boiling water method several times--had to hammer the the end of the wooden spoon to chip it away initially. Took an entire day off and on, but I was determined and am oh so happy I was able to save my Le Creuset dutch oven!
Here's something I've learned on both Staub and Le Creuset interiors (both light smooth enamel that LC uses in their ovens, and darker, rougher enamel like LC uses on their skillets and Staub uses almost everywhere). Soap is almost never enough, even with cooking that doesn't leave a stain or residue. What I mean is this, after stewing something that didn't leave any visible stains/remnants, and seemed to clean visibly with dish soap and a sponge, if you look at the surface in reflective light, you will almost always see a bit of tarnish--some areas that don't reflect as much as others when it's new, or even some "rainbow-ing" reflections. When you're just looking at it normally, it looks fine. But it's that remaining buildup that slowly over time starts to attract and keep more of the grime that eventually builds up. What I do every 2-3 times I wash it is just put a little baking soda and water and scrub with a sponge and that usually restores the "like new" finish. If you let this build up over time, then as you continue to brown proteins on it, the dark residue will stick more easily to it and then you'll need the "boil water+soda" or in worst case, barkeeper's friend. If you do the light baking soda every 2nd or 3rd time you wash it (or whenever you see a light tarnish or rainbow reflection off the surface), you won't need to progress that far.
I have never heard of using baking powder. Baking soda/water paste is a common one. Just a little abrasive but not too much to scratch the enamel, and I have had success with that. For a really bad stain I did do the water/bleach method and it helped alot.
I am going through the same cleaning challenge with my mother's Le Creuset Dutch oven and watched your video hoping to find a good solution to this cleaning conundrum. At 6:38 I saw you twirl he wooden spoon like a semi-professional drummer from somewhere of the last half century of the nineteen hundreds and my trust in you was won. Well done, Sir, five out of a possible five stars! Awesome video, love it!
A great video. I have personally found that prepping the dutch oven before use is the most important part of keeping it clean afterward. Spray pam or as I do, use a neutral high temp oil to lightly coat it first.
I've used Comet on my Le Creuset dutch ovens for years. I'll soak away the heavy stuff, but to get rid of those lingering dark stains that won't come out, Comet does the job. The micro particles have never damages the finish, and for $1 at the Dollar Store, it's a heck of a lot cheaper than than those fancy soft scrub cleaners. After nearly 15 years of use, my expensive pots still look like new. BTW - I also use Comet to scrub my ceramic cooktop and to buff out scuffs on my car! It's super gentle.
I've used Bar Keeper's Friend on my enameled cast iron pans. Also, if you burn something, you can always try hot water and throw a dryer sheet into the pan. Let it soak. Then scrub. The softeners in the dryer sheet, soften the burnt on gunk. Works great for ceramic slow cooker, baking pans and sheets. Do NOT use on any nonstick pans.
barkeeper's friend is awesome! i don't have a dutch oven to use it on, but i use it on my stainless steel pots and it cleans and shines them up beautifully and it doesn't scratch. i prefer the liquid.
Every time you use your dutch oven clean it with baking soda and and hot water to keep it like new Thats what I do. and my cast iron pans look beautiful.
What I have found that actually works best is using OxiClean powdered detergent. This does not get rid of burnt on food. It gets rid of the staining on the inside bottom of your Dutch oven. Fill your Dutch oven with water, and pour in a cup of OxiClean powdered detergent. Let it sit overnight. You may have to repeat this process a few times, but I guarantee you the stains will be removed. Mine was stained with blueberry residue, and after doing this three different times, the stains were completely gone.
I have a pioneer woman Dutch Oven, just finished baking bread, it was really burnt in and outside so I started with Dawn platinum power wash, gave it 15 minutes and added baking soda and with lil elbow it came right off.
I had a Le Creuset that was dead on arrival....I had really killed it with some dish I burned. I tried many many many methods to clean it. Pretty much everything you have there in front of you. What worked was using a small amount of water (like a cup or less) and baking soda.... then using a wooden spoon to work on the burned areas...and a plastic scrubber. Barkeepers friend did not do the trick. Baking soda and water (heated on the stove) for the win! I didn’t use as much water as you... either way....after trying so many other products....baking soda!
I found that generally soaking in hot water with dish soap over night generally removes everything, if necessary some gentle scrubbing with a non abrasive pad helps. The important thing is getting your pot properly clean each time you use it. If you don't, the layers of dirt build up and it becomes harder. Occasionally for stubborn stains I use Le Creuset's cleaner that is produced specially for this purpose so it doesn't damage the enamel. The solution is similar to bar keepers friend, or Cif if you are in the UK, but isn't so aggressive and abrasive. If you have an induction hob, the cleaners you get for them are pretty much the same.
I always clean my Dutch oven or any burnt vessel with water combined with dawn, baking soda and white vinegar and boil it for a while and it work really well.
I use the third method for my stainless steel cookware; it made them look like new. Glad it worked out just as well on the enameled surface! Thank you for sharing.
I have a Staub dutch oven. The interior is a black glass proprietary enamel / iron mix that somehow takes seasoning, but will not rust. I heavily carbonized a pot roast in it recently, but was able to clean it well by soaking it for a few minutes in boiling water and dish soap, and then taking care of the residue with a chainmail scrubber like I use for cast iron. Once clean, just re-season. I've also used coarse kosher salt for cleaning.
Thank you so much for posting. I've seen other videos of the baking soda and boiling water method but they did not specify how much baking soda to use. Thank you so much for specifying this important piece of information
My Dutch oven after much use has accumulated a network of tiny cracks or scratches on the bottom surface. The darker color is just the cast iron showing through- not dirt. I've never used metal implements so I'm not sure how they occurred, but they haven't effected the cooking or caused food to stick. I realized what they were by trying the baking soda treatment. After thorough boiling and use of a wooden spoon, there was no change in appearance. So don't panic if you start to see some discoloration from long use even when the pot is absolutely clean.
WOW!! Thanks!!! My Lodge dutch oven (also blue enamel:)) looks just like yours did -and I’ve tried and TRIED to clean it! Im excited to know that it can look pretty again!!
I just found a Martha Stewart dutch oven in a dump. I hated to leave it there because it looks fairly new. I picked it up. I'm going to try to clean it.
Thank you!! Burned the bottom of my Dutch Oven, different brand but same materials, last night and was heart broken over the overnight soak not working! Going to try baking soda now!
I inherited some Le Creuset enamel cast iron from my mother who got it for her wedding in 1956. I was going to scream if you scrubbed it with Dawn and yelled, Honey, it worked! I will try the baking soda method. Thanks!
keep in mind that the 'enamel' is actually melted glass, fused to the metal. so using any type of abrasive cleaner can permanently dull the enamel. i soak in oxi-clean. works perfectly.
Actually, I am one of those who felt validated in the last video because that's EXACTLY what my two dutch ovens look like. LOL!!! Going to give the baking soda trick a try. Thank you!
I've used a dishwasher pod (Finish or Cascade) and a full kettle of super hot boiling water. Dump it in with the pod, put the lid on, and let it sit until the water is luke warm or cooled off. You can also put on an eye with very low heat to keep the water temp up longer. It usually works without scrubbing on steel coffee pots.
I have the same enameled cast iron pot (mine's gray) and it definitely needs some love. Thanks for the tips! I will definitely be giving it a baking soda bath!
Decent method with the Baking Soda and boiling water. I used a flat end wood scaper/stir spoon. You get more traction on the attack than you do with a spoon.
I will try the Baking Soda method. I tried removing the slight darkening my Dutch Dutch oven has at the bottom with Bar Keeper. It lightened it up a tiny bit, but I made the mistake of getting some on the OUTSIDE of the lid (mine is grey, or 'Graphite') and the Bar Keeper really dulled that part of my lid.
You should try magic eraser. Worked wonders on mine! I wouldn’t suggest the knock off melamine pads as that takes way more elbow grease. I will try the baking soda trick though cause that seems a little easier
Got a lot off the first time, gunna do it one more time & it should look brand new! Thank you for this video!! I just got my Dutch oven for an Xmas gift & I made a sauce & it started burning because I cooked it on too high. I was so sad I just ruined my gift but this did the trick!
thank you for sharing. I am doing my research as I only own Dutch oven from Le Creuset and looking to buy a braiser. Trying to decide between another iron skillet vs enameled one. I read that when it’s with the enamel, you actually CANNOT use it on open fire as it doesn’t do well with higher temperatures compared to their non coated ‘cousins’. The coating might crack. Just saying so you don’t ruin your pretty dutch oven😉
Very true!!! The cream interior cannot sustain the higher temperatures like the black coated ones!!! The high temperatures could eventually damage the enamel on the Dutch ovens low-medium heat is the way to go
YES!!!I burnt on the bottom of my enamel dutch oven spaghetti sauce last night. My daughter left the evidence in the sink! I also did two rounds of baking soda after watching your video with a wooden spatula. There are still some minor stains, but not the mess I had. Not sure how to get the slight discoloration out. Maybe soak in some bleach water?
I find that using a deglazing method usually works. If my pans/pots have stuck on food, I put it on the burner, put in some water and as it heats use a non-scratching utensil to scrape off the food, just like you would when making gravy, etc. For the most part this does the trick, and then the next step can be cleaning with an approved product.
Barkeepers friend and white vinegar. Works great and you generally don't have to boil it. This also works great on Correll wears also. I collect old cast iron and well as new all of which have the enamel.
I wash my pot first, WD 40 gets rid of tough stains. Then I use the miracle cleaner sponge to remove more of the stain. Finally I put one scoop of dishwasher detergent into my dutch oven, then fill it with water and bring it to a boil, then turn it off and cover and let sit for 24 hours. It usually does a great job. Afterward I drain the soapy, bleachy water and refill the pot with water and some vinegar, bring to a boil and let is sit for a couple of hours. This eliminates the bleach smell and gets rid of the chemicals.
Thus was great! I had noticed someone commenting about the stains on your Dutch oven and I was going to suggest Soft Scrub. I use it a lot in the kitchen and bathroom because it is so gentle and doesn’t have the strong odor of Bar Keepers Friend. Plus it doesn’t streak. It is mildly abrasive, works wonders on my stainless cookware, stove top and faucets. However, what you have done with straight baking soda is great and probably much cheaper. I think I will make a shaker type jar for the baking soda and start using it each time I use one of my pans. More of these types of videos, please. In fact, I would love it if you would do a detailed video about your chopper, dicer gizmo. I have been checking it out on your Amazon list but now other choppers have popped up making me confused about I really need and what they will do. Yikes!!!!! Do a detailed (and I truly mean detailed) video about this. Quickly! Please. Help!! 😋😋😋😋😋
I've never wrecked anything with Barkeepers Friend, but what you came up with, worked, so great! Another cleaner I use is simmering some water and dishwasher powder - I also use dishwater powder as an overnight soak for stainless steel coffee cups... what's cooking next?
Does Jessica have any ideas on how to organize spice cupboards? Very little counter and wall space means that all spices must fit in cupboards. Any tips would be most helpful.
I have a solution I use I picked up shoe box size plastic containers at the $ store I use one for spices and one for baking powder soda etc easy to organize and clean helped me with limited space 😊
My induction glass cook top have stains and tried the baking soda/vinegar, didn't work. I bought some citric acid from the baking supplies store, pour some and added some warm water, use a hard brush and it cleaned right off.
Love the blue color. I'm into collecting blue kitchen cookware so this caught me eye. lol. Dawn works best with hot water. And letting it soak for 30 minutes not too long after use. So yeah, that wasnt gonna work in this case
The same thing happens if you just make a paste (baking soda) inside with warm sink water. And just scrub it lightly. Comes right off. Works best if you just finished cooking and are ready to clean.
The solutions mentioned address the inside of the pot. What about the outside? I use mine almost exclusively to bake bread, and the outside is looking nasty! It looks as though someone splashed grease onto it and baked it on. Now it won't come off. What about that?
Thank you guys. My husband bought me this tamale pot, cast iron enamel. The steam rack that goes in the pot had a damage center where the enamel is chipped. Is there any way to fix that?
Thank you for this video!! I'm guilty as well, both my dutch ovens look like yours did before you cleaned it. As always, I appreciate you both for all the videos and sharing your lives with us! Can't wait until you guys are back at the end if March 💛
Funny Ive been thinking of going to Pinterest to figure out how to clean MY enameled Dutch oven. Talk about your coincidences. Mine seems to be just stained but I will try it. I do have a fix for a burnt pan(steel) scrub with baking soda paste and a ball of aluminum foil .
In Australia, we call it a dutch oven, when you are in bed with someone then fart and pull the covers over their head. So the obvious answer to that question is, wait for it, LOL wipe your ass.
I’m in process of selling my 20 piece Le Cresuet cookware collection from years of good use. I want to restore the enameled interior of the Dutch oven. Tried a few things from related videos but made the surface dull. And that matte surface absorbs and retains contents of future cooking. Any ideas? I’ll try the oxi clean suggested by one poster explaining that the enamel is glass related poured over cast iron and most cleaners will dull the coating! Thanks.
Jessica you said you love cleaning- do you watch "clean with me" videos? You should totally make one! A bit random but a lot of people (me including) find them so satisfying
CM Coleman Home has some great cleaning videos. He motivates me to clean my nasty kitchen before bed. His videography and editing is probably the best. Plus he has such a great place. Very good channel.
cant use it on a campfire. le creuset has a special cleanser available on their website. I've used water and bleach on tea stains and that works, but haven't heated it. i agree with tosca, all that works, too.
What about the enamel coating of the Dutch oven..does it come off with the use specially the way you cleaned it with baking soda n is it safe after repeated cooking also. Like when the nonstick cookware came into the market n later everyone started saying it's harmful for health even cancerous.. Pls reply
From what I've seen, cleaning with baking soda does not remove the enamel coating. And it appears to be perfectly safe for repeated use for many years.
Tip, try using less water with both the soap and baking powder. Put in the soap or baking powder first adding just a tiny bit to make a paste. Also white vinegar is good for cleaning.