Cleaning enamel

MikeL

Member
I found a Le Creuset #30 skillet at a flea market today that needs cleaning pretty bad. I was wondering if oven cleaner will hurt the enamel. I read about it somewhere but I don't remember what it said and I can't find it again. Thanks
 
Yes, lye will make the enamel hazy. I just soak them in really hot water and Dawn dish soap for as long as it takes to loosen the crud. The hotter the better, boiling water works best.
 
I have had success with the following: add about 1/2 inch of 3% hydrogen peroxide solution to the pot/skillet with 1 to 2 teaspoons of baking soda (depending on size of the piece). Heat until a simmer is reached, let it simmer for about 10 minutes, then agitate with a scrub brush. I have also read that a drop or two of Dawn will help, but I'm not convinced.
 
You might want to try one of the 'Magic Cleaning Erasers'. I bought a pack of generic ones and used it on a white enameled skillet I have and it did a better job of cleaning the bottom of the skillet than anything else I tried.
 
You can get a pack of them from Amazon much cheaper than buying them at the grocery store. I use them on every pan as a sort of finishing-up step. Buying them through this site helps this site and doesn't add any cost to you.
 
Thanks for all the replies and suggestions. I ended up using very hot water, Dawn, and a lot of elbow grease. I still need to clean a little more on the bottom. Thank again for the help. Here are some before and after picks.

2017-02-21 19.43.04.jpg

2017-02-27 19.37.49.jpg
 
Thanks for the comments everyone. It was hard to get my wife to warm up to cast iron, but she really likes this one.
 
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