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You may wonder if the enamel cast iron surface gets stained easily? Can you clean the enamel in the dishwasher or by using vinegar and baking soda? Is using steel wool for enamel cleaning a good practice?
These were the same questions I had when I started using enameled cast iron cookware. I commonly question myself if I should be more cautious when cleaning enamel compared to other cookware I have and which cleaning practices to avoid in order not damaging enamel. However, after some years of using the enamel, I found some good directions for maintaining enamel cast iron that I will share with you in this article.
Additionally, to bring the information’s for this post I have gathered the official enamel cast iron maintenance recommendations from 5 big brands (Le Creuset, Staub, Tramontina, Lodge and Cuisinart) by directly communicating with heir customer services and summarizing the official manuals.
Finally, throughout the post, I link my other in-depth posts about enamelled cast iron where I showcased many useful tips on how to use enamel cookware.
Nevertheless, let’s turn back to enamel cast iron maintenance and answer many common questions.
1. What is the best way to clean enamelled cast iron? Enamel submerged in the water
There are many approaches to enamel cat iron cleaning, and for sure not of them is the best in all situations. However, some techniques are more universal than others.
After considering many recommendations from enamel cast iron brands and experimenting a lot with the cleaning by myself in the last years, I have come to simple enamel cleaning practices I use almost daily.
So If somebody asked me what the best way to clean enamel cast iron is, my answer would be:
1. Wait for the enamel cast iron to cool down before starting cleaning. Do not plunge a hot pan into cold water.
2. If food is more seriously stuck to the cookware, Fill it with warm water and let soak for 15 to 20 minutes before washing.
3. Use a sponge and nylon brush if needed to remove food still attached to the enamel. Additionally, use steel wool gently to remove the more resistant food sticking.
4. Add a bit of the mild soap to the dish spread with the sponge and rinse the cookware with water
5. Dry the cookware with kitchen paper or a towel and Store it in a dry cupboard or airy space away from steam.
However, I would like to add a few more details to these steps and highlight some cases where I would reduce or modify this general cleaning schema.
1.1.Important details Enamel cast iron cleaning
1)The type of cleaning chemicals-. I use any conventional dish soap for this, and I never observed changes in enamel after washing it with such chemicals(e.g. changes like dulling of the enamel color or losing the shiny luster). Moreover, I avoid using abrasive cleaners like hydrochloric acid, bleach etc.
When I asked the le Creuset customer service which kind of cleaning agents they don’t recommend using they also answered me:
When we advise not to use abrasive cleaners, this normally means cleaners like bleach or oven cleaner etc, normal washing liquid is fine to use daily, we also recommend handwashing the pan, to preserve the quality. Dishwashing detergent can be harsh and dull the enamel with continued use
Finally, as mentioned, long-term use of a dishwasher can affect enamel aesthetics which I will talk about more In Subheading 5.
2)The choice of cleaning scrubber/sponge -Most of the companies recommend nylon brushes, which I also use often. However, even though the brands strictly recommend avoiding steel wool, I found it very useful for the gentle removal of the stuck food.
I wrote more about using steel wool with enamel cast iron in 3 chapters, and I presented pictures from cookware I use to demonstrate that steel wool doesn’t cause damage.
3) Proper drying of enamel cast iron- related to the drying of the enamel cookware after cleaning it is important to not just leave the enamel to dry but to use the kitchen paper/towel to dry at least the utensil rims.
In enameled cast iron cookware rims are usually uncovered with enamel so they may be prone to roasting. Because of this, it is best to dry them directly after cleaning.
Finally, there is a trick to protect the enamel cast iron cookware rims by seasoning them. Soon, you will be able to find a straight forward guide on how to do it in my upcoming post here.
1.2.Tips for cleaning enamel cookware in specific cases
Once you get used to cooking with this type of cookware, you will get no sticking, and the cleaning of the cookware will in most cases come down to the simplified process of using a little soap and sponge to clean your cookware in a few minutes. In other words, in most cases, you won’t need any soaking of the cookware.
However, when you just start cooking with enamel (at least it was my case), it may happen to you a few times that food gets burned or sticks seriously to enamel cookware because you are still developing the technique on how to keep enamel nonstick.
The same serious sticking can happen if you bake something in an enamel cast iron but you don’t properly oil the walls of the cookware.
When cleaning after such cases, a few natural cleaners can make your job much easier. I wrote more in detail about them in the upcoming chapter.
Finally, to find out more on how to keep your enamel cast iron nonstick for both stovetop and oven setup, soon you will be able to take a look at my upcoming post where I will demonstrate a few useful techniques that I apply frequently.
2. Can you clean enameled cast iron with baking soda and vinegar?
When it comes to the kitchen, Vinegar and baking soda are two well know natural cleaners. Moreover, some people will swear (like me) that for certain types of utensils they are one of the best cleaning agents.
However, one question that pops up
– Can you clean enameled cast iron with baking soda and vinegar?
Enameled cast iron can be cleaned efficiently using baking soda, white vinegar or their combination. Both agents help with the removal of the stuck food and accelerate the cleaning process. Moreover, many of the enamel cast iron producers recommend using these two agents for cleaning their cookware.
In the following table, I will shortly summarize the recommendations of brands like Tamontina, Lodge and Staub on the use of baking soda and vinegar in enamel act iron cleaning. All of the presented information comes either from the official enamel cast iron manuals of brands(find references in the table) or from direct conversations I had with their customer services.
Moreover, after the table, I will share my personal impressions on how helpful vinegar and soda are in an enamel cast iron cleaning based on my experience.
*Bellow the table you will find the provided information references
| Brand | Recommendations | Reference |
|---|---|---|
| Lodge | To remove stubborn baked-on food, boil 2 cups of water and 4 tablespoons of baking soda. Boil for a few minutes, then use a pan scraper to loosen the food. | Lodge Enamel cast iron manual |
| Staub | When food stick stronger- we recommend the use of one of the following methods: 1.Clean by boiling a 50/50 solution of white vinegar and water for a few minutes. 2. Clean by boiling water and baking soda with 2 or 3 spoons full for a few minutes. 3.Clean with non-abrasive cleaners such as Bar Keepers Friend® and a soft brush or sponge. These cleaners can also be used to clean the exterior enamel. | Staub enamel cast iron manual |
| Tamontina | After boiling some water and removing the excess. add baking soda and build it; Use white vinegar with water (50% mix) to remove stains /spots on the inside | Direct communication withTramontina customer service |
*Lodge Enamel cast iron manual reference
**Staub Enamel cast iron manual reference
In my enamel cleaning practices, I mainly apply soda when food is more seriously attached to the cookware’s bottom or walls.
An example can be when I bake something in the oven, and take the dish out of the cookware but don’t clean it right after(from time to time I get lazy to clean the cookware right after I finish cooking:)
Adding e.g. half a liter of water to the dish followed by 4-5 tablespoons of baking soda and boiling it in a few minutes in an enamel cast iron, accelerates the cleaning tremendously.
Moreover, when it comes to serious food sticking, I found such cleaning much more efficient than just soaking the enamel cast iron in the water(even for the whole night).
In the first picture below, you will find the Le Creuset enamel cast iron skillet after baking the variation of moussaka made with peas. More precisely the picture illustrates the skillet after soaking overnight in water and cleaning with some usual dish detergent, sponge and nylon brush.
However as you may see some of the food stains can still be seen under the light.
Even I have applied sponge and nylon brush quite intensively, some stains stayed, no matter what. So I applied the baking soda method I described above and. The image bellow demonstrates the results.
So as conclusion, from my experience, baking soda is also one of the best cleaning agents for enamel cast iron when it comes to serious food sticking.
Finally, when It comes to cleaning enamel with vinegar, I avoid using it since it evaporates fast when heated up and it realizes quite a strong smell that I try to avoid.
However, it doesn’t mean it is not worth trying (Especially If you have a good aspirator), just be sure you use white vinegar. The red(or vine vinegar) can easily stain things and it is not recommended for cleaning based on the claims of enamel cookware producers.
3. Can you use steel wool on enameled cast iron?
Steel wool can be a great option for removing the resistant strains on cookware. However, it is commonly avoided since it can sometimes damage the cookware surface.
When it comes to enamel cast iron the same doubt comes up-Can steel wool can be used for cleaning of enamel and can it scratch enameled cookware?
Steel wool can be used for cleaning enamel cast iron when it is applied gently. Even, though steel wool is not recommended by most of the enamel cast iron manufacturers, in practice, it can be used successfully to remove hard sticking food residues from the enamel without damaging it.
However, the question is -How gentle application of the steel wool is gentle enough? Moreover, can I make proof that I havent make any damage to my enamel cast iron cookware after steel wool application?
Below, I will share with you some detailed images enamel cookware skillet that I clean from time to time(e.g. once a week) with the help of steel wool since I have had it(more than half a year).
So as it can be seen quite clearly, there are no noticeable damages made on the enamel cast iron surface
And on the question of how much gentle is gentle enough when it comes to steel wool cleaning? My In answer will be that is usually starting to use steel wool to scrub specifically the places where the food is stuck by using the top of my fingers.
I usually, start very gently(no pressure at all) and ad up strength till the moment the food pieces start o detach from the enamel. When I reach this strength when food starts to stick out, I don’t push stronger than that.
So I hope that after I showcased to you the practices I apply with steel wool and enamel cast iron, you will be freer to try it. In some cases, it was a real-time saver for me.
4. Can you soak enameled cast iron overnight?
After an enjoyable lunch or dinner, sometimes it is not easy to jump on cleaning the dishes. And in some cases leaving the utensils soaked overnight is the way to move the washing to another day and to make it much easier.
Cleaning of certain cookware types like bare enamel cast iron or carbon steel reduced contact with water to avoid rusting. However, the question is it ok to expose the enamel cast iron to water for a long time, like when you soak it overnight?
Enamel cast iron can be soaked overnight when the cookware rim is not covered with water. In most of the enamel cast iron pieces, the utensil rim is not covered with enamel, which makes it is prone to roasting. Because of that it is best to keep the rim out of the water during the overnight soaking.
In practice when I soak the cookware(either for 5-10 min or a few hours), I fulfil the cookware with water almost full and let it sit. This way the rimes stay dry.
Bellow, there is also the picture of what is not recommended when it comes to soaking of the enamel cookware, in order to prevent the rim exposed to water(and risk of rim rusting).
Additionally, after the cleaning process of enamel cast iron, I usually dry the cookware with paper or a kitchen towel, rather than let sit and passively dry on a side.
I never observed rim rust in any of my enameled cookware but these are some of the practices that I take to prevent the rim rusting.
Finally, enameled cast iron rim rusting can be prevented long-term by seasoning. To Find out more, soon, you will be able to take a look at my upcoming post about the enamel cast iron seasoning.
5. What happens if you put enameled cast iron in the dishwasher?
It is quite convenient when you can clean your cookware in the dishwasher. Unfortunately, some of the utensil types aren’t compatible with dishwashers either because they are prone to rusting (e.g. bare cast iron) or they can be damaged by dishwasher detergents.
Enameled cast iron is sometimes advertised as safe for dishwashers. However, the question is, what really happens long-term if enameled cast iron if it is washed in the dishwasher?
Washing enamel cast iron in the dishwasher repeatedly can cause a loss of glossy enamel finish and make the enamel surface powdery to the touch. Because of this, most of the brands recommend avoiding the dishwasher cleaning of enamel cast iron long term, and instead using handwash with washing soap.
This is what at least most of the enamel cast iron brands advise.
To bring you the exact enamel cast iron manufacturer recommendations I have gathered the statements of 5 brands on what happens when the enamel cast iron is washed in the dishwasher.
Some of the statements I will present come from the cookware manuals, for which I will provide the reference below. In addition, some of them come from direct communication with customer service.
See all the information in the table below:
*Bellow the table you can find the references for the information in the table
| Brand | Recommendations | Reference |
|---|---|---|
| Lodge | Although enamelled cast iron is dishwasher safe, hand washing with warm soapy water and a nylon scrub brush is recommended to preserve the cookware’s original appearance. It is not harmful and will not impair the cooking performance, however, the use of these products is not covered by our warranty. | Lodge enamel cast iron manual |
| Staub | This product is dishwasher safe, except for products with wood handles. Although, we recommend to hand washing to prolong the beauty of your cookware. | Staub enamel cast iron manual |
| Tamontina | We recommend hand-washing and drying your cookware to preserve the original finish.Cookware washed in the dishwasher will get discolored. Moreover, the main problem is that enamel cast iron products are heavy and they might also get dented/scratched. | Direct communication with Tramontina customer service |
| Le Creuset | All pans with integral cast iron, phenolic handles or stainless steel knobs can be washed in the dishwasher. However, constant dishwashing may lead to some dulling of the enamel finish. This is not harmful and will not impair performance. When using the dishwasher always allow the cycle to finish before opening the door. This will ensure the pans are dried thoroughly | Le creuset enamel cast iron manual |
*Lodge Enamel cast iron manual reference
**Staub Enamel cast iron manual reference
***Le Creuset Enamel cast iron reference
Finally, I mainly wash my enamel cookware by hand. It happened to me that I applied the dishwasher a few times(2-3 times in total), but I never observed any difference either in losing the cookware’s glossy luster, discoloration or getting dark shades.
I could not say from my experience what will happen with enamel cast iron cookware after daily repeated use of the dishwasher. However, I could state that based on my observations washing of enameled cookware in the dishwasher for few times in a few months hasn’t made any negative impact.
6. How do you remove brown stains from enameled cast iron?
Enamel cast iron dishes sometimes come with light interior enamel. This type of enamel is usually white or creamy in color and some of the food stains may be hard to remove from such surface.
So the question is which practices to avoid to reduce the chance of getting stains on the enamel and How to remove the stains when they appear on enamelled cast iron?
The stains that appear on the light enamel surfaces could be removed by boiling water with baking soda. However, over time the changing of the light enamel color will be invertible. To avoid this situation, choose enamel cast iron with black mantle enamel interior.
I have used cookware that has an internal surface with light enamel. The utensils of this type that I have, are not coming from reputable brands and they are not outstanding in quality.
After some months of use, I started to notice the brown strains, which became harder and harder to remove.
I could not say that this will happen to all of the enameled utensils with light enamel interior(I used a few of these utensils), but I believe that most of the enamel cast iron cookware (if coated with light enamel) will face some colorations after a few weeks or few months of use. At least this is what I also se over and over from people reviews about enamel cast iron cookware with a light interior,
I asked a few companies if there is a way to avoid this or to reduce certain c0oking practices to keep enamel with no stains. These were the answers I got
Lodge
Enamel can and will stain over time. To clean the stains, you can use baking soda and water
Tramontina
Some sauces (like tomato) will tend to discolour the white interior ceramic. However, the key is not to let the food sit in the pot for a long period; Baking soda and /or white vinegar will always help;
To learn more about cleaning the enamel cast iron dishes with vinegar and baking soda, you can return to the previous chapter.
Finally, If you aim to avoid this situation, you can choose to go for enamel cast iron cookware with a black mantle enamel interior. I also have experience with a few utensils with these features(both skillets and Dutch ovens) and they showed to be much less prone to staining compared to utensils with light enamel interiors.
In the last period, I mostly used Le Creuset, which I bought after a long time of thinking if it was worth the price. Moreover, if you want to see more about testing Le Creuset and my impressions after using this cookware for months, take a look at the post here.
