If you’re like us, you consider your best cookware a prized possession. And, just like that beloved car or your family heirloom, you want to protect and preserve it for years to come. That process starts with investing in quality pieces. But once you get beyond that first step, it’s all about cleaning.
So how do you take care of your favorite
pots and pans, or
Dutch ovens? Here, we break down everything you need to know about cleaning stainless steel, non-stick, and enamelled
cast iron cookware to make sure it looks great and performs even better.
Cleaning and Maintaining Enamelled Cast Iron Cookware
If you aren’t at least a bit obsessed with enamelled cast iron cookware, it’s likely because you’ve never used it. Our obsession with
Le Creuset Cast Iron at times verges on unhealthy, so we know how difficult and important it is to keep these pots and pans in great shape.
Luckily, that’s much easier than with most other types of cookware. Enamelled cast iron can handle acidic foods with ease and generally very easy to clean. Still, there are a couple things you should look out for.
CHIPPING
The biggest danger with any enamelled cast iron is chipping. To avoid it, make sure you don’t drop your cookware or bang it against anything. To keep your cookware from scratching, don't drag it across a stovetop or use metal utensils (
silicone spatulas are best) when cooking. Avoid these, and your cast iron cookware should be just fine.
BROWNING AND INTERIOR DISCOLORATION
While chipping will only happen to very careless or unlucky owners of enamelled cast iron cookware, browning and discoloration will happen to everyone. This doesn’t affect the performance of your cookware and some would argue it’s a proud sign of a well-used tool, but if you hate the aesthetics, then there are solutions.
Put some water in the pot or pan, bring it to a boil, and add a few tablespoons of baking soda. After it’s boiled for a few minutes, let it cool down, drain, and then use a non-abrasive brush or sponge to scrape it all way. Alternatively, for tougher jobs, you can use the specially formulated Le Creuset Pot and Pan Cleaner.
CLEANING THE COLOURFUL EXTERIOR
As all Le Creuset and French oven lovers know, besides the fantastic cooking performance is also the beautiful colours of the exterior enamel. From lots of use in and out of the hot oven, the exterior can also become dirty with boiled over cooking oils and juices when roasting or using on the stove. If faced with a difficult stain, we recommend the Goodbye Detergent Cleaning Pads for Enamel. Made in Japan, these enamel cleaning pads feature two sides - one for scouring the enamel to scrape off those difficult stains, while the other for general cleaning and polishing. These pads are designed to be used on enamel coatings, however it is important when using the scouring side that you only apply a gentle amount of pressure when cleaning.
OVERHEATING
This is probably one of the biggest killers of enamel cast iron cookware where using too high heat can cause the enamel to burn. It is always recommended that whenever using enamel cast iron cookware that you only use it on a low to medium heat on the stove and bake at a maximum temperature of 180͒°C in your oven.
Cleaning and Maintaining Stainless Steel Cookware
True, stainless steel cookware is some of the toughest stuff you’re going to find (just ask the proud owners of a
Scanpan Impact or Le Creuset 3ply frying pan). It’s designed to handle stovetops to ovens without breaking a sweat. However, the chemical properties of the steel also mean it has its fair share of weak spots.
BASIC STAINLESS STEEL MAINTENANCE
There are a few simple things everyone who uses stainless steel cookware should know. First, to avoid the dreaded pitting problem, make sure you salt your water only after it’s boiled. Also, to avoid discoloration, don’t heat the pan when it’s dry or empty (more on how to fix that later).
To maintain the beautiful shine that stainless steel cookware is famous for, you can use any commercial cleaner designed specifically for this material. Still, bear in mind that minor scratches are normal and won’t affect your pan’s performance (think of them as proud battle scars).
CRUSTED-ON FOOD
While getting food to stick to the pan is one of the greatest benefits of using stainless steel cookware, when that food sticks for too long, it can be tough to get off. Luckily, this one is pretty simple.
Giving the pan a good soak with hot soapy water to break up the food should make it easy to scrape off even the hardest crusted-on foods (you can boil the water for extra difficult jobs). Just be sure to let the pan cool before adding water!
STRANGE SPOTS
Strange spots on your stainless steel pans can be one of a few things. If the spots are white and look a bit like chalk, they’re probably from too much calcium in your water. The solution is pretty simple: just boil 1 part vinegar to 3 parts water, let the pan cool down, and wipe it clean.
For other types of spots or discoloration, particularly if they look a bit like a rainbow, the culprit is usually overheating the pan. In this case (as with nearly any tough stainless steel cookware cleaning job)
Bar Keepers Friend is your best friend.
You can use any other non-abrasive cleaner, but this one is a particular favourite. Just coat the surface liberally with the cleaner, work it into a paste, and clean as directed.
Cleaning and Maintaining Non-Stick Cookware
If stainless steel cookware is famously tough, non-stick cookware is the exact opposite. True, manufacturers are making huge advances with new lines like
Scanpan Evolution and
Le Creuset Toughened Non-Stick, but you still need to treat your non-stick cookware with a little more care.
Besides the obvious tips, like NEVER using metal utensils, not getting the pans too hot (most
nonstick cookware is only recommended below 200C), you should always check the directions of your individual pans for dos and don'ts.
BASIC NON-STICK COOKWARE CLEANING
The good news here is that cleaning a non-stick pan is pretty straightforward, as long as you don’t do any permanent damage. Regular dish soap or baking soda, along with a non-metallic sponge or brush, will do the trick.
THINGS TO AVOID
There are some lesser-known enemies of non-stick cookware you should also look out for. The first is aerosol sprays. This may come as a surprise to some, but over time, using aerosol sprays damages the cooking surface. Try self-pump oils or just tilting the pan to spread oil the old-fashioned way.
Lastly, even if your pan’s instructions say that it’s dishwasher safe, your pan is always going to last longer if you don’t put it in the dishwasher. We know how convenient it is, but remember, your pan is a treasured tool in your cooking arsenal, treat it as such.
Do You Have Any Expert Tips?
One thing that never fails to amaze us is how often people come up with their own unique solutions to cleaning and maintaining their
Le Creuset and
Scanpan cookware. What’s worked for you? We’d love to hear your best tricks.
