How to Clean Le Creuset: Stains, Burnt Food and Daily Care

Enamel is glass fused to iron. Treat it like glass: no sudden temperature changes, nothing that scratches, and patience rather than force with anything stuck on.

By the Bonwits editorsUpdated September 30, 20265 steps

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What you need

6 things. Tap any to see it on Amazon.

01The maker's cleaner
Le Creuset
Le Creuset Enameled Cast Iron Cookware Cleaner, 8.45 oz
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02The brush
Le Creuset
Le Creuset Nylon Brush, 3 1/4", Cerise
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03The sponge
Scotch-Brite
Scotch-Brite Zero Scratch Scrub Sponge, 6 Pack
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04The scraper
Lodge
Lodge Cast Iron Pan Scrapers, 2 Pack, Red and Black
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05For burnt food and stains
Arm & Hammer
ARM & HAMMER Baking Soda, 2.7 Lbs
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06The pot itself
Le Creuset
Le Creuset Enameled Cast Iron Signature Deep Round Oven, 6.5 qt., White
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An enameled cast iron pot is the easiest cast iron to live with. It needs no seasoning, it will not rust, and it can be washed with soap. What it does not forgive is the two habits people bring from other pans: plunging it into cold water while it is hot, and attacking it with steel wool or a harsh scouring powder. The first can crack the enamel; the second dulls and scratches it.

Almost everything else is gentle. Le Creuset's own instructions come down to warm soapy water, a soft sponge or nylon brush, a soak or a short simmer with baking soda for stuck-on food, a baking soda paste for stains, and its own enamel cleaner for the marks that remain. Some staining on a pale interior after years of use is normal, and Le Creuset does not treat it as a defect.

The method below runs from the everyday wash to a badly burnt pot, in order. Start at the top and stop when the pot is clean. The tools used are listed at the bottom of the page.

What matters

The maker's method first. Steps follow Le Creuset's published care instructions, with other makers' advice noted where it differs.
Gentlest first. Every step is tried before the next, stronger one. Most pots never need the last steps.
Nothing that scratches. No metal pads, steel wool or harsh abrasives on the enamel, as Le Creuset advises.
Mind the temperature. The pot is always cooled before it meets water, to avoid thermal shock.

We read makers’ specifications, warranties, care instructions and the sources listed at the end. We do not accept paid placements. How we choose

The method

5 steps, in order

1. Let it cool
Let the pot cool to room temperature before it goes near the sink. Never pour cold water into a hot pot, or plunge a hot pot into cold water. Sudden, extreme temperature changes can crack or craze the enamel, which Le Creuset calls thermal shock.
2. The everyday wash
Wash with warm water, a mild dish soap, and a soft sponge or a nylon brush. Rinse, then dry the pot thoroughly, inside and out, before putting it away.
That is enough for most meals. Le Creuset rates its cast iron dishwasher safe, but hand washing is quick and keeps the enamel glossier for longer.
3. Stuck-on food
Fill the pot with warm soapy water and let it soak for 15 to 20 minutes, then wash as usual.
If that does not shift it, drain the pot, add warm water and a tablespoon or two of baking soda, and bring it to a simmer for 8 to 10 minutes. Let it cool, pour it out, and the residue should lift with a sponge or a plastic pan scraper. Repeat once if needed rather than scrubbing hard.
4. Stains and marks
Make a paste of baking soda and a little water, spread it over the stain, and let it sit before rubbing gently with a damp sponge and rinsing. It lifts light stains, oil residue and grey marks from utensils.
For stains that remain, use Le Creuset's enamel cleaner: apply, rinse with water, and wipe clean. Used every few weeks, it keeps a pale interior close to new.
5. What not to use
No steel wool, metal scouring pads or harsh abrasive cleaners, which Le Creuset says can damage the enamel surface. Metal utensils in the pot leave grey marks; they usually clean off, but wood, silicone and nylon avoid them.
Bar Keepers Friend recommends its powder cleanser, used with a soft damp sponge, on enameled cast iron. It is a mild abrasive, and Le Creuset advises against abrasive cleaners, so if you use it at all, keep it for occasional stubborn marks, use light pressure and rinse well. Lodge suggests a diluted bleach soak for badly stained enamel; Le Creuset's own methods do not include bleach, so try its cleaner first.

The kit, in detail

No. 01The maker's cleaner

Le Creuset

Le Creuset Enameled Cast Iron Cookware Cleaner, 8.45 oz

Le Creuset's own cleaner for stains, oil residue and marks that soap and baking soda leave behind.

Made in: France
Keeps for: Many cleanings; used occasionally, not daily
Size: 8.45 fl oz (250 ml)
Made in: France
Use: Apply, rinse with water, wipe clean
Interiors: Sand and matte black enamel

This is the product Le Creuset recommends for keeping enamel looking new: a 250 milliliter bottle, made in France, that you apply to the stain, rinse off and wipe clean. It works on both the pale sand interior and the matte black interior Le Creuset uses on its skillets and grills.

It is not a daily cleaner. Use it every few weeks, or when a brown film or grey utensil marks build up that a baking soda paste will not shift. A little goes a long way.

The catch. Expensive per ounce, and baking soda does much of the same work for less.

Where to buy

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No. 02The brush

Le Creuset

Le Creuset Nylon Brush, 3 1/4", Cerise

A stiff nylon brush that scrubs enamel without scratching it, and reaches into grill pan ridges.

Keeps for: Years; replace when the bristles splay
Bristles: Nylon
Size: 3.25 in
Care: Dishwasher safe
Use: Enamel interiors and grill pan ridges

Le Creuset advises soft natural or nylon brushes and sponges on its enamel. This is its own: a compact 3.25 inch nylon brush, stiff enough to lift softened food and gentle enough for the enamel. It is dishwasher safe.

It earns its place on the corners and the rounded join between base and wall, where a sponge skates over what is stuck. Any nylon dish brush works; this one is shaped for the job.

The catch. A lot to pay for a brush; a plain nylon dish brush does the same job.

Where to buy

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No. 03The sponge

Scotch-Brite

Scotch-Brite Zero Scratch Scrub Sponge, 6 Pack

A non-scratch scrubbing sponge for the daily wash, safe for nonstick and, by extension, for enamel.

Keeps for: A few weeks each
Type: Non-scratch scrub sponge
Pack: 6
Safe on: Nonstick, glass and most surfaces (maker)

The daily wash needs a sponge with a scrubbing side that will not scratch. Scotch-Brite's Zero Scratch sponges are made for nonstick pans, glass and similar delicate surfaces, which makes them a safe everyday choice for enamel.

Use the scrubbing side after a soak, when food has softened. If you have to press hard, stop and soak longer instead.

The catch. Sponges hold bacteria; replace them often or run them through the dishwasher.

Where to buy

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No. 04The scraper

Lodge

Lodge Cast Iron Pan Scrapers, 2 Pack, Red and Black

Hard polycarbonate scrapers that lift softened, burnt-on food without metal touching the enamel.

Keeps for: Years
Material: Polycarbonate
Pack: 2
Use: Loosening softened, stuck-on food

Lodge makes these for its cast iron, and they are just as useful on enamel. Each is a small, hard polycarbonate scraper with several edges and curves to fit the base, corners and walls of a pot. Lodge's own enamel care advice uses a pan scraper to loosen baked-on food after a baking soda boil.

Use it only after soaking or simmering. On dry, burnt food, even plastic takes force, and force is what you are trying to avoid.

The catch. Small; on a large pot you will work in patches.

Where to buy

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No. 05For burnt food and stains

Arm & Hammer

ARM & HAMMER Baking Soda, 2.7 Lbs

The mild, cheap workhorse of enamel care, for simmering off burnt food and making a stain paste.

Made in: USA (Green River, Wyoming)
Keeps for: Many cleanings
Contents: Pure sodium bicarbonate, no additives
Size: 2.7 lb resealable bag
Made in: USA

Baking soda does two jobs in Le Creuset's method. A tablespoon or two simmered in water loosens burnt-on food, and a paste of baking soda and water lifts stains, oil residue and marks.

This is plain sodium bicarbonate with no additives, in a resealable bag big enough to keep one for baking and one under the sink.

The catch. Slow on old, set stains; for those, the Le Creuset cleaner works faster.

Where to buy

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No. 06The pot itself

Le Creuset

Le Creuset Enameled Cast Iron Signature Deep Round Oven, 6.5 qt., White

The pot this method was written for: pale-interior enameled cast iron, oven safe to 500°F.

Made in: France
Keeps for: Generations; lifetime limited warranty
Capacity: 6.5 qt
Material: Enameled cast iron, sand interior
Oven: To 500°F; all cooktops
Care: Dishwasher safe; hand washing keeps enamel brighter

Le Creuset's Signature enameled cast iron has a light sand-colored interior enamel that shows browning clearly and, over years, shows stains too. That is why the method above matters. The Deep Round Oven is the familiar round Dutch oven made taller, at 6.5 quarts, oven safe to 500°F and compatible with every cooktop.

Le Creuset rates it dishwasher safe. Many owners hand wash anyway, because it is quick and keeps the enamel brighter, and because a pot this heavy is awkward in a dishwasher rack.

The catch. White enamel shows scorch marks if the heat is left too high.

Where to buy

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Compared.

Every comparison

Frequently asked questions

How do you get burnt food off a Le Creuset?

Soak it in warm soapy water for 15 to 20 minutes. If that fails, simmer water with a tablespoon or two of baking soda for 8 to 10 minutes, let it cool, and lift the residue with a sponge or plastic scraper.

How do you remove stains from a Le Creuset?

Use a paste of baking soda and water, left on the stain and then rubbed gently. For stains that remain, Le Creuset makes its own enamel cleaner for the purpose.

Can you use Bar Keepers Friend on Le Creuset?

Bar Keepers Friend says its cleanser is suitable for enameled cast iron with a soft sponge, but it is a mild abrasive and Le Creuset advises against abrasive cleaners. Try baking soda and Le Creuset's cleaner first, and use it sparingly if at all.

Can Le Creuset go in the dishwasher?

Le Creuset rates its enameled cast iron dishwasher safe. Hand washing is kinder to the enamel over many years and is usually just as quick.

Is it normal for the inside of a Le Creuset to stain?

Yes. A pale interior discolors with repeated use, and Le Creuset does not treat it as a defect. Regular cleaning with baking soda or Le Creuset's cleaner keeps it bright.

Can you use steel wool on enameled cast iron?

No. Steel wool and metal scouring pads scratch and dull the enamel. Use a nylon brush, a non-scratch sponge or a plastic scraper.