How To Clean Le Creuset Enameled Dutch Oven: Stained Or Burnt

Need to know how to clean a Le Creuset dutch oven that is heavily stained or burnt?

This post is for you!

Let's look at 4 ways to get rid of those stubborn stains at the bottom of your Le Creuset enameled cast iron cookware using common household products.

This blog post contains affiliate links. You can view my disclosure policy HERE.  

Jump to:

• $15 Thrifted Burnt Le Creuset Dutch Oven
• How to Clean Le Creuset Dutch Oven The Right Way
• 1- Boil Water Method
• 2- Baking Soda Paste
• 3- Bar Keepers Friend
• 4- Bleach and Water Soak
• What About The Outside Of Your Le Creuset?
• Before And After

$15 Thrifted Burnt Le Creuset Dutch Oven

Now it's no secret Le Creuset pots are not cheap. Yet my first Le Creuset enameled dutch oven was a $15 drift store find!

{This is why I love to thrift! #thriftlife4eva 😂}

During one of our weekly thrift store run. My daughter calls out "Mom, I found a Le Creuset pot...".

Although I fully know my daughter knows exactly what a Le Creuset pot is. I assumed she meant she found a regular ole enameled cast iron pan, but nope.

To my surprise {and delight}, it was an actual 7 ¼ qt. red Le Creuset enameled dutch oven. I gave her the biggest hug and quickly put the pot in our cart.

I wrestled the taped lid open 😶 {don't judge me}. And as soon as I lifted it up and saw the burnt bottom slathered in oil my dream of owning a Le Creuset pot flew out the window.

At the time my confidence in cleaning this pot was not very high. But still, it's a $15 Le Creuset pan. So, of course, I was going to buy it.

How to Clean Le Creuset Dutch Oven The Right Way

After a few days of deep research on how to clean a Le Creuset pot. It seems that there was hope for my $15 thrifted Le Creuset enameled pot after all.

While there seem to be many ways to clean your enameled cookware. I wanted to know how to clean the Le Creuset dutch oven without damaging the enamel coating.

So let's discuss 4 safe and simple ways to clean your burnt or stained Le Creuset or any enamel cast iron pan. Using supplies you probably already have on hand.

I had success in cleaning my pot with a combination of 1,3, and 4. Keep in mind that my pot was thrifted and in very bad condition.

If you're cleaning some tough stains from regular use of the Le Creuset pots. Just try one of these methods at a time.

*TIP: DO NOT dip or fill your HOT enamel pot with COLD WATER. The enamel might crack because of thermal shock. Always let it cool to the touch first.

2- Baking Soda Paste

Baking soda can be very effective against burnt spots for both the exterior and the interior of your dutch oven. Depending on how badly it's stained.

• Create a paste using a couple of big spoonfuls of baking soda and a few drops of warm water.
  
  
• Next, evenly coat the stained areas and let it sit for a couple of hours to overnight. This paste can be used both the inside and outside of your pot.
  
  
• Lastly, use a nylon scourer or a sponge with some hot soapy water to remove any leftover stains. Rinse and dry.

3- Bar Keepers Friend

If the baking soda paste doesn't work for your tougher stuck-on food and stains. One of my longtime kitchen staples 'Bar Keepers Friend' will.

It works great for cleaning both the inside and outside of your enameled cast iron dutch ovens.

• Rinse out your pot but don't dry it.
  
  
• Shake a good amount of the Bar Keeper's Friend all over the inside of the pot. It will soak into the water leftover from rinsing the pot.
  
  
• Let it sit for a few minutes.
  
  
• Use a lightly abrasive sponge {i've linked some above} to scrub your pot. You will have to use some elbow grease for this.

After You Clean Your Le Creuset With Bleach

The bleach and water soak is the step that really cleared up the last of the stubborn brown stains in my pot.

But it's not lost on me that some people might be nervous about using a solution of bleach and water on their cookware. However, it's safe when used in a diluted form. In addition to ensuring you wash your pot out really well with hot soapy water afterward.

As an extra cautionary step, before I cooked in this pot for real. I simmered 3 large cans of Walmart tomato sauce that got tossed out.

I did this to put my mind at ease about any bleach residue. I'm not a wasteful person but my peace of mind was worth the $3.

If you do this extra step. Be sure NOT to cook it on high heat, use low heat only! You don't want to burn the pot again 😆.

What About The Outside Of Your Le Creuset?

If you have really tough stains on the outside of your Le Creuset that Bar Keepers Friend and some elbow grease cannot get rid of {see number 3 above}.

You can use oven cleaner on the outside of your Le Creuset enameled cast iron. without damaging the finish or color.

1. Warm-up your pot on the stove for a few minutes until warm to the touch.
   
   
2. Carefully turn your pot upside down and spray with oven cleaner. I like using the 'Fume Free Easy Off' oven cleaner.
   {Make sure you do this in a well-ventilated area or outside.}
   
   
3. Let it sit for at least 30 minutes - overnight depending on how badly your pot is stained.
   
   
4. Scrub and wash your pot in hot soapy water. Rinse in warm water and dry.

Repeat the steps if necessary. But if you let it sit long enough, you shouldn't have to. Just test a little spot with some paper towels before rising the whole thing.

Remember though, oven cleaner is caustic. So basically this is something you should do sparingly.

Before And After

While it took a little work, the greasy burnt mess that was this $15 Le Creuset dutch oven looks amazing now!

This 7 ¼ qt. pot retails for roughly $400. Making this one of my best thrift scores ever!

Here is a comparison between my brand-new vs. my clean thrifted Le Creuset dutch oven. You can see the enamel in the thrifted pot has lost some of its shine.

But let me tell you, I've still enjoyed cooking in it!