If you use the wrong products, you will accelerate the degradation of the surface, so let's begin by talking about what not to use. Abrasive cleaners such as scouring powders, white vinegar (or other cleaners with a high acidic content), and steel wool should all be avoided, as they can damage the finish.
Soak the interior of the cookware for 2-3 hours with a mixture of 3 tablespoons of household bleach per quart of water. 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.
Mix 1 cup of white vinegar, ½ to ¾ cup of baking soda, and 1-2 tablespoons of Dawn. Use a cloth to apply the mixture to all the crusted areas of the pan and lid. Allow it to sit for 20-30 minutes. Scrub with a nylon scrubber.
Stains won't affect your cookware's performance, but you can reduce the look of light stains and marks with an enameled cast iron cleaner. Just follow the cleaner's instructions. For tougher stains, wipe it down with a little warm vinegar.
Suitable for even old enamel bathtubs, baking soda can help rid your bathtub of nasty stains. Mix a paste of two parts baking soda to one part hydrogen peroxide and apply to the stains. Leave the paste to set for about half an hour.
Spraying a solution of water and white vinegar all over the bathtub provides an effective deep-clean that can help treat stains or residue. Leave the mixture to rest for 15 minutes before wiping off with a clean sponge or cloth. Rinse and wipe as before. Heavy stains and rings might need tougher action.
The enamel coating is sensitive to acidic chemicals like vinegar and bleach, so avoid cleaning with those agents. Like acrylic, enamel is also prone to scratching, so use soft sponges and cloths when cleaning an enamel tub.
How long should I soak cast iron in vinegar? The maximum amount of time you should leave your cast iron soaking in vinegar is 8 hours. Any longer than this could be detrimental to the long-term health of the cast iron.
A: Procter & Gamble said the Mr. Clean Magic Eraser should not be used on an enameled cast iron sink because it can remove the glossy finish.
The method is simple: Let the water come to a boil, add the baking soda, and give everything a good stir. After a few minutes of simmering, use a wooden spoon (no metal on that enamel surface, please!) to nudge off the burned-on bits.
Wipe down countertops.
While you're cleaning up your kitchen appliances with glass cleaner, wipe down your countertops with it, too. It's safe to use on sealed granite, tile, laminate, sealed marble, and other countertop surfaces, in addition to stainless steel and enamel.
Cleaning enamel baths: In general, the same requirements as for acrylic apply to enamel. However, do not use acidic cleaning agents on enamel and steel-enamel baths. These can cause unsightly rust-like stains. Mild cleaning agents such as soft soap, shampoo and a soft cloth are a better choice.
Use fluoride treatment
Fluoride is tooth enamel's best friend, helping to strengthen and restore it after normal wear and tear. The best way to implement fluoride treatment while working to restore tooth enamel is to use a fluoride-based toothpaste and mouthwash.
It's possible to repair these chips or to seek a replacement piece if your enamelware is under warranty. To repair your chipped porcelain enamel from scratch, purchase a food-safe epoxy. Use the epoxy to gently fill in the space left from where the vitreous enamel chipped away.
As for cleaners, our Le Creuset Cast Iron Cookware Cleaner will help keep your Dutch oven looking great, and is ideal for removing metal marks caused by metal tools. Bar Keeper's Friend, or a paste of baking soda and water, also comes in handy for cleaning tough stains, oil residue and marks on your Dutch oven as well.
If burned-on food just won't budge, here are three ways to remove it: Dry-scrub with baking soda. Sprinkle a damp dishcloth with a bit of dry baking soda and then scrub the area. The baking soda acts as a gentle abrasive to lift the food without harming the enameled finish.
Baking soda can help to gently scour stubborn buildup and staining from the interior and the exterior of enameled cast-iron cookware. "A paste of baking soda and water comes in handy for cleaning tough stains, oil residue and marks," Collier says.
The vinegar solution will dissolve the rust, but once that's gone, it can penetrate further and start eating away at the original cast surface of the pan, the ultimate death sentence for your skillet.
Keep checking it, because leaving the pan in vinegar too long—once the rust has been loosened—will start to damage the cast iron itself. Once the soak is complete, gently scrub the rust away from the cast iron pan with your scrubber.
Once they have had a good soak, remove them from the vinegar and scrub the rust off with steel wool, a scouring pad, or a wire brush. Don't be gentle when trying to remove rust stains, this is likely going to take some serious elbow grease.
The recommended method for removing limescale is as follows: Dilute vinegar approximately half-and-half with water. Using a soft cloth, rub only the limescale area with the diluted vinegar. Avoid getting the vinegar on the enamel surface surrounding the lime scale and rinse frequently.
At first glance, you won't be able to tell a porcelain bathtub from its enamel counterpart. But there's a simple item you can use to determine bathtub types in this situation: a magnet. Since enamel tubs cover cast iron or steel, they'll be magnetic. So if the magnet doesn't stick, you have a porcelain tub.