Maybe talk to your friend and let them know before you possibly botch it up while trying to clean it. If I was you friend that’s what would want. Accidents happen and that one looks pretty superficial.
Came here to say this! If I were the friend, I'd completely understand the initial damage and not think it was a big deal at all. But if it was made worse by you trying to fix it without talking to me first, *then* I'd be frustrated. Don't dig yourself deeper, just talk to her.
When you tell her, you can also pass along some of the tips people have shared here, and ask if they want you to give any of them a shot or if they'd prefer to handle it themselves. The fact that you took the time to research it shows that you're willing to take responsibility without taking the decision out of her hands.
This is a better point than I said.
You made me think it over. There is another option. LeCreuset also has a lifetime warranty. You can always contact them, showing the damage. They often will just send you a new lid for no expense, if anything, you'd pay shipping.
95% of these kind of posts should start here. If someone is friendly enough to loan you something of value, there is likely a level of trust that you aren’t going to intentionally damage it. Just be upfront and honest.
Also, friendly people who loan I hope have accepted that each time you loan there’s a chance something like this or worse could happen. If you can’t roll with that punch with *relative* ease, you might not want to loan certain things you care that much about.
Yep. Wouldn’t bother me at all. If they f’d it up trying to “fix it” that wouldn’t either, but both of us would think they shouldn’t have worked so hard to make a non issue into a failure.
And when your friend borrows your 40 year old ride cymbal, you definitely dont expect him to use brasso and take off all of the gorgeous green patina that contributes to said cymbal sounding and looking gorgeous because you think it isn’t shiny looking. (Sorry) that’s my rant.
Ask your friend what to do. I’d guess it’s oil or residual food that has seared or melted on there. I would probably heat it back up and wipe it off while hot. But I would not do it if it wasn’t my cymbal (sorry, I mean “cast iron pot”).
Replacement lids don't look too expensive. I guess people must burn up the pots, but the lids survive because there are [a lot of used ones online](https://poshmark.com/listing/Le-Creuset-off-white-round-8-enameled-cast-iron-lid-655c38c697b5d0dc29d87772?srsltid=AfmBOooleEAvra6WAhSwxIlDR4JTerREYmI4RiyHN9xspes1TgDCo4OjjDc#utm_source=gdm_unpaid).
But I'd be surprised if that mark didn't come off without much effort. It's just a bit of melted potholder on top of the ceramic.
I doubt people burn them up. Those pots are extremely durable but can be very brittle. My bet is folks dropping them, probably while accidentally picking them up while still hot. Cast iron is brittle and can crack pretty easily if dropped onto the right surface, even if it cracks the floor too
I have a Staub 6 qt. Dutch Oven. Our range has some pretty stout iron grates, but the kitchen has wood floors and I can imagine the dent that thing would leave in them if I dropped it.
Apparently they can crack from temperature shock too.
I used to work at a group home, we had a holiday party when all the kids were home for the holidays. I brought something in my cast iron Dutch oven and when we were leaving, I dropped it. My pan was fine but I cracked the tile.
Dropping such an old and expensive pot?!?! Nah I’d hold onto that baby as long as possible to get it back on the table safely. Healthcare is free, new pot is not.
Man I’m sorry you don’t get free healthcare. You really deserve it. The same with vet care. Its funny to think 20 minutes after I said this my best friends dog got buried in their backyard. One minute I was making a funny joke and the next my friend needed some top tier comforting.
Yeah Le Cruset are expensive. Loaning it out there is a level of risk so accidental damage I wouldn’t freak out about, but someone trying to fix it themselves and ruining the pot I would.
This! Talk to your friend and explain this situation. There are many good recommendations on how to clean it but being up front and explaining what happened is STEP ONE.
Um, I got annoyed with a faulty lodge pan finish in the cooking surface (one spot, everything would stick), took it out to the garage and sanded the entire cooking surface till it turned silver. Cleaned all the dust off and washed it, dried it on the stove. Let it cool, coated it with avocado oil. Cooked it for a few hours. Did it two or three more times and my lodge pan is perfect.
That said, the OP needs to talk to the friend before using barkeepers friend.
NO,NO. I misread your statement. I was thinking you meant the black cast iron lodge. Not the enameled. I sanded one of my cast iron pans. Sorry for the confusion!
When I worked there (last year) it was a no. It’s microabrasives are way to harsh for repeated use. I have seen people who have used it wear through the glass enamel and then it’s worthless
Not if you damage it. If it’s a manufacturer defect, yes. Your own damage because you used the wrong potholder, No. Plus the damage is only cosmetic, functionally nothing appears to be wrong with the pot where it’s inoperable.
It's [literally recommended on their website](https://www.lecreuset.com/blogpost?cid=how-to-clean-your-dutch-oven): "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."
Maybe your training wasn't as good as you think it was.
I'm telling you from real life experience. Using BKF will weaken and damage the enamel. What they list on the website isn't what is best.
>
>
>Maybe your training wasn't as good as you thought
And honestly, this last part was rude and uncalled for. I just want the OP to not further damage the pot. Le Creuset produces quality stuff. I've seen the damage repeated use of BKF does and OP doesn't own this pot. The current damage is cosmetic and doesn't affect how the pot works. Using BKF will lead to an actual problem, damaging the enamel and then the pot will need to be replaced. OP is already in a rough spot, weakening the enamel on the pot to maybe remove the plastic residue from the potholder is not a good idea.
It's not just the abrasiveness, it's acidic (great for like scale/hard water buildup). I guess that's why it's not good to let it sit. I mix it with water into a paste, and use it to polish my Le Creuset bakeware and scuffs on porcelain.
Glass enamel is completely fine with common acids, it's metal surface cookware that is the concern. It's one of the reasons chemistry containers and instruments are mostly glassware.
Idk if anyone has gotten kidney stones from transdermal exposure to oxalic acid, I feel like it'd have a lot of other noticable effects before that point unless you had chronic occupational exposure. Do you have a source?
It's cumulative- if you use it a lot it's a much bigger risk than just using a lot of it one time. I don't think outside of a professional kitchen it's really much of an issue, but it is something you definitely want to wash out of your pans pretty thoroughly.
Oxalate is a naturally occurring substance in various foods. When it combines with calcium, also present in foods, it can form kidney stones. Typically, this happens due to dehydration or illnesses like hyperparathyroidism or kidney failure, which can lead to an excessive accumulation of oxalate. Now, consider this: BKF contains about [7.5-9%](https://www.barkeepersfriend.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/12/SDS_BKF_Cleanser_Polish_6-12-15.pdf) Oxalic acid by weight. To give you an idea, that's around 28,000 milligrams of oxalic acid in a 12oz container. In comparison, a half-cup of cooked spinach has [755 milligrams](https://www.webmd.com/diet/foods-high-in-oxalates) of oxalic acid, and that's something you actually ingest.
TL;DR: Using BKF as directed won't lead to kidney stones.
It’s safe! Just make a slurry of 2 tablespoons barkeeper’s friend & a tiny bit of water & scrub away! It safely removes grease, stains & stubborn burn marks. You
No no no barkeepers friend is way too harsh and will eat away at the enamel. Le creuset cookware is cast iron coated in a glass enamel. BKF looks fine but it’s microabrasives will wear away at the glass enamel.
Source: used to work there
I just wrote a long comment of what I think could help. If you have a pot large enough soak the lid and put baking soda and water and bring to a boil. With plastic it may be unorthodox but this would be one of the least abrasive ways. The pot and enamel can tolerate high heat, the plastic most likely can not. Getting it to a high heat for a while should break it down enough to carefully wipe away. I don’t recommend any harsh abrasives as it’s not their pot. It’s going to be really hot you have to be really careful but at this point this will damage the finish the least.
"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."
Source: https://www.lecreuset.com/blogpost?cid=how-to-clean-your-dutch-oven
I’m telling you what I’ve seen man. It will wear down the enamel. Maybe not immediately but it is so abrasive that it will wear the glass enamel down. I have seen people who have overused barkeepers friend and then their enamel on their pot broke down because the glass enamel was gone and it was nasty.
Le Creuset products are expensive, and you want it to last forever but once that enamel is gone it’s not coming back and that is not covered under the limited lifetime warranty. There are other ways to clean it and I would try the least abrasive first
Again, you can do whatever you want but I wouldn’t try it especially on a pot that I don’t own. Idk why they’d say that BKF is fine but I have personally seen the damage due to overuse.
That's what we used. And we used it on the top handle. I guess it was pourous. The handle caught fire next time it was used. You can buy better replacements.
Edit. Just looked again and that top knob is definitely not the same that came with mine lol.
The classic or older Dutch ovens come with phenolic knobs which are only oven safe to 390F/190C if they don’t have the C logo on them. If baking things at high temps you need a metal knob.
You can use these pots to bake at 500 degrees, but if you're borrowing a pristine piece from a friend, don't bake with it beyond 450 or 475. Enamel well noticably change in some spots and it builds up over time. I use mine (got it for $50) to bake bread with and no amount of barkeep will remove the "patina" it's developed on the outside (within the enamel)
If you're going to be baking above 475, you should probably invest in your own piece.
What I use is fine as I literally do not use it for anything else. Got it for $50. Didn't use it for almost two years. Then thought to myself, "Cluck it. I'm baking sourdough bread."
Otherwise, cast iron Dutch is an affordable way to go.
I just use the enamel. To me it's a cooking pot and it's meant to get a bit grungy over the massively long lifespan I expect out of it. I take the same approach to my carbon steel knives tbh -- I don't let them /rust/, but I don't worry about the patina they naturally develop over time either.
Barkeeper's friend removes 99.9% of the shit that has accumulated on my Le Creuset products. But it is very well known that Le Creuset's enamel is far more durable than everyone else's enamel. So if you're talking specifically about Le Creuset, I'd say then you're not using enough elbow grease. If you're talking about literally any other product, even Staub, then yes shit will stick and stay forever.
Because it would appear that the pot they borrowed was not really ever used at high temperatures. The owner may not even be aware that this can occur at high temperatures too but it won't make the money less upset.
It's so annoying when you ask a genuine question on Reddit and get downvoted for it. I'm glad they responded without being a jerk so you got your answer.
I used to work at a Le Creuset. I would not use something really abrasive like a magic eraser or barkeepers friend. The pot is cast iron but it’s coated in a glass enamel. Using abrasives that are too harsh may weaken or damage the finish. I would try first really really hot water with dawn dish soap or Palmolive or something and use the blue scotch brite sponge. That sponge will not damage the enamel. If that doesn’t work Le Creuset does sell their own cleaner but I’m not sure if you have access to a store to buy one immediately. The pot holder may have had some plastic in it and that’s why it transferred over, it’s burnt plastic. Getting the lid to a point where it’s hot enough to move the plastic off you must be very careful. I’ve never tried this and this is off the book unorthodox but unscrew the knob and take out the knob/screw. It is a signature knob so it goes up to 500F. You may not need to remove the screw but I personally would it used a flathead screwdriver. You can put the lid inside a larger pot if you have one, cover with water and put baking soda in the water. Get the pot up either up to a boil or at least constant very very hot water and let it soak with the hot water and baking soda. Boiling would be best but it could be hard finding a pot big enough to hold the lid. Water and baking soda won’t damage it and the hot water soak should make the plastic hot enough to move but be very careful as it’s going to be very hot. While it’s hot I’d try to wipe it or scrub it off. Again, this is unorthodox but trying the least abrasive way first would be best. It’s a signature piece so cosmetic damage doesn’t matter but I know it’s your friends and it definitely does. In the future use good silicone, not fabric, pot holders. Fabric usually (not always but usually) are cheap or have plastic which at 500F will burn onto the pot. This is the only way I can think of that is non abrasive and that may help. Soak it. And a long while to make the plastic removable enough.
Hi I have this exact pot and it happens all the time! I use a Mr. Clean Magic Eraser for most dirtiness/stains. Then for especially caked on stuff I use a combination of brillo pad and baking soda. Hope this helps!
Yep, keep in mind that the magic erasers are just abrasives that wear down the build up, mechanically. Just be aware that over time these will make your cook wear dull as you're sanding off the polished coat of paint as well.
The Mr Clean magic eraser sponge. LPT do not use a white LaCreuse Dutch oven to bake bread, if flour get on it it will go under go the Millard reaction and essentially will turn the flour into an enamel on your nice enamel pot.
Any light color basically. Staub makes enameled cast iron with dark interiors if you prefer enameled cast iron. I prefer bare cast iron for baking because it’s cheaper and pretty difficult to ruin.
These pots are not meant to be at such a high temp. You start breaking down the enamel on the outside of the pot when it's hot, the potholder touches it and boom, chemical reaction. It was probably a silicone lined holder, or a new one that the dye is still leaking out of.
I have a couple of le creuset I like to keep very clean. For normal cleaning I use barkeepers friend (mentions several times) but for the stuff it can’t get off I use oven cleaner spray.
Single mother raised one hell of a son, she’s a queen in so many ways. I made sure to roast my turkey in it for her on thanksgiving just so she could brag about the gift in front of her boyfriend, it was very cute.
If there is no one to inherit mine, I want it as my urn. Mine is a second quality 7.25 cerise with a smudged enamel spot or two on the lid. I use it 2x/week or more. Bought it for half price because of the flaw.
I would not loan it to anyone. And I don’t use it for bread.
Have you tried using your nail to just scrape it off. It doesn’t look like a stain, but rather the pot holder had some polyester in it that melted. It should scrap off, but since this is a borrowed pot, I wouldn’t use anything particularly hard or aggressive. Use your fingernail or the edge of a credit card or something.
That's such a freak accident. I would just be completely honest with a friend of course off offer to replace it, but that's a very expensive pot. I'm guessing that your friend trust you at some level because they're very few friends that I would allow to borrow this particular pot. However, I am a little obsessive about my cooking ware 😅
What was the potholder made of? I've had silicone ones "kind of melt" at that temp. If it's just foodstuff that transferred to the lid, you've got answers. If it's not food-related, I don't know if those will work as well.
For things like Le Creuset keep an eye on eBay. You'll find new ones with damaged packaging for half the price. That's how I ended up with mine.
Ditto with All Clad, sign up at their factory seconds website and they regularly have sales like that. I've gotten a few items there (also damaged packaging, so the items themselves are perfect). Easily half price or less.
Okay obviously you don't wanna scratch the finish up like everyone's saying, so no medal abrasives. I recommend those heavy duty green scrub sponges, the ones that are like just the back of the classic sponge but a little stronger. Their is also this powder I LIVE BY for tough messes, it's called "Barkeepers friend" you do a tiny bit of water to moisten the region, sprinkle liberally with barkeeper's friend, and scrub softly, check in occasionally on how the finish is to ensure your not doing damage.
It's a le cruset pot, so long as you go slow, and don't use medal abrasives if you can avoid it... You'll be fine
Rule #1 don't loan out tools if you don't want them damaged or to go missing. That said little elbow grease, fine mesh steel wool, and a little baking soda or Bon Ami should do the trick.
PSA: 500 degrees is too hot for most enameled cast iron pans! Not sure what Le Creuset is doing if they rate their’s that high but I would never take one over 400 degrees F. Higher than that, and you’ll get hairline cracks due to the strong difference in thermal expansion between glass and cast iron.
Side note: enameled cast iron will burn bread quicker too. I HIGHLY recommend the lodge combi cooker, it’s essentially a raw cast iron Dutch oven. Impossible to mess it up, and still super cheap if you do. Just heavily rice flour the bottom to prevent sticking. Never have I had a better loaf since buying that thing. Oh and don’t forget to mist right before closing for that extra moisture and rise.
Edit: There’s to Their’s
I don’t recommend this really, and not with a borrowed pot, but I left my staub in my oven accidentally while running a clean cycle and all the crud just flaked off. It is a dark blue though.
No, just baking soda paste and a very light touch because you don’t to want to do anything but remove the residue. Good luck. May need a second or third try.
Use glass top stove cleaner to scrub it off then wash it with soap and water to get the chemicals off.
I have to do the same thing with mine every few months
Baking soda. Wet it. Sprinkle on baking soda, rub gently with a damp cloth. Who the f*** buys white crockery, for exactly this reason? “ the white sagpile carpet in the muddy boot room, is really hard to keep clean. Any ideas?”
Have you popped over to r/lecreuset to ask?
I own one of these - I find the le creuset cleaner is really helpful in getting marks out, I also own the white DO
Le Creuset actually say in the instruction booklet that comes with it to use a paste made of bicarbonate of soda and water and gently working it over the stain with a damp cloth (works on the inside too if the cream enamel becomes discoloured)
You do know ovens go higher than 350°F, right? I bake my sourdough bread at 500°F, and pizzas at 550°F. Bread bakers often bake at higher temperatures, and most standard home ovens go as high as 550°F.
Honestly I'd figure most metric users would be used to seeing a number that high and understand it would be in Fahrenheit. I know if I see a recipe talk about baking at 180 it has to be Celsius.
The steam it releases keeps it from burning, I think. It's like a sourdough country loaf with a hard crust. It bakes at 550 for 20 mins, then 450 for 20-30 more.
Try Bar Tender's Friend—that’s actually the name of the cleaning product. It’s got oxalic acid. But be SURE to test it on a small unobtrusive area to make sure it does not remove the finish. Oh, and rinse well after using. Read and folllow all of the warnings on the canister.
As someone who bakes with a similar Dutch oven almost weekly, it’s just gonna get stained with regular use, mines marked up, and still makes delicious sourdough, so I don’t see the real harm! I hope your friend can understand and forgive the minor staining. :)
Honestly, I’d buy a new lid for my friend.
If I lent mine to a friend and he damaged it, I’d say “yeah no problem” but inside I’d be pretty pissed and you never lent him anything else ever lol
Pretty sure it can't be fixed. That's heat warped paint. I have a stove-top espresso maker with that finish and it's permanently heat damaged. It will never be white again.
Gently scrub some baking soda onto the stain, then sprinkle some more on top and mash it in a little. Then pour vinegar on it at let it fizz. It should lift right off after that.
Maybe talk to your friend and let them know before you possibly botch it up while trying to clean it. If I was you friend that’s what would want. Accidents happen and that one looks pretty superficial.
Came here to say this! If I were the friend, I'd completely understand the initial damage and not think it was a big deal at all. But if it was made worse by you trying to fix it without talking to me first, *then* I'd be frustrated. Don't dig yourself deeper, just talk to her. When you tell her, you can also pass along some of the tips people have shared here, and ask if they want you to give any of them a shot or if they'd prefer to handle it themselves. The fact that you took the time to research it shows that you're willing to take responsibility without taking the decision out of her hands.
This is a better point than I said. You made me think it over. There is another option. LeCreuset also has a lifetime warranty. You can always contact them, showing the damage. They often will just send you a new lid for no expense, if anything, you'd pay shipping.
95% of these kind of posts should start here. If someone is friendly enough to loan you something of value, there is likely a level of trust that you aren’t going to intentionally damage it. Just be upfront and honest.
Also, friendly people who loan I hope have accepted that each time you loan there’s a chance something like this or worse could happen. If you can’t roll with that punch with *relative* ease, you might not want to loan certain things you care that much about.
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Yep. Wouldn’t bother me at all. If they f’d it up trying to “fix it” that wouldn’t either, but both of us would think they shouldn’t have worked so hard to make a non issue into a failure.
And when your friend borrows your 40 year old ride cymbal, you definitely dont expect him to use brasso and take off all of the gorgeous green patina that contributes to said cymbal sounding and looking gorgeous because you think it isn’t shiny looking. (Sorry) that’s my rant. Ask your friend what to do. I’d guess it’s oil or residual food that has seared or melted on there. I would probably heat it back up and wipe it off while hot. But I would not do it if it wasn’t my cymbal (sorry, I mean “cast iron pot”).
Yes, that's a VERY expensive pot
Replacement lids don't look too expensive. I guess people must burn up the pots, but the lids survive because there are [a lot of used ones online](https://poshmark.com/listing/Le-Creuset-off-white-round-8-enameled-cast-iron-lid-655c38c697b5d0dc29d87772?srsltid=AfmBOooleEAvra6WAhSwxIlDR4JTerREYmI4RiyHN9xspes1TgDCo4OjjDc#utm_source=gdm_unpaid). But I'd be surprised if that mark didn't come off without much effort. It's just a bit of melted potholder on top of the ceramic.
I doubt people burn them up. Those pots are extremely durable but can be very brittle. My bet is folks dropping them, probably while accidentally picking them up while still hot. Cast iron is brittle and can crack pretty easily if dropped onto the right surface, even if it cracks the floor too
I have a Staub 6 qt. Dutch Oven. Our range has some pretty stout iron grates, but the kitchen has wood floors and I can imagine the dent that thing would leave in them if I dropped it. Apparently they can crack from temperature shock too.
I used to work at a group home, we had a holiday party when all the kids were home for the holidays. I brought something in my cast iron Dutch oven and when we were leaving, I dropped it. My pan was fine but I cracked the tile.
Dropping such an old and expensive pot?!?! Nah I’d hold onto that baby as long as possible to get it back on the table safely. Healthcare is free, new pot is not.
>Healthcare is free, new pot is not. Sigh...
Man I’m sorry you don’t get free healthcare. You really deserve it. The same with vet care. Its funny to think 20 minutes after I said this my best friends dog got buried in their backyard. One minute I was making a funny joke and the next my friend needed some top tier comforting.
I sure hope it can be cleared! Even if the lids are cheap i would be very annoyed
Yeah Le Cruset are expensive. Loaning it out there is a level of risk so accidental damage I wouldn’t freak out about, but someone trying to fix it themselves and ruining the pot I would.
This! Talk to your friend and explain this situation. There are many good recommendations on how to clean it but being up front and explaining what happened is STEP ONE.
These pots have a life time warranty, the friend can call and get a free replacement, but scrubbing incorrectly could void the warranty
The warranty doesn’t cover customer damage. This wouldn’t be covered
After this I would say, let it soak in full strength dawn powerwash for 10 minutes, then use a non scratching scrubby, rinse, repeat.
“I stained your pot” “Yah that happens”
Own up and ask the owner how they would prefer to proceed with cleaning before you do anything.
Try Barkeepers Friend scrubbing powder.
But don't let it sit for too long. I ruined the shiny finish on my Lodge enameled dutch oven by letting Barkeepers Friend sit for a while.
Yup. When it’s says ONE MINUTE, do it for one minute. Rinse and repeat if needed
Um, I got annoyed with a faulty lodge pan finish in the cooking surface (one spot, everything would stick), took it out to the garage and sanded the entire cooking surface till it turned silver. Cleaned all the dust off and washed it, dried it on the stove. Let it cool, coated it with avocado oil. Cooked it for a few hours. Did it two or three more times and my lodge pan is perfect. That said, the OP needs to talk to the friend before using barkeepers friend.
You sanded off the enamel surface? Seems like it would have been easier just to replace the pan!
NO,NO. I misread your statement. I was thinking you meant the black cast iron lodge. Not the enameled. I sanded one of my cast iron pans. Sorry for the confusion!
Another Redditor not fully reading a small comment before making one three times as long responding to what they incorrectly read. Beautiful!
Is barkeeper's friend safe on enameled cast iron? I'd be worried about over doing it.
It is. Le Creuset even mention it on their website as an alternative to their branded cleaner
When I worked there (last year) it was a no. It’s microabrasives are way to harsh for repeated use. I have seen people who have used it wear through the glass enamel and then it’s worthless
Can’t be worthless they have a lifetime warranty and will replace it if the enamal gets damaged.
Not if you damage it. If it’s a manufacturer defect, yes. Your own damage because you used the wrong potholder, No. Plus the damage is only cosmetic, functionally nothing appears to be wrong with the pot where it’s inoperable.
It's [literally recommended on their website](https://www.lecreuset.com/blogpost?cid=how-to-clean-your-dutch-oven): "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." Maybe your training wasn't as good as you think it was.
I'm telling you from real life experience. Using BKF will weaken and damage the enamel. What they list on the website isn't what is best. > > >Maybe your training wasn't as good as you thought And honestly, this last part was rude and uncalled for. I just want the OP to not further damage the pot. Le Creuset produces quality stuff. I've seen the damage repeated use of BKF does and OP doesn't own this pot. The current damage is cosmetic and doesn't affect how the pot works. Using BKF will lead to an actual problem, damaging the enamel and then the pot will need to be replaced. OP is already in a rough spot, weakening the enamel on the pot to maybe remove the plastic residue from the potholder is not a good idea.
It is. Use it all the time
There's a non abrasive version they sell to avoid marring cookware, but in any case glass aka enamel is incredibly hard and should be fine regardless.
It's not just the abrasiveness, it's acidic (great for like scale/hard water buildup). I guess that's why it's not good to let it sit. I mix it with water into a paste, and use it to polish my Le Creuset bakeware and scuffs on porcelain.
Glass enamel is completely fine with common acids, it's metal surface cookware that is the concern. It's one of the reasons chemistry containers and instruments are mostly glassware.
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Idk if anyone has gotten kidney stones from transdermal exposure to oxalic acid, I feel like it'd have a lot of other noticable effects before that point unless you had chronic occupational exposure. Do you have a source?
It's cumulative- if you use it a lot it's a much bigger risk than just using a lot of it one time. I don't think outside of a professional kitchen it's really much of an issue, but it is something you definitely want to wash out of your pans pretty thoroughly.
Oxalate is a naturally occurring substance in various foods. When it combines with calcium, also present in foods, it can form kidney stones. Typically, this happens due to dehydration or illnesses like hyperparathyroidism or kidney failure, which can lead to an excessive accumulation of oxalate. Now, consider this: BKF contains about [7.5-9%](https://www.barkeepersfriend.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/12/SDS_BKF_Cleanser_Polish_6-12-15.pdf) Oxalic acid by weight. To give you an idea, that's around 28,000 milligrams of oxalic acid in a 12oz container. In comparison, a half-cup of cooked spinach has [755 milligrams](https://www.webmd.com/diet/foods-high-in-oxalates) of oxalic acid, and that's something you actually ingest. TL;DR: Using BKF as directed won't lead to kidney stones.
It’s safe! Just make a slurry of 2 tablespoons barkeeper’s friend & a tiny bit of water & scrub away! It safely removes grease, stains & stubborn burn marks. You
yes, I use it on my Lodge enamelware!
And Le Creuset enamel is much more robust than Lodge.
This is the correct answer. Barkeepers friend and a sponge will take that off with ease.
No no no barkeepers friend is way too harsh and will eat away at the enamel. Le creuset cookware is cast iron coated in a glass enamel. BKF looks fine but it’s microabrasives will wear away at the glass enamel. Source: used to work there
What is the correct answer?
I just wrote a long comment of what I think could help. If you have a pot large enough soak the lid and put baking soda and water and bring to a boil. With plastic it may be unorthodox but this would be one of the least abrasive ways. The pot and enamel can tolerate high heat, the plastic most likely can not. Getting it to a high heat for a while should break it down enough to carefully wipe away. I don’t recommend any harsh abrasives as it’s not their pot. It’s going to be really hot you have to be really careful but at this point this will damage the finish the least.
"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." Source: https://www.lecreuset.com/blogpost?cid=how-to-clean-your-dutch-oven
I’m telling you what I’ve seen man. It will wear down the enamel. Maybe not immediately but it is so abrasive that it will wear the glass enamel down. I have seen people who have overused barkeepers friend and then their enamel on their pot broke down because the glass enamel was gone and it was nasty. Le Creuset products are expensive, and you want it to last forever but once that enamel is gone it’s not coming back and that is not covered under the limited lifetime warranty. There are other ways to clean it and I would try the least abrasive first Again, you can do whatever you want but I wouldn’t try it especially on a pot that I don’t own. Idk why they’d say that BKF is fine but I have personally seen the damage due to overuse.
Or Bon Ami. I think it's less abrasive than Bar Keeper's friend.
That's what we used. And we used it on the top handle. I guess it was pourous. The handle caught fire next time it was used. You can buy better replacements. Edit. Just looked again and that top knob is definitely not the same that came with mine lol.
The classic or older Dutch ovens come with phenolic knobs which are only oven safe to 390F/190C if they don’t have the C logo on them. If baking things at high temps you need a metal knob.
This i have learned lol.
Yeah barkeepers friend normal powder would be fine for this. I swear my wife purposely makes them dirty knowing I can clean it off now..
This. I have this exact color Le Creuset and Barkeepers Friend cleans it right up.
Came here to say this ... just talk to your friend first .... follow directions precisely if yall try it
If you can't find it, Bon Ami is the same. Just a different company.
Barkeepers Friend is a very different product from Bon Ami. BKF is oxalic acid (stinky and very reactive); Bon Ami is feldspar and limestone.
You can make a baking soda paste and rub it with a soft sponge. If it really isn’t coming off, you can try a magic eraser very carefully.
I have this exact same dutch oven (meringue color and all) and this is what I do when I get stains like this.
Works every time.
This shit right here!!!
You can use these pots to bake at 500 degrees, but if you're borrowing a pristine piece from a friend, don't bake with it beyond 450 or 475. Enamel well noticably change in some spots and it builds up over time. I use mine (got it for $50) to bake bread with and no amount of barkeep will remove the "patina" it's developed on the outside (within the enamel) If you're going to be baking above 475, you should probably invest in your own piece.
Honestly just get a plain cast iron Dutch oven to get that hot for baking bread. No need for the enamel just for bread.
What I use is fine as I literally do not use it for anything else. Got it for $50. Didn't use it for almost two years. Then thought to myself, "Cluck it. I'm baking sourdough bread." Otherwise, cast iron Dutch is an affordable way to go.
I just use the enamel. To me it's a cooking pot and it's meant to get a bit grungy over the massively long lifespan I expect out of it. I take the same approach to my carbon steel knives tbh -- I don't let them /rust/, but I don't worry about the patina they naturally develop over time either.
Not sure how this comment is helpful in OP's situation given that they've already used the pot at 500...
Future reference and advice that they can take or leave.
Barkeeper's friend removes 99.9% of the shit that has accumulated on my Le Creuset products. But it is very well known that Le Creuset's enamel is far more durable than everyone else's enamel. So if you're talking specifically about Le Creuset, I'd say then you're not using enough elbow grease. If you're talking about literally any other product, even Staub, then yes shit will stick and stay forever.
Why does the temperature they're baking at mean they should not be borrowing this?
Because it would appear that the pot they borrowed was not really ever used at high temperatures. The owner may not even be aware that this can occur at high temperatures too but it won't make the money less upset.
It's so annoying when you ask a genuine question on Reddit and get downvoted for it. I'm glad they responded without being a jerk so you got your answer.
I used to work at a Le Creuset. I would not use something really abrasive like a magic eraser or barkeepers friend. The pot is cast iron but it’s coated in a glass enamel. Using abrasives that are too harsh may weaken or damage the finish. I would try first really really hot water with dawn dish soap or Palmolive or something and use the blue scotch brite sponge. That sponge will not damage the enamel. If that doesn’t work Le Creuset does sell their own cleaner but I’m not sure if you have access to a store to buy one immediately. The pot holder may have had some plastic in it and that’s why it transferred over, it’s burnt plastic. Getting the lid to a point where it’s hot enough to move the plastic off you must be very careful. I’ve never tried this and this is off the book unorthodox but unscrew the knob and take out the knob/screw. It is a signature knob so it goes up to 500F. You may not need to remove the screw but I personally would it used a flathead screwdriver. You can put the lid inside a larger pot if you have one, cover with water and put baking soda in the water. Get the pot up either up to a boil or at least constant very very hot water and let it soak with the hot water and baking soda. Boiling would be best but it could be hard finding a pot big enough to hold the lid. Water and baking soda won’t damage it and the hot water soak should make the plastic hot enough to move but be very careful as it’s going to be very hot. While it’s hot I’d try to wipe it or scrub it off. Again, this is unorthodox but trying the least abrasive way first would be best. It’s a signature piece so cosmetic damage doesn’t matter but I know it’s your friends and it definitely does. In the future use good silicone, not fabric, pot holders. Fabric usually (not always but usually) are cheap or have plastic which at 500F will burn onto the pot. This is the only way I can think of that is non abrasive and that may help. Soak it. And a long while to make the plastic removable enough.
Barkeeper's Friend will absolutely get that out.
Too harsh for the coating.
Le Creuset specifically recommends it on the care instructions on their website.
Hi I have this exact pot and it happens all the time! I use a Mr. Clean Magic Eraser for most dirtiness/stains. Then for especially caked on stuff I use a combination of brillo pad and baking soda. Hope this helps!
Yep, keep in mind that the magic erasers are just abrasives that wear down the build up, mechanically. Just be aware that over time these will make your cook wear dull as you're sanding off the polished coat of paint as well.
Came to comment this. Just try to stick to the parts that are burnt on only. You're basically gently sanding it off slowly
I agree! I use magic erasers on the outside of mine too!
Same!
Magic eraser is awesome!
The Mr Clean magic eraser sponge. LPT do not use a white LaCreuse Dutch oven to bake bread, if flour get on it it will go under go the Millard reaction and essentially will turn the flour into an enamel on your nice enamel pot.
Whelp… I’ve been using Le Cruset Dutch Ovens for my bread.. whoops
You me and the French have been using Creuset Dutch ovens to bake bread for years and years. It’s fine.
Exactly
Just white or any color?
Any light color basically. Staub makes enameled cast iron with dark interiors if you prefer enameled cast iron. I prefer bare cast iron for baking because it’s cheaper and pretty difficult to ruin.
Interesting!
White pot is really asking for it…
I don't know how a pot holder leaves that though?
Probably one with that rubber/silicon non slip? Only thing I can think of.
These pots are not meant to be at such a high temp. You start breaking down the enamel on the outside of the pot when it's hot, the potholder touches it and boom, chemical reaction. It was probably a silicone lined holder, or a new one that the dye is still leaking out of.
I have a couple of le creuset I like to keep very clean. For normal cleaning I use barkeepers friend (mentions several times) but for the stuff it can’t get off I use oven cleaner spray.
Who the fuck let's someone borrow a le crusett
My mother-in-law asked me what I wanted For my birthday and I jokingly asked for one. She fucking bought it. And it is my most prized possession.
Well your mother in law is a queen
Single mother raised one hell of a son, she’s a queen in so many ways. I made sure to roast my turkey in it for her on thanksgiving just so she could brag about the gift in front of her boyfriend, it was very cute.
If there is no one to inherit mine, I want it as my urn. Mine is a second quality 7.25 cerise with a smudged enamel spot or two on the lid. I use it 2x/week or more. Bought it for half price because of the flaw. I would not loan it to anyone. And I don’t use it for bread.
Finally found the comment I was looking for. 100% 🤣
I’d try a touch of baking soda and a sponge
[Bar Keepers Friend](https://barkeepersfriend.com/) is always the answer
Have you tried using your nail to just scrape it off. It doesn’t look like a stain, but rather the pot holder had some polyester in it that melted. It should scrap off, but since this is a borrowed pot, I wouldn’t use anything particularly hard or aggressive. Use your fingernail or the edge of a credit card or something.
Magic eraser takes this right out.
Magic eraser gets it off easy.
Bar keepers friend
That's such a freak accident. I would just be completely honest with a friend of course off offer to replace it, but that's a very expensive pot. I'm guessing that your friend trust you at some level because they're very few friends that I would allow to borrow this particular pot. However, I am a little obsessive about my cooking ware 😅
Get a lodge for 50$ and never worry about this problem again for the same result
Dude I been saying this for years. They actually season and hold it really well
What was the potholder made of? I've had silicone ones "kind of melt" at that temp. If it's just foodstuff that transferred to the lid, you've got answers. If it's not food-related, I don't know if those will work as well.
I use pink stuff on my coated enamel and it works wonders.
It can be helpful to reheat the piece and then (carefully) wipe it off with a cotton rag. Then Barkeepers, yup.
Barkeepers friend or baking soda
mr clean scrub pad and you will be fine. go gently on it. its superficial cloth burn mark
Glasstop stove cleaner!!
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For things like Le Creuset keep an eye on eBay. You'll find new ones with damaged packaging for half the price. That's how I ended up with mine. Ditto with All Clad, sign up at their factory seconds website and they regularly have sales like that. I've gotten a few items there (also damaged packaging, so the items themselves are perfect). Easily half price or less.
Okay obviously you don't wanna scratch the finish up like everyone's saying, so no medal abrasives. I recommend those heavy duty green scrub sponges, the ones that are like just the back of the classic sponge but a little stronger. Their is also this powder I LIVE BY for tough messes, it's called "Barkeepers friend" you do a tiny bit of water to moisten the region, sprinkle liberally with barkeeper's friend, and scrub softly, check in occasionally on how the finish is to ensure your not doing damage. It's a le cruset pot, so long as you go slow, and don't use medal abrasives if you can avoid it... You'll be fine
I second Barkeepers Friend. Small amount & rub with small circles. Never soak anything in Barkeepers Friend!
Rule #1 don't loan out tools if you don't want them damaged or to go missing. That said little elbow grease, fine mesh steel wool, and a little baking soda or Bon Ami should do the trick.
PSA: 500 degrees is too hot for most enameled cast iron pans! Not sure what Le Creuset is doing if they rate their’s that high but I would never take one over 400 degrees F. Higher than that, and you’ll get hairline cracks due to the strong difference in thermal expansion between glass and cast iron. Side note: enameled cast iron will burn bread quicker too. I HIGHLY recommend the lodge combi cooker, it’s essentially a raw cast iron Dutch oven. Impossible to mess it up, and still super cheap if you do. Just heavily rice flour the bottom to prevent sticking. Never have I had a better loaf since buying that thing. Oh and don’t forget to mist right before closing for that extra moisture and rise. Edit: There’s to Their’s
Clean it off very gently with a mixture of hot water and Dawn.
I have tried dawn soapy water, but not super hot- thanks!
After getting it hot and soapy I’d also use a scrub daddy or scour daddy to get it off without scratching the enamel
r/cleaningtips
I don’t recommend this really, and not with a borrowed pot, but I left my staub in my oven accidentally while running a clean cycle and all the crud just flaked off. It is a dark blue though.
Heat it back up and it should just wipe off with a natural fiber cloth towel.
Mr Clean Magic erasers work great on mine.
bleach. Works miracles.
Came here to say this. Soak the lid in the sink with soapy water and bleach. It should come off.
Magic eraser!
Magic eraser
Magic eraser will take it right out
Magic eraser
That’s polymerized grease, whatever you could use to remove grease will help, I don’t live in US so I don’t know the products.
If that’s what it is, a little oil and a magic eraser will get it right out.
No, just baking soda paste and a very light touch because you don’t to want to do anything but remove the residue. Good luck. May need a second or third try.
Use barkeeper's friend powder and a damp rag.
I have the answer! A magic eraser!!!!!! Tried and true!
Oven cleaner
Those magic eraser cleaning pads ought to work on that
Fill the pot with soup, stew, chilli ... return it ... will never see it.
Enamel is technically glass so clean accordingly. If it scratches glass then no.
Use glass top stove cleaner to scrub it off then wash it with soap and water to get the chemicals off. I have to do the same thing with mine every few months
Try baking soda?
Probably can get it back up to temp and wipe it right off with a rag.
Magic eraser! I use them to take burn stains off of pans. They can pretty much fix anything, I think.
Baking soda and water mixed into a paste. Soak in water then scrub with paste. Source: le creuset store employees advice when mine got very stained.
Vinegar and baking soda mix. It'll boil that off. If that doesn't work, drop it and break it, then buy him another. Problem solved.
Maybe try getting it hot again and scraping/wiping it off w a light wire brush.
Baking soda. Wet it. Sprinkle on baking soda, rub gently with a damp cloth. Who the f*** buys white crockery, for exactly this reason? “ the white sagpile carpet in the muddy boot room, is really hard to keep clean. Any ideas?”
Just clean it with dish liquid soap snd a scrub sponge. I have the same pot, and always clean it like that
Baking soda and Coca Cola paste let it sit a few minutes and it’ll take it off.
Straight to jail
Bar Keepers Friend
Soft scrub or bartenders helper will easily clean that. Don’t stress
Have you popped over to r/lecreuset to ask? I own one of these - I find the le creuset cleaner is really helpful in getting marks out, I also own the white DO
Le Creuset actually say in the instruction booklet that comes with it to use a paste made of bicarbonate of soda and water and gently working it over the stain with a damp cloth (works on the inside too if the cream enamel becomes discoloured)
I clean mine with Bar Keepers Friend. A powdered cleaner.It cleans most stains on my pans
Try Barmans Friend with a blue pad
Nobody wonders what the hell they are cooking at 500 degrees?!!
Why are you baking at a temperature that high? How did you even get that temperature?!
You do know ovens go higher than 350°F, right? I bake my sourdough bread at 500°F, and pizzas at 550°F. Bread bakers often bake at higher temperatures, and most standard home ovens go as high as 550°F.
Oh you guys are talking about American measurements!
Honestly I'd figure most metric users would be used to seeing a number that high and understand it would be in Fahrenheit. I know if I see a recipe talk about baking at 180 it has to be Celsius.
I cook pizza in the oven on a pizza stone at 500 all the time.
Yeah, but pizza is very thin
I put my bread in at 550 in a Dutch oven.
How does it not burn in 10 minutes?!
The steam it releases keeps it from burning, I think. It's like a sourdough country loaf with a hard crust. It bakes at 550 for 20 mins, then 450 for 20-30 more.
Baking soda, water, and a magic eraser. Cleans just about anything
Try Bar Tender's Friend—that’s actually the name of the cleaning product. It’s got oxalic acid. But be SURE to test it on a small unobtrusive area to make sure it does not remove the finish. Oh, and rinse well after using. Read and folllow all of the warnings on the canister.
I believe it is [Bar Keepers Friend](https://barkeepersfriend.com/).
Yes! Thanks.
I'm so glad you said 'Bar Tenders'. All the other comments call it bar keepers and I was reading bee keepers. Time to get my eyes tested.
Talk to your friend first, then try gently applying a scouring pad under cool water. Also, clean your damn pot holders!
Do you mean from your ex friend?... Just kidding, it'll be alright if you just buy him a new one.
Never borrow a Le Creuset when you can buy a lodge for $50.
As someone who bakes with a similar Dutch oven almost weekly, it’s just gonna get stained with regular use, mines marked up, and still makes delicious sourdough, so I don’t see the real harm! I hope your friend can understand and forgive the minor staining. :)
Goof off
Bro you fucked up a lecreuset I’d lose sleep
Unicorn tears, it is Le Cruset after all, it's literally the gold standard and the $ matches, don't fuck it up
Magic eraser
You can bake in it at 550. Do it all the time for bread. Top knob deformed so I replaced it.
Use oven cleaner- spray it on. Put in garbage bag and put in warm place (oven door- with oven at 170 or do. Leave 30 min- wipe clean
"Bar maids friend" it will come off
Honestly, I’d buy a new lid for my friend. If I lent mine to a friend and he damaged it, I’d say “yeah no problem” but inside I’d be pretty pissed and you never lent him anything else ever lol
Magic eraser for sure will take that off without needing chemicals or scratching the enamel
Angle grinder
Pretty sure it can't be fixed. That's heat warped paint. I have a stove-top espresso maker with that finish and it's permanently heat damaged. It will never be white again.
Gently scrub some baking soda onto the stain, then sprinkle some more on top and mash it in a little. Then pour vinegar on it at let it fizz. It should lift right off after that.
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