How Do I Clean the Stains Off My Le Creuset Dutch Oven?

Faith Durand
Faith DurandSenior Vice President of Content at AT Media
Faith is the SVP of Content at Apartment Therapy Media and former Editor-in-Chief of The Kitchn. She is the author of three cookbooks, including the James Beard Award-winning, The Kitchn Cookbook. She lives in Columbus, Ohio, with her husband and two daughters.
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published Jan 28, 2010
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Q: My very favorite Le Creuset pan has gotten all scratched and stained.

You can see a dark ring where the warming burner has burnt on a stain. Is this all patina, or can I remove it somehow? I have stopped using it because it looks so messy, but I miss it and how well it cooks.

Can you tell me if it’s possible to get these stains off my Le Creuset?

Sent by Stephen

Editor: Stephen, we have scrubbed bad stains off our own Dutch ovens with Bon Ami or Barkeeper’s Friend and scrubbing pads. We’ve also used steel wool, gently, to get some of the older stains out. Also, Le Creuset makes their own cleaner they say is designed for enameled cast iron. It has mixed reviews on Amazon but you might want to check it out:

• Le Creuset 12-Ounce Enameled Cast-Iron Cleaner, $12.50 at Amazon

Anything that doesn’t come off after a good scrubbing, though, is probably permanently baked into the enamel and as such is a patina on your pan. We wouldn’t worry about this; it adds character and it is totally fine to continue using your pan with these stains in it.

Readers, do you have some magic, foolproof ways to get stains and scratches like this off a Dutch oven?

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Related:

Dutch Oven FAIL…Tramontina WIN!

(Image: Stephen)

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