How To Clean Your Enameled Cast Iron Dutch Oven?

You have a brand new cast iron dutch oven and are excited to try many new recipes. It can do everything from stovetop cooking to roasting and braising. You can even take it directly from kitchen to table and serve homestyle meals directly in your new cooking appliance. Once the meal is over, you face a new dilemma. How to clean your dutch oven. 

This guide will show you how to clean your new enamel dutch oven. That way, it continues to look beautiful on your countertop and reliably performs for years to come. 

Enamel Cast Iron Dutch Oven Cleaning Considerations

Enamel cast iron dutch ovens are iron cookware that has a protective layer of porcelain. The iron cookware has a layer of “frit” applied to the entire surface. This glass particulate then melts and bonds to the iron during a super heated baking process. The result is a smooth and very hard coating. 

The entire surface of the iron is covered so that no bare metal shows. While the coating is durable, it doesn’t hold up well to rough or abusive treatment. It can easily chip or scratch. This means you’ll want to be careful when cleaning it to not use any process, utensil, or agent that’s going to cause damage. 

Maintaining the Shine

You have a beautiful Buydeem Enameled Cast Iron Dutch Oven in cozy greenish, petal purple, or whale blue. The colors are delicate yet bright and the enamel shines under your kitchen lights. How you clean your new enamel cast iron dutch oven will determine how long it will continue to look this good. A simple washing with soapy water is all that’s needed for the exterior of your dutch oven. It’s gentle to preserve the finish while removing any food or grease. 

Avoid cleaning agents that contain citrus. This acid will eat away at the surface of your enamel and essentially etch it. This will take away the shine and result in the surface of your dutch oven looking dull. 

Checking for chips

Always check for chips when cleaning your enamel cast iron dutch oven. If there’s a chip in the cooking area you should immediately stop using it. The chip can continue to grow, which means sharp pieces of emael will end up in your food. If the chip is on the outside of the dutch oven, you could continue to use it for cooking. However, you’ll need to be very careful when cleaning that area because it’ll likely continue to chip further. 

Using the right supplies 

The Buydeem Enameled Cast Iron Dutch Ovens have a high quality enamel coating that make them exceptionally durable. This makes them less susceptible to scratch marks and chipping. However, you should never use metal cooking tools or steel wool pads. These will scratch your dutch oven’s finish. Wood and plastic are safe materials to use when cooking or cleaning your enamel dutch oven. 

Dishwashing liquid is safe for cast iron as long as it doesn’t contain citric acid. You can also use Bar Keepers Friend on your enamel as it can be effective at removing tough stains and food burns. 

Soak A Cast Iron Dutch Oven Overnight 

The most common advice you will hear on how to clean dutch ovens is to soak them. Add hot water and dishwashing soap to the dutch oven and then leave it to sit overnight. The heat, water, and soap will gently soften and loosen any stuck on food. You can then easily scrub and clean your enamel cast iron dutch oven in the morning. 

Using Baking Soda When Cleaning 

Using baking soda to clean your enamel cast iron dutch oven can be an effective way to remove stains. Start by mixing baking soda and water in the dutch oven to create a thick paste. Then use a nylon scrubbing pad to work the paste into the stains. Scrub until the stains are gone. 

Rinse your enamel cast iron dutch oven clean and use dish soap and water to clean away the remaining paste. Finish by rinsing the dutch oven clean and drying it. If you still have tough stains that refuse to budge, you may need to soak your dutch oven. 

Take great care when using this cleaning method on your enameled dutch oven. Using this method too often can dull your enamel’s finish and food will stick more. Consider variables like how old the piece of cookware is, how bad the stains are, how often you use your dutch oven, and whether there are any chips. 

Gently Scrape Stuck On Food With A Food Scraper

If your Buydeem Enameled Cast Iron Dutch Oven has stuck on food and you can’t leave it to soak overnight, you have another option. Fill your dutch oven with water so that the water line is above the stuck-on food line. Put the dutch on your stovetop and bring to a gentle boil. Use a plastic or wood scraper to break loose the stuck-on food. If the water gets gross you can pour it out, refill, and start the process over. 

For a bit more cleaning power, add four tablespoons of baking soda to the water. This will help loosen the stubborn food. Sometimes this isn’t even enough. A more aggressive option is to use about ½ inch of hydrogen peroxide in the bottom of your dutch oven and 1-2 teaspoons of baking soda. You’ll slowly heat the mixture to a simmer to trigger a chemical reaction. Simmer for 10 to 15 minutes. Pour the mixture out and scrub with a nylon scrubber. You’ll want to use dishwashing liquid and rinse the dutch oven clean afterward. 

Using Dish Soap And Baking Soda Soak

Try using a baking soda soak on tough stains that refuse to budge after scrubbing. Make a paste that contains dishwashing liquid and baking soda. Gently spread it over the surface of the enamel where the stubborn stains are. Leave it to sit throughout the night. The next day you can wash it off and wash the enamel like normal. The stains should be removed. 

Avoid Dishwashers

Technically, enamel cast iron dutch ovens are dishwasher safe. However, the first rule on how to clean dutch ovens states that you should never put them in the dishwasher. This rule seems obvious for regular cast iron, but the reasoning isn’t so obvious for enameled pieces. 

Dishwasher detergent tends to have hasher cleaning agents and often contains citrus. These can be hard on the enamel finish, eventually dulling it. Items in your dishwasher shift and move around while the dishwasher runs. This can result in scratching, cracking, and chipping. 

Keep An Enamel Cast Iron Dutch Oven Cleaner 

If the work and effort of removing stuck-on food and stains sounds like a lot of work, you have options. You can still use your enamel cast iron dutch oven, simply line it with parchment paper or specially made liners. 

Adding a liner puts a protective barrier between the enamel and the food you are cooking. Place the liner in the dutch oven before adding your food. Then remove the liner and throw it away when you are done. You’ll still need to wash the dutch oven, but the mess will be significantly less. 

Add a Buydeem Enameled Cast Iron Dutch Oven to your kitchen appliances and experience the convenience of this versatile piece.