Don’t you love the enamel coating on your cookware? I mean, it comes with so much finesse that you want to keep looking at it.
However, the coating is not immune to discoloration or getting dirty. It’s a shame when that happens.
This is why I am here to help. You will know how to clean discolored enamel cookware by the end of this article. So, let’s jump right into the process here.
Cleaning Discolored Enamel Cookware
It’s only natural that the cookware you use regularly will get dirty or discolored. But that doesn’t mean you have to keep it that way.
There are some things you can do it clean the discolored cookware and make it new again. Here are some ways to do so-
- Scrubbing Your Cookware
Whether it’s after every use or for a special purpose, scrubbing can help a lot. You can use various abrasive scrubbers to get rid of dirt, grease, stains, and even discoloration.
You have to be careful with the scrubbers you use. Make sure not to use any rough material with abrasiveness to scrub your enamel cookware. It can put scratches on the surface and may even damage the cookware completely.
Using a soft nylon sponge will be a good way to start. But if you see stains or grease that won’t come off with sponges, you should use wooden spoons.
Wooden spoons don’t damage enamel, whereas anything made of metal can easily damage it.
While you are scrubbing, it’s always best to use some warm water. It helps to remove the stains much easier.
- Using Baking Soda
If it’s about cleaning enamel cookware, you can always rely on baking soda. It’s like the magic formula for cleaning any enamel cookware.
And it’s not just for enamel cookware; you can use baking soda for so many different kinds of cleaning purposes.
Now, there are two different methods you can use baking soda for cleaning. Both have their purposes and require different levels of effort.
- Method-1
So, the first one is pretty simple and requires less effort. All you have to do is pour some water into the cookware that you want to clean.
Then, start heating it and add some baking soda to the heating water. You can use two tablespoons of baking soda for a larger pot. Finally, let that mixture sit there for an hour.
That should take away stains and discoloration of the cookware. However, keep in mind that it doesn’t work for intense stains or discoloration. Watch this video to see the result for yourself.
Don’t worry about that, because the second method is all about that.
- Method-2
In this method, you have to start with making a paste of baking soda and water. Try to make a paste that is thick and has some abrasiveness to it.
To make sure it’s abrasive, you can add a little bit of coarse salt as well. Then, apply the paste all over the enamel cookware, especially focus on the cooking surface area.
After that, take a cloth, preferably cotton, and use it as a scrubber. Scrub gently until you see the stains coming off. Then, end this with some warm water and dish soap wash.
This method works best for rough stains that aren’t easy to get rid of. But if it doesn’t work, you can try out some other things from this list and combine them.
- Using Salt And Lemon
Want to know a secret? You can use a mixture of salt and lemon to clean your enamel cookware to save it from discoloration.
Yes, something as simple as lemon and salt can do the job instead of those expensive chemical cleaners.
But how?
The process is very simple to follow. Just boil some water with lemon juice on your enamel pot. This will automatically make the stains come off from the pot. You can also use vinegar in this case instead of lemon juice.
If the stains are too hard, then you can go for this alternative. Here, you have to cover the stained area with some coarse salt.
And then, add some lemon juice on top of the salt. This should form a thick paste on the pot. Finally, use a cloth to scrub off the stains.
When you do all this, you can also let the paste sit there for an hour to make it more effective.
This works very well for your cookware as it doesn’t use any harmful chemicals. All you are using are some cooking ingredients.
- Using Laundry Detergent
You must be wondering what this is all about. Well, it’s not a conventional cleaning method, but it works, and that’s what matters. You can use your laundry detergent to clean your cookware.
Before you use your detergent right away, you have to remove the entire food residue stuck in your pan. Just like I said earlier, you can use a wooden spoon for that purpose.
After you clean that, boil some water in the pot or pan, then add one tablespoon of laundry detergent.
It’s preferable to use the liquid ones in this case.
Boil that mixture for few minutes and let it cool down. Then, once it’s all done, you can wash your pot with dish soap and warm water just like you do regularly.
The discoloration and stains should go away using this method.
Aside from all these methods, you can use some commercial cleaners as well. I tried to keep things as homely as possible, so I didn’t include that method here.
There are tons of abrasive cleaners that you can find in stores and online. Just make sure to choose the one that’s made for enamel cookware. Also, don’t go for too rough quality cleaners.
Ways To Prevent Discoloration Of Enamel Cookware
Let me be very clear, by “prevent,” I mean lower the chances of discoloration. Because you can’t avoid the discoloration in your enamel cookware that comes with years of use.
But you can certainly do some things to make sure it doesn’t happen right away. Let’s check them out.
- Always clean your enamel cookware right after you are done using it. Don’t let it sit with stains and food residue for too long.
- Avoid using metal abrasive scrubbers to clean your enamel cookware. Try to go for nylon sponges instead.
- Use warm water whenever you are washing off the dish soap after every use.
- When you are cooking in an enamel pan or pot, make sure to change the temperature bit by bit. Don’t go from low heat to high heat in an instant.
- Try to use wooden spoons or silicone spoons while cooking on enamel cookware. Metal ones can easily damage the enamel coating of your cookware.
Final Words
In short, knowing how to clean discolored enamel cookware can help you save your favorite pots and pans. As you saw, the methods aren’t that difficult, neither are they expensive.
You can do all this with the items that you have currently at your home.
Aside from the cleaning, it’s always best to go through proper maintenance with your cookware. It doesn’t matter what you cook or how much you cook. Cleaning the enamel cookware right after every use can be vital to saving you from many troubles.
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