How to clean discolored enamel cookware
Many people have discolored enamel in their cookware. While it’s not a reason to throw away the cookware, many people are afraid of the cleaning process. So here’s a step-by-step guide that will teach you how to clean your dish without any difficulty.
The best way to clean discolored enamel
What you’ll need:
- Baking soda
- Hydrogen peroxide
- Mr. Clean Magic Eraser
First, you’ll need to place your discolored cookware on the stovetop. Start by adding around 1/3 – 1/2 inch of hydrogen peroxide in the pan; the higher up the stains, the more you’ll need, but don’t go over 1/2 inch due to the bubbling water.
Now add around 1/4 cup of baking soda and turn the stove on, don’t worry about mixing it as it will mix itself.
Leave the stove on until it comes to a rolling boil, and you should see some bubbling. Now turn the stove off, and leave the mixture to sit for around 30 minutes. The longer, the better.
Now it’s time to rinse out the mixture, rinse the pan thoroughly, and pull out the magic eraser. Dampen the eraser with some water, and start scrubbing the pan.
This method should make the pan crispy clean. If it’s still not clean, repeat the steps above one more time.
This method is probably the best chance you have at cleaning your discolored enamel. The hydrogen peroxide mixed with the baking soda should be able to soften anything that’s burnt on. Meaning no stain should be left behind after scrubbing.
Alternative ways to clean discolored enamel
If, for some reason, you can’t get the magic eraser or the hydrogen peroxide, then feel free to try some of the below methods. I’ve tried them all, and they all have some decent effect. Just not as powerful as the above method.
Scrubbing
Scrubbing is probably the first method you tried; after all, it’s human nature to scrub a stain.
For this method, it’s pretty simple.
Soak your pan in water, mixed it with laundry detergent for 30 minutes. Laundry detergent is a degreaser by nature, so it should soften any stubborn foods burnt on.
Now get a nylon sponge and start scrubbing. Again, it’s essential to use a nylon sponge or similar to avoid damaging the enamel coating.
If there are any clumps of food burnt on, then it’s OK to use a wooden spoon to hack away at them as wooden spoons won’t scratch the enamel.
Baking Soda
If you don’t have hydrogen peroxide, then this is the following go-to method. Fill your discolored enamel cookware with water and mix in some baking soda.
Baking soda is an alkaline, which breaks down anything acidic (Burnt foods), so it can loosen up those stubborn stains.
Let your enamel cookware soak with the baking soda and water mixture, and then rinse it out and start scrubbing away with a nylon sponge.
This method should hopefully remove any stains.
Lemon Juice & Salt
Lemon juice and salt is a traditional method. The acidic lemon juice is powerful enough to break most stains down.
The salt will be used as an abrasive to cut into those stains.
Start by soaking the pan in lemon juice for around 30 minutes. Now empty the lemon juice of the pan and add some salt, finally start scrubbing away at the stains.
