How to wash a new enameled pan before use. How to prepare a cast-iron skillet before the first use: baking methods and care

Enamelware still occupies a place of honor in almost every kitchen.

Environmental safety, ease of maintenance, variety of shapes and colors and relatively low price allow enameled utensils to hold the palm among all other types of kitchen utensils.

However, improper use of enameled pots, bowls, teapots and mugs can negate all its benefits.

We will talk about how to properly care for enamelware in this article.

Before the first use, the enamel pan must be hardened. To do this, pour water into it (you can add salt to the water at the rate of 2 tablespoons per liter), bring the water to a boil, remove the pan from the heat and let cool. Such a simple action will strengthen the enamel coating of dishes.

Enamelware is made by applying a thin layer of enamel to an iron or cast iron mold. Vitreous enamel is very sensitive to mechanical stress - due to its fragility, cracks and chips easily appear on it. Therefore, protect enamelware from drops and bumps and do not reach the contents of the dish by tapping on its walls.

Dislikes enamelware and sudden changes in temperature. Do not pour cold water into hot dishes, do not put cold dishes on fire, and do not wash under hot water dishes from the refrigerator.

The enamel of such dishes is sensitive to the aggressive effects of acids and alkalis. Do not leave vinegar in enamelware for a long time and do not attempt to clean it with caustic soda or acids.

One of the advantages of enameled cookware is its high thermal conductivity. But this advantage also has the other side of the coin. Enamelware is not recommended for cooking thick and viscous dishes, such as cereals - such contents of the pan instantly burn to its bottom and walls. If there are no other dishes at hand, constantly stir the porridge while cooking.

If the food is still burnt, do not rush to grab a hard brush or use cleaning products for dishes. Such washing thins the enamel and makes it even more vulnerable. Instead, make a warm solution with the addition of baking soda (1 teaspoon of soda is enough for a 2-3 liter saucepan), pour it into the saucepan and leave it for a while (an hour and a half). For very strong hardened dirt, you can apply a slurry of baking soda. Then wash the dishes with a soft sponge.

If possible, try not to wash enamelware in the dishwasher. Highly hot water and strong detergents can damage fragile enamel.

If cracks or chips appear on the inner surface of the dishes with an enamel coating, alas, it is no longer possible to use it. The fact is that during the cooking process, unenamelled iron reacts with various products, forming compounds that are dangerous to human health.

Every housewife has enamelware in her kitchen. It is eco-friendly, durable and easy to clean. The new pans look very elegant and neat, many of them have a heat-resistant pattern. But over time, with improper use and care, the original appearance is lost. The pan darkens, becomes covered with cracks, chips appear on the enamel. How to clean a burnt enameled pan without losing the coating?

Types of contamination of enamel pans, ways to eliminate them

The main types of dirt on the outside and inside of enameled dishes that housewives have to clean:

  • burnt bottom;
  • scale;
  • enamel darkening.

The bottom of the pot is quite thin. When preparing soups, broths, compotes, the pan warms up quickly and maintains the boiling point well. But while cooking milk porridge, jam, boiling milk, enameled dishes are likely to burn. Cleaning and removing this burn is not easy.

Burning at the bottom of the pot after cooking rice

Scale and yellowness on the inner walls of an enameled pan appear when hard water has been boiled in it for a long time. It will not be possible to wash dishes without additional cleaning products.

Limescale on the inside of an enamel pot

After prolonged use, the inside of the pot may become noticeably darker. Often this happens due to improper care of dishes or when cooking certain types of vegetables, such as beets.

Enameled pan with a darkened inner surface

Enameled pans are covered inside and out with a durable layer of enamel that does not come into contact with acids and alkalis. Therefore, you can store cooked dishes in them without fear that the food will have an unpleasant taste of metal. The enamel coating is very durable, but it can still be damaged by careless handling (scratch, burn).

These materials leave microcracks and scratches on the surface of the enamel, which contribute to the darkening of the inner surface of the pan. Microcracks subsequently get the smallest particles detergent. The cracks widen, exposing the base material of which the pot is made.

The material can be different: cast iron, steel, metal alloy. There are no special requirements for its quality, since during the production process it is covered with enamel and does not come into contact with the food being cooked.

If deep scratches appear on the inner surface of the pan, you can no longer cook in such a pan, because now the food is in contact with the metal and can absorb elements harmful to the human body.

There is a possibility that a piece of enamel will break off during cooking in a scratched pan. Such a fragment can enter the esophagus and scratch the walls of the gastrointestinal tract.

A chip on an enamel pan is a sign of unsuitability for cooking

Never cook food in an enamel pot that has chipped enamel inside! Now it is suitable only for the storage of bulk materials.

How to eliminate a burnt pan from the inside and out

Contaminants from an enamel pan are best washed immediately, as soon as they appear. Then the cleaning process is likely to be faster.

Do not use a melamine sponge, mild abrasive creams or cleaners for ovens and hob to clean the inside of the pot. All of them contain substances harmful to human health and are contraindicated for contact with food.

This information is usually written on the packaging. Be careful, do not harm your health. There are many other ways to deal with even the most "hopeless" burns.

We are trying to clean the bottom of the pan from burnt porridge

You can get rid of burnt food quite easily if you immediately fill the pan with warm water with the addition of detergent. Try rubbing the dirt with a soft sponge. If the burn has not gone away, leave the pot of water for 20-40 minutes. After soaking, the burns easily move away from the bottom of the enamel pan. It remains only to wash the dishes with warm water.

Dishwashing liquid will help get rid of burnt food residues

Efficiency: copes with light burns.

Everyday quick dishwashing with mustard powder

Mustard powder has long been used for washing dishes. It is completely natural and edible, so even if its particles remain on the surface of the dishes after washing, nothing bad will happen. Mustard powder softens leftover food and acts as a degreaser.

Mode of application:

  1. Apply a little mustard powder to a dishwashing sponge.
  2. Rinse the dirt on the pan by rubbing lightly.
  3. Wash off with water.

Mustard powder is used in the daily care of enameled dishes.

Efficiency: mustard powder copes with light dirt.

How to get rid of darkening and yellowness with onion, sour apple or pear

Any of these fruits and vegetables can be used to clean an enamel pan from light dirt.

  1. Peel an onion (apple or pear).
  2. Boil in a saucepan for 20-40 minutes.
  3. Wash dishes with soap and sponge.

Onion, apple, pear will help to cope with light pollution

Efficiency: light dirt is washed off, the unpleasant smell of soot disappears.

We wash the dark plaque using whey

  1. Pour the milk whey into the pan overnight.
  2. In the morning, wash with a sponge and soap.

Serum will help remove a small deposit

Efficiency: the main part of the dirt exfoliates and is washed off with a sponge.

Effective stain removers

Table salt or saline solution

  1. Sprinkle salt on the burnt surface.
  2. Add water 2 cm above the contaminated area and boil for 20 minutes.
  3. Let cool.

Efficiency: copes even with strong soot.

Baking soda

  1. Sprinkle 7 tablespoons of baking soda on the stain.
  2. Add 1 liter of water, boil for 30-60 minutes.
  3. Leave to cool for a few hours.
  4. Wash off the lagging carbon deposits with a sponge and soap.

Efficiency: copes with burnt dishes.

Table vinegar 9% (apple, wine, alcohol)

With the help of table vinegar, you can clean the dishes and get rid of dark plaque, blackness, rust and burning. To remove rust, simply wipe the stain with a cotton pad soaked in vinegar. To remove the burn and "lighten" the inner surface, use the following method:

  1. Soak the bottom of the pot with 9% vinegar for several hours.
  2. Wash with soap and sponge.

Efficiency: plaque is washed off easily, burnt enamel brightens.

Lemon acid

  1. Pour into the pan 50-60 grams citric acid.
  2. To fill with water.
  3. Boil for 25 minutes.
  4. Drain the water along with the dirt.
  5. Wash with soap and sponge.

Efficiency: discolorations from the enamel disappear.

Video: cleaning burnt enamel at home with citric acid

Photo gallery: products for removing strong burns

Baking soda able to cope with strong burns Salt softens burns on the bottom of the pan Vinegar removes burns from the bottom of an enameled pan Citric acid effectively copes with browning

Cleaning with a mixture of baking soda, salt and vinegar

  1. A mixture of soda and salt is prepared in a 1: 1 ratio.
  2. The resulting mixture is poured to the bottom of the pan, vinegar is added there so that the burn is filled with the resulting solution.
  3. The pot is left for three hours.
  4. After this time, a little water is added and the solution is boiled for 30 minutes on low heat.
  5. After boiling, the pan is removed from the heat, after which it is aged for a day.
  6. A day later, the contents of the pan are boiled again, after which the solution is drained and the pan is washed in the usual way.

Efficiency: even very strong burns are removed.

Video: how to effectively clean a pan from soot

How to remove smoke from milk with ground coffee

You can often find advice on cleaning enameled pans from boiled milk with natural ground coffee. Coffee acts as a mild abrasive and gently removes dirt.

Coffee grounds will help to remove scale from milk

  1. Apply coffee grounds to burnt places, rub.
  2. Leave for 1 hour.
  3. Wash off the dirt with a sponge and soap.

Efficiency: burnt milk is rubbed off with a hard sponge with coffee.

Activated carbon

With activated charcoal, housewives cope with burns from milk and jam. Its adsorptive properties aid in the cleansing of food contaminants.

Activated charcoal removes carbon deposits from milk well

Operating procedure:

  1. crush the pills activated carbon into powder.
  2. Apply to contaminated areas, let stand for 20 minutes.
  3. Add cold water. Let stand for another hour.
  4. Wipe dirt under water with a sponge and soap.

Efficiency: easily copes with milk burns on the bottom of an enamel pan.

Video: how to clean a pan from blackness with activated charcoal

How to remove limescale inside an enamel pan

Lime deposits inside enamelware are formed when hard water is boiled in it for a long time. To eliminate it, the same means are suitable as for removing a strong burn. This is soda, vinegar and citric acid.

Baking soda

  1. Fill a saucepan with warm water.
  2. Add soda at the rate of 2 tablespoons per liter of water.
  3. Leave overnight.
  4. Bring in the morning soda solution to a boil and boil for 1-2 hours.
  5. Leave to cool with the solution.
  6. Drain content.
  7. Carefully remove the remaining softened plaque from the walls with a wooden spatula.

table vinegar

  1. Pour water into the pan to the brim, add vinegar (2-3 teaspoons per glass of water).
  2. Bring to a boil, boil for 10 minutes.
  3. Leave to cool, then drain the contents.
  4. If the softened scale remains on the walls, carefully remove it with a wooden spatula.
  5. Wash the pot thoroughly with soap.

Using Vinegar and Baking Soda

  1. Pour water into the pan to the brim, add soda (2 tablespoons per liter).
  2. Boil 25 minutes, let cool.
  3. Drain content.
  4. Pour water with vinegar (half a glass for 4 liters of water).
  5. Boil for another half an hour.
  6. Drain content.
  7. Remove the remaining scale with a wooden spatula.

Lemon acid

  1. Pour water into a saucepan to the brim.
  2. Add citric acid (25 grams per liter of water).
  3. Boil for 1.5 hours, let cool for 20-30 minutes.
  4. Drain content.
  5. Repeat the procedure if the limescale has not completely come off and cannot be removed with a wooden spatula.

How to care for enamelware

Enamel pots proper care always look neat

Caring for an enamel pan is not difficult, you only need to know a few important points:

  • enamel is afraid of temperature changes! Therefore, do not fill a hot pan with cold water and do not put it on a hot stove without water;
  • after acquiring a new enamel pan, first you need to ignite it to make it even stronger. To do this, pour water into it and bring to a boil on the stove. Leave the pot to cool along with the water. The hardening process is completed;
  • use the pan only for cooking soups and compotes (that which does not stick to a thin bottom);
  • Enameled pots are best washed by hand. Many housewives who use dishwashers say that enameled pans quickly darken from such a procedure;
  • We recommend using only soft sponges for washing, so as not to scratch the enamel. The use of hard metal sponges is not prohibited, but try to work without pressure. The quality of enamel varies from manufacturer to manufacturer. For example, the layer of enamel applied by spraying is very thin, so be careful.

Never try to pick out burnt soot with a knife or fork! This can damage the enamel.

Enameled pans are very popular. Them appearance pleases the eye, the price does not hit the budget, and care does not cause much trouble if you follow the rules for using these household utensils. Take good care of your kitchen helpers and they will last you longer!

Hello! My name is Galina. I am 30. I have two higher education. Specialty - cadastral engineer. Profession: Appraiser. I am currently on parental leave.

Due to its properties, aesthetic appearance and favorable cost, glass-ceramic utensils are very popular. However, with improper handling, the life of such kitchen utensils will be significantly reduced, and therefore you should familiarize yourself with the features of its use and care for it.

Enamelware will last much longer if you first boil water in it, and then, without pouring it, let it cool. It must also be taken into account that:

Enamel does not tolerate a sharp temperature drop. That is why it is impossible to fill heated containers with cold water, and cold ones - fill with very hot liquid or put on a big fire.

The coating will become thinner under the influence of aggressive substances: acids, alkalis. Do not keep vinegar or citric acid in enamelware.

Glass-ceramics are afraid of impacts. From strong mechanical influences, pieces of enamel can break off, exposing the bottom and walls. Damaged utensils must not be used, as fragments can get into the food.

You will find attractive enameled teapots and pots on the page http://tovari-bit.at.ua/index/ehmalirovannaja_posuda_kastjuli_ehmalirovannye/0-96. Here is waiting for you big choice and other kitchen products at an attractive cost that require the following care:

  • After the next use, the dishes must be washed with a special agent. At the same time, remember that temperature differences are unacceptable.
  • Enamel teapots may require additional cleaning as they tend to darken with prolonged use. To clean it, it is enough to fill it with ash and water in a ratio of 1: 2, boil for one hour and rinse thoroughly. You can also use other products: peeling apples / pears, special cleaners for enamel, etc.
  • Washing the containers will be much easier if you first let it stand with cold water. This is especially true for dried flour, dough, eggs.

Enamel mugs will also require special treatment. During washing, do not knock them against each other. When transporting, you should also be careful not to let them fall. Hot mugs should not be placed on cold and / or wet surfaces (temperature difference) - it is best to purchase special coasters. This also applies to other enamelware. Following these simple rules will allow you to preserve the properties and appearance of kitchen items with enamel for a long time.

Keywords: Features of the operation of enamelware, enamelware, enameled teapots, enameled mugs

Enamelware is the most hygienic, resistant to various organic acids, salts, alkalis. It is easy to clean, you can not only cook in it, but also keep food for a long time. However, we do not recommend cooking second courses in such dishes, especially porridge: they often burn and spoil the enamel.

Therefore, for cooking first and third courses, use pots with thin walls, and for cereals, stewing, frying - pots with thick walls, cast iron, goose casserole, enameled cast iron pans.

♨ The service life of enamelware will be significantly extended and it will become stronger if, before the first use, pour water into it to the brim, bring to a boil, remove from heat and, without pouring out the water, let it cool. This will harden the enamel.

♨ You can wash enameled dishes like this: pour fine salt on a soft damp cloth, wipe the dishes, and then rinse them with warm water.

♨ The dishes in which rice was cooked were dough, raw eggs, milk, fish dishes, jam, it is easier to wash if you first stand with cold water. And rinse the dishes from under the fish, sauerkraut with hot water and vinegar.

♨ You can remove rice drips from enameled dishes with a swab dipped in vinegar.

♨ Pour a handful of salt into a pan with burnt remains of various foods for several hours, cover with water and boil. The bottom is easy to clean.

♨ If milk is burnt in an enamel pan, pour water into it, put 1-2 tbsp. tablespoons of baking soda and boil for 2-3 minutes. Then the burnt residues will easily lag behind the bottom and walls.

♨ Gray deposits on enamelware can be avoided by washing them every day with warm water.

♨ Darkened enamelware from long-term use can be bleached with persalt. In a saucepan filled with hot water, put 1 tablet (or 1 teaspoon of powder) of persalt and boil for about an hour, then rinse thoroughly with water.

♨ You can get rid of a thin layer of scale from the walls of enamelware if you boil water in it for 2 hours with the addition of vinegar (5 tablespoons per 1 liter of water). And if you add a solution of vinegar essence (1 part of the essence to 5-6 parts of water) to the kettle and heat it to 60-70 ° C, then it will take 20-30 minutes to remove the scale.

♨ Nagar in enameled dishes can be easily washed off with a solution of baking soda. Precipitation in enameled dishes can be easily removed if you hold a solution of salt, vinegar and water in the dish.

♨ Rust from enamelware can be removed”; cotton swab dipped in vinegar or coffee grounds.

♨ Rust from enameled dishes is also removed with hydrogen peroxide with the addition of 10% ammonia.

♨ Do not forget that enamel can crack or chip off with a sharp change in temperature or impact - such dishes are unsuitable for storing food.

♨ Enameled utensils damaged on the inside should not be used for cooking, as damaged enamel continues to crumble at the slightest blow, touching a spoon and with strong heat. Pieces of enamel can enter the human body.

♨ The bottom of enamelware is damaged by a sudden change in temperature. That is why a hot pot should not be placed on a cold and wet rack or an empty cold pot should not be placed on a strong fire.

♨ If the food burns, it must be transferred to another dish, but cold water should not be immediately poured into a hot pan.

♨ Washed enameled dishes should not be dried on a hot stove, and cold water or fat should not be poured into very hot dishes.

♨ Enamel deteriorates if a large saucepan is placed on a small electric stove that heats only part of its bottom.

♨ Enamel deteriorates when fried in a dish whose bottom is only partially covered with fat.

♨ Enamel thins and deteriorates from acids and alkalis. Therefore, vinegar cannot be kept in enameled dishes for a long time.

When buying dishes for the kitchen, every housewife hopes that she will be useful for many years. The bright and shiny appearance of the new thing is pleasing to the eye, so the first use of a new enamel pot or pan causes only positive emotions and a desire to cook as much as possible delicious meals. And in order for the dishes with an enamel coating to retain their properties and flawless appearance, you must follow the tips for its proper operation and care.

Advantages and disadvantages of enamelware

Enamel coated cookware is found in every kitchen. Pots of various shapes and sizes are most widely used, but enameled pans, basins, bowls and mugs are also widely used in everyday life. Such products are made of metals (cast iron, steel or various alloys), on which several layers of enamel are applied on top. The coating protects the metal from corrosion and has either a monotonous color or various decorative patterns and patterns.

Advantages of enamelware:

  1. Environmental Safety. Protective enamel does not react with acids and other chemically active food components, so cooked dishes can be stored in such dishes for quite a long time without destroying its coating. In addition, the enamel does not actually smell and does not absorb the aromas of products.
  2. Versatility. Enamelware is suitable for cooking all types of food, including first, meat, fish and vegetable dishes, as well as compotes and jelly.
  3. Ease of use. The smooth surface of the products covered with enamel is easy to clean with a soft sponge or cloth.
  4. Appearance. The enameled coating has various shades and colors, on top of which heat-resistant images can be applied.
  5. Price. The price of these products is usually lower than for dishes made from other materials.

Disadvantages of enamelware:

  1. Sensitivity to mechanical stress. Strong impacts, metal scrapers and abrasive substances can destroy the coating. In this case, the harm of enamelware to a person can be very significant and it can no longer be used for cooking.
  2. Thermal sensitivity. Sudden changes in temperature destroy the enamel, causing cracks and chips to appear on it.
  3. Burning food. This type of cookware does not have a non-stick coating, so dairy products and thick foods can stick to its inner walls when heated strongly.


The main criterion for choosing enameled products is the quality of their coating. Even when buying products from a well-known factory that has good reviews, you should carefully study its appearance. Depending on the technical conditions of production, metal utensils are either dipped in enamel or applied by spraying.

In the first case, the coating layer will be thicker, but the resistance to shock and overheating will be lower. In the second case, the enamel is thinner and has a smoother surface, but it is less resistant to abrasion.

When choosing a new pot or pan, you should carefully examine the enamel coating both on the inside and on the outside of the product. Enamel should be smooth to the touch and have a flat surface. The presence of scratches, roughness and stains is unacceptable, as this can lead to the destruction of the coating during operation. Chips on the inner surface pose an increased danger, since food cooked in such dishes can cause significant harm to human health.


Some types of enamelware, such as pots, ladles and teapots, may have a metal rim on top that does not have a layer of enamel on it. When purchasing a product, you should carefully inspect this area for signs of rust. Signs of incipient corrosion indicate a violation technological process production or improper storage of products, so it is better to refuse to buy such dishes.

Buying a new quality product is not always a guarantee of its long-term operation in the future. To maintain an attractive appearance and strength of the coating will help recommendations for the use of enamelware:

  • New cookware must be tempered before first use. To do this, water is poured into it with the addition of salt (two tablespoons per liter of water) and brought to a boil, after which the water is cooled and drained.
  • Enamel is not recommended to be exposed to strong temperature fluctuations, so cold water should not be poured into a heated pan, and vice versa.
  • Enamelware with liquid should not be left in the cold. During crystallization, water expands and destroys the enamel.
  • When cooking, do not tap the edge of the pot with a spoon.
  • enamelware large capacity It is not recommended to put on a small burner.
  • It is better not to use pots with enamel coating for boiling milk and making thick cereals.


The service life of enamelware depends on the correct and careful care of it. In case of contamination, you can deal with them in one of the following ways:

  • If during the cooking process the food burned and remained at the bottom of the pan, then metal products should not be used to clean it. Stubborn dirt can be removed by pouring cold water over it for one hour with the addition of a few teaspoons of soda.
  • To remove stubborn dirt on the inside of the dish, boil water in it with the addition of citric acid or 9% vinegar.
  • To restore the color of the darkened enamel, water with the addition of a few drops of dishwashing detergent will help. The liquid is brought to a boil, then drained and rinsed with hot water.