Cleaning a Burnt-On Le Creuset

We've had this 7 qt Le Creuset pot for many years, and have had occasional stains/burning. This latest episode is another time Andy assumed that the only temperature on the range is high. If he were a cook for the band Spinal Tab, he would always go to 11. His habit became even more challenging when we switched to an induction range, which can get exceptionally hot. exceptionally fast.

For previous burns/stains I've muddled through and eventually been able to clean it. Once I even did a bleach solution soak, but that was apparently risky because it's quite harsh. Over the years the finish within the pot has become more matte and porous, so I didn't want to potentially damage it further by using bleach again.

This particular stain has been around for a couple of months, and just wouldn't clean up with use and cleaning. While Andy claimed it lent a certain patina, I got fed up and decided to see what I could do.

Burned stains on bottom of pot

My first step was boiling a couple of inches of water with about 1/4 cup baking soda in it. I used a wooden spoon to scrape the burnt spots as it boiled, then let the water sit in the pot overnight. The burned material is so embedded, this didn't really do much.

After boiling and soaking in a baking soda solution

After the soak I used Barkeeper's Friend. This also didn't do a whole lot.

After Barkeeper's Friend

Now with some research, I was going to try a step I never had. Apparently "yellow cap" oven cleaner (like EZ Off) contains lye, which can treat burnt on areas, like the enameled surface of an oven, without damaging them. I sprayed the bottom of the pot with the cleaner then put the lid on and left it for 12 hours (I did this in the garage but the fumes were still noxious- hold your breath and wear eye protection). Then I washed it and did another round of Barkeeper's Friend. I was pretty happy with these results, and given the relative porosity of the finish, I think this is as good as we're going to get. It will be much more pleasant to use. 

After soak with oven cleaner

I quietly stored the pot away in the cabinet with a post-it note on the bottom for Andy: "You better think about it..."