Interesting.  I've never tried that.

Quoted from Jane

I don't think there's any way to "season" an enameled pan.  I've had some Le Creuset's for 20+ years.  I've ruined a few by burning something in them.  The other downside is how heavy they are.  
As I mentioned in an earlier post, try the Bar Keeper's Friend to clean your stainless.  It gets everything off and they look like new.  Great stuff.
Jane

Someone on cooking.com suggested that stuff also.  I'm sort of skeptical about it being healthy or not toxic.  I like the idea of salt though.  And I like the idea of baking soda.  Although when I talked to Calpholon today, they said they don't recommned baking soda.  But vinegar and lemon juice is all good of course.  Salt though, that is a really good idea!

I've used salt before....sea salt or kosher salt.  The bar keeper's friends washes off very easily.  It's similar to Bon Ami but better.  

Yeah, but what's in it?  I'd rather not use toxic stuff if I don't have to.  I don't think I'll need to yet.  The first pan seems to be coming super clean.  I washed it for good measure again last night and I can see any traces of grey on a paper towel when wiping it.  So, I'm going to start using it.

I know I'm probably being overly safe, because you don't really eat your soap and you would hope you get it all off.  But the soap we use is seventh generation and it is coconut and enzyme based.  It gives me a little bit of peace of mind knowing it's not really toxic.  

I'm the same way with dish soap JJR. We don't intentionally eat soap, but I'm never 100% certain that it's all fully rinsed off each and every time. Plus I don't want to worry about reactions to chemicals topically, since I don't usually wear gloves when washing dishes.

I don't care so much about the "natural-ness" of my dishwasher detergent, since I don't touch that directly and it's well rinsed off. If I could find a fragrance-free variety of a "not natural" brand, I'd  gladly buy it. But I get headaches from all the conventional dishwasher detergents (from however much gets in the air when I pour it into the dishwasher) so I've been using Trader Joe's brand.

I'm much pickier about chemicals than I am about  germs.

I know that  bon ami is 100% natural. I'm not sure about barkeeper's friend.

I never heard of bon ami.  

Ruthie, that's one of the conondrums I've been dealing with lately.  Clean all the germs off, and then make sure there's no left over soap.  Hehehhehe.  Quite the pickle.  

You can google bon ami or bar keeper's friend.  BKF has been around evidently since the 1800s.  I just use it to get off whatever is stuck on the pot or pan and then rinse thoroughly.  
You need to do what you are comfortable with.  I used to use salt but I find the BKF does a better job.

The dish soap I use is all-natural and certified kosher. It's not going to hurt anything if I accidentally eat some of it. OK, so it tastes bitter and too much will make me poop, but a slight residue is completely harmless and not worth worrying about (except for concerns that it might make food taste bad if I'm really sloppy.)

Since you're using 7th Generation dish liquid, I think you can cross that worry off your list.

Yeah, that's why I use it but I still don't want to eat it.  

Ruthie, what brand do you use?

The saga continues.  I started to clean up one of the frying pans tonight and I noticed that one of the rivets is clearly away from the side of the pan.  You can stick your fingernail, plus more, behind there.  I'm not comfortable with that.  Yes, it's stainless and yes it can be cleaned, but it should be tight, so that it doesn't welcome things to get hung up back there.  It would just take more work to get clean and my mind wouldn't relax about it at all.  God has really been teaching me patience about all this.  

The upside is that the other fry pan, the one that came with a lid, which is an inferior pan, seems to have cleaned up fine, and those rivets look nice and tight.  And I did want a fry pan with a lid.  But the other one is going back for sure.  Maybe it's a sign that I either need an enamaled cast iron fry pan, or I need to just clean my current cast iron up.  Which is really what I should do.  I loved cooking eggs in that pan until the black flakes starting showing up.  

Quoted from JJR

I need to just clean my current cast iron up.  Which is really what I should do.  I loved cooking eggs in that pan until the black flakes starting showing up.  

Just clean it.  It would take an hour or so and you'd be finished.  Why spend more money and time whining about inferior products when you have a great skillet that you already like?

By the time you clean it and re-season it, it will be like new.

Yep, I bought a nasty, beat-up cast iron pan at the thrift store.  I just put a wire brush attachment on my drill and went to town.  It was a very lovely shade of gray after that, and it took the seasoning very well.

Quoted from ABJoe

Just clean it.  It would take an hour or so and you'd be finished.  Why spend more money and time whining about inferior products when you have a great skillet that you already like?

By the time you clean it and re-season it, it will be like new.

Tired of me whining about, eh?  Hhehehe me too.   I'm having a difficult time knowing exactly how to get it clean.  I tried some salt last night with a sponge.  And I did what you said by boiling some water and scraping it with a metal spatula and it still looks like there is a huge build up of black on the bottom of the pan.  I'm not super strong, but I'm not a wuss either.  I think I might have to try the high heat thing.  But I have not had the chance to do it yet.  There's a lot going on the kitchen lately.  So...  I'm sorry for the saga.  Everyone's help has been wonderful and I appreciate the comments.  

Quoted from ruthiegirl

I don't care so much about the "natural-ness" of my dishwasher detergent, since I don't touch that directly and it's well rinsed off. If I could find a fragrance-free variety of a "not natural" brand, I'd  gladly buy it. But I get headaches from all the conventional dishwasher detergents (from however much gets in the air when I pour it into the dishwasher) so I've been using Trader Joe's brand.

Is it possible some gets in the air from the steam as you open the door or even escapes from the machine as it is working?

Quoted from JJR

I'm having a difficult time knowing exactly how to get it clean.  I tried some salt last night with a sponge.  And I did what you said by boiling some water and scraping it with a metal spatula and it still looks like there is a huge build up of black on the bottom of the pan.  I'm not super strong, but I'm not a wuss either.  I think I might have to try the high heat thing.

When all else fails, a sander, power brush (like TJ used), or sand-blaster will work quite effectively.  Basically, you want to get it down to bare cast and then re-season it.  Don't need to worry too much about germs or clean, as once it is bare metal, it'll be pretty clean, then the heating to season it will take care of the germs.   

As long as you don't crack it, you are going to have a hard time hurting it!

Quoted from ABJoe

As long as you don't crack it, you are going to have a hard time hurting it!

When I was a little girl, my grandad fried eggs in his cast iron skillet - on high, because he cooked everything on high - then immersed the hot pan in a tub of cold water in the sink.  The thing cracked like a gunshot!  Right down the middle!  

Quoted from ABJoe

When all else fails, a sander, power brush (like TJ used), or sand-blaster will work quite effectively.  Basically, you want to get it down to bare cast and then re-season it.  Don't need to worry too much about germs or clean, as once it is bare metal, it'll be pretty clean, then the heating to season it will take care of the germs.

Aah that's what I want for Christmas - a sandblaster (or use of one) to get the rest of the teflon off my glass skillet & saucepan...

Quoted from Possum

Aah that's what I want for Christmas - a sandblaster (or use of one) to get the rest of the teflon off my glass skillet & saucepan...

You might not have much left.

Not much of what left - teflon or saucepan lol

94 posts on cleaning pots?? astonishing...    

I took some sandpaper to my cast iron pan last night, but all I had was some fine grit stuff.  It's got a long way to go.  I can see the build up getting thinner, but it's like, holy cow.  It's like a layer of oil built up or something.  I guess after a while the oils would maybe harden and form a crust I would imagine.  And then it started to flake.  I either have to try the high heat thing, or take it to someone who has some power tools that can clean it up.  I've got my hands full with keeping the kitchen clean as it is.  Oh well.  Another day, another challenge.  I'm still eating, praise the LORD.

Quoted from Goldie

94 posts on cleaning pots?? astonishing...    

It's just 'cause we love JJR.    

Quoted from Possum

Is it possible some gets in the air from the steam as you open the door or even escapes from the machine as it is working?

It's possible, but it's a moot point since I can't find any "not natural" dishwasher detergent that's free of synthetic fragrances. So I  buy the natural stuff that doesn't  give me headaches.

For handwashing dishes, I also use the 7th generation dish liquid. I vary which fragrance I get.

Quoted from Victoria

It's just 'cause we love JJR.    

Why thank you!!!  

Quoted from Possum

Not much of what left - teflon or saucepan lol

Either one!  After all, glass is just melted sand.