My pan has some dark patches between the ridges. Can anyone tell me if its possible to damage the surface of this pan by cleaning it wrong? Thanks!
129191
You shouldn't be able to. The coating on this pan is baked on; I scrub mine pretty hard when I clean it. Since it's cast iron, the only way you *could* (not likely) damage it is if you somehow removed the coating on the ridges. If you did, you would be exposing the bare cast iron underneath. A simple test would be to soak the pan in water for some time then dump the water out and let it air dry. If you see rust anywhere, you have an issue. Again, I really can't imagine that's the case though, and you may just have some baked-on debris between the ridges.
236957
I have had my pans for over a year now and have not seen anything coming off the surface. I would contact the manufacturer if your concerned about it leaching.
1941605
Did you season it first with some spray Pam etc.. a high heat oil like canolla. it fills in the irregularities in the surface. Also since you have used it already try using Pam first for a while. When cooking do not put your heat as high as you did for your old pans For Cleaning: wipe out with a paper towel when still warm not hot with warm soapy water. Do not immerse in cold water when hot
2199447
It happened to me once because bread dough somehow got caught between the blade and the pan. I let the pan soak for a while in warm, soapy water until the dough softened up and then was able to lift it up and clean both parts.
2095143
Yes, a couple of my sauce pans have those spots too. I am wondering if the barkeepers maid may have something to do with it.
489581
I usually soak the pan in hot soapy water and use a vegetable brush to clean mine. The other suggestions that people have offered sound good, too. If you continue to have problems, contact Le Creuset for additional ideas.
1124702
In a moment of laziness I put this pan in the dishwasher and it looks horrible! Black areas and streaks of strange colors all over it. Now I'm searching the internet to see if I can rescue the pan or if it will always look that way!
1989289
No, mine looks great, almost like new even after a lot of use. I have quite of few stainless steel pots and pan and nothing like what you are describing has ever happened. In my never to be humble opinion it is not common.
1595916
I have not had this problem . I suggest you boil some water and baking soda in the pan on top of the stove, let it sit overnight then wash it as usual, I always line my pans with aluminum foil to prevent this from happening to any of my baking pans. I truly dislike scrubbing pan and this saves me from that dreaded chore Good Luck
913143
I had no problem if you follow their instructions. The key i think is first getting the protective coating completely removed. Love the pan!
687202
Why would you think this pan would damage your cooktop any more than any other flat bottomed pan? Although, I have a gas cooktop. I have had this pan for several months and use it all the time without any problems.
230567
Soak the pan in soapy water, and it should clean up. If everything doesn't clean up on the first try, soak again.
1439233
Since it doesn't have non-stick coatings all should be safe. I use all three without any scratching. Quick tip for cleaning; if you get baked on grease, etc, just pour a cup or two of water in the pan and heat to just about a boil and use a utensil to loosen up the baked on mess. Hope that helps! I love this pan! I now have three in different sizes.
1761038
Yes! That is the pan being seasoned. Do not try to clean the black off. The black is the nonstickness. Only clean the pan with water. Don't use a soap/detergent. It is an awesome pan!
415700
We just bought ours and washed it for first time tonight. Before packing her first lunch, we noticed the black smudges, mostly in grooves and near edges though also some on flatter portions of the pieces. After scrubbing and scraping, it mostly is coming off. It looks like something burned or remnants from manufacturing (since ours is brand new). I emailed the company for information; we'll see if they replace.
1750431
A number of factors could be happening here. Could it be caused by your recipe? Is the finish breaking down? Perhaps a strong dish washing detergent is the culprit. The pan is a high quality part of my kitchen and I would suggest a light spray of something like Pam before baking.
1018610
I am not cooking directly to the surface. I have a special pan that stay always on the top. I don't clean it if any residue from grill pan drops. I did not also scratch it. It seams fine so far as a support only