Care of Enamel Finish Products

Care of Enameled Ware

With reasonable care enameled ware is durable, but there is one thing which must be guarded against in the very best of ware. The enamel must not be injured so that it cracks or chips off. Cracking can be produced in three ways:

By a heavy blow, which breaks the enamel by its force.

By the sudden application of excessive heat, which makes the underlying iron expand faster than the glazed coating and causes the enamel to crack.

By the sudden application of excessive cold to a very hot vessel, which causes a rapid contraction and subsequent cracking of the enamel.

The iron is then exposed at points where the enamel is broken, acids in the foods attack it, and gradually the whole enamel is undermined.

Unless this accident has occurred, housekeepers need have no fear of cooking acid food or any other food in enameled ware utensils, because enamel is not attacked by any chemical substance except hydrofluoric acid, used for etching glass; this acid is not found in foods.

The hard, smooth, non-porous, non-scaly, glossy surface of enameled ware makes it very easy to keep clean and sanitary.

Any bad discoloration can be removed from enameled ware by soaking the utensil in washing soda and hot water.