How to Clean Ceramic Pots and Pans? | Care That Lasts

Clean ceramic pots and pans by hand with warm water, mild dish soap, and a soft sponge after they cool completely.

Ceramic cookware looks great and cooks evenly, but its nonstick coating only stays slick if you clean it the right way. The good news is that daily upkeep takes about two minutes. The bad news is that one steel-wool scrubbing can scratch the surface for good.

The Right Way To Wash Ceramic Cookware

Ceramic pots and pans need a gentle, consistent cleaning routine.

• Let the pan cool completely. Never rinse a hot ceramic pan with cold water. Thermal shock can crack the coating or the ware itself.
• Wash by hand with warm water and a small amount of mild dish soap.
• Use a nonabrasive sponge or soft cloth. Skip steel wool, coarse scouring pads, abrasive powders, and metal scrapers — they wear down the coating.
• Rinse thoroughly and dry completely to prevent spots, residue, and performance loss.

That’s the whole daily routine.

Getting Off Burnt-On Food

Stuck-on food needs a little more patience, but not more force. Start by soaking the pan in warm soapy water for 10 to 15 minutes, then scrub gently with your soft sponge.

For stubborn buildup, some manufacturer guides allow a short simmer with soapy water to loosen the residue. You can also make a paste from baking soda and water, apply it to the problem spots, and let it sit before wiping clean. Avoid oven cleaners, chlorine bleach, and harsh detergents — these can damage ceramic surfaces. Remember that aerosol cooking sprays can leave buildup on ceramic nonstick surfaces, so if you notice a sticky film, it may be spray residue rather than food.

Mistakes That Shorten A Ceramic Pan’s Life

Most ceramic cookware fails from cleaning habits, not cooking. Here’s what to stop doing.

• Dishwasher use. Many ceramic nonstick brands say hand-wash only, even if the pan looks sturdy. The product manual controls — when it says hand-wash, believe it.
• Washing while hot. Hot pan plus cold water is the fastest route to a cracked coating.
• Letting food harden. The longer residue sits, the harder it sticks. Clean soon after cooking.
• Metal utensils. Some brands recommend only wooden, silicone, or plastic utensils to reduce scratching during cooking and cleaning.

One more thing worth knowing: if the nonstick surface fades over time, at least one manufacturer says re-seasoning can help restore performance. Check your brand’s care guide before trying it.

Dishwasher-safe labels complicate things, though. Some ceramic and stoneware bakeware is labeled dishwasher safe, but manufacturers still often recommend hand-washing for best results. When in doubt, hand-wash.

Do Ceramic Pans Need Special Rules?

Ceramic cookware is more forgiving than people expect, but it does have limits. The table below sums up what you can and can’t do.

The care routine is simple: cool, warm soapy water, soft sponge, dry completely. If you’re shopping for new pieces, our tested ceramic pots and pans roundup covers the top options.