Guest burned my Le Creust pot

Yingxin0
Level 2
Halifax, Canada

Guest burned my Le Creust pot

I got a Le Creuset pot two weeks ago, $860, and I just used once.

I'm planning to use it the second time this weekend, but yesterday before I was cooking, I found the Airbnb guest is using it, cook rice.

I do have a rice cooker in the kitchen, why the guest use Le Creuset to cook rice?

And of course, rice was burned and stuck at the bottom of the pot. The guest sunk it in water for a day and not able to get the burned rice away. Now I told her, if you were not able to clean the pot, you need to replace it.

And the guest told me, I can't afford to replace it.

Then why are you use it to cook rice????

Very angry right now, will let Airbnb deal with it.

22 Replies 22
Sarah977
Level 10
Sayulita, Mexico

@Yingxin0  Pour some oven cleaner in the pot and let it sit for awhile. Then put on some rubber gloves and clean it with a non-scratch scubby. It should all come off. I'm the master of burning food, so I know this from experience 🙂

And do not allow guests access to an $860 pot! Or anything else of great value to you. Get a set of inexpensive but decent cookware (Ikea has stainless steel you can buy by the piece and it's not expensive) and set up a cupboard in your kitchen exclusively for guest use and make sure they understand that your cookware is strictly off-limits.

Mark116
Level 10
Jersey City, NJ

@Yingxin0   Yikes that is awful.  If you still have receipts and photos, you should make a claim, I'm sure you won't get the full price but you may get a couple hundred dollars.  And yes, from now on, tell guests specifically which pots/pans they can use.

 

@Sarah977  Oven cleaner might be too harsh for enamel cookware, no?  I read that you are supposed to boil water and put baking soda in it, which I am going to try on my enamel pot next time I use it.  I have found oven cleaner does work great on stainless steel items, but I don't know about an enamel pan.

@Mark116  Well, the inside of an oven is enamel, yes? Mine is, anyway. It's just lye- it dissolves the burnt gunk, it doesn't eat through enamel.

Thank you Mark, I usually keep my expensive pots at somewhere else, but I was planning use the pot so I took it out. Sad...

And thanks for the boiled water/soda thing, I find the video on google and sent the link to the guest.

Susan151
Level 10
Somerville, MA

@Yingxin0 If your LeCrueset is enamel-lined, you can clean it. If it a raw cast-iron one, it might be harder but should still be possible. I would not use @Sarah977 's suggestion of oven cleaner. Instead, consider Barkeeper's Friend and a "Dobie." [A LeCruest at that price point is going to be enamel lined.]

 

As to why they made rice in a pot instead of a rice cooker? Perhaps they are like me and have always used a pot and have no idea how to use a rice-cooker. Why they used a fancy pot? I have to guess clueless.

 

I would segegrate your pans in the future; selecting which pots and pans they are allowed to use. Since I work from home, I actually help guests select which items they are allowed to use and which utensils should be used for each pot. Thank goodness I rarely get guests who want to cook!

Thank you Susan, I usually keep my expensive pots at somewhere else, but I was planning use the pot so I took it out. That's very sad....

Kathie21
Level 10
England, United Kingdom

Bicarbonate of soda/baking soda should sort it.  Sprinkle a layerin the wet pan and leave.

@Kathie21   Yes,  I have done it that way, works a treat.

Harold75
Level 10
Montreal, Canada

@Yingxin0   I was curious to read your Airbnb offering and description, especially what you list about kitchen use.  However,  I noticed  your listing is blank.  Have you stopped hosting?  Is it something else? 

Hello Harold,

I am also curious about the account. Chrome has my US account default and my listings are all in my Canadian account. Tried a few times and can't log on my Canadian account with chrome, can only use the app to access my Canadian account.

Emiel1
Level 10
Leeuwarden, The Netherlands

@Yingxin0 

 

@Harold75  is right, your account does not show an active listing at this moment:

https://www.airbnb.com/users/121241458/listings

Sorry  Your account does not show up : (

 

Listing descriptions and how they are worded may give clues as to what guests may think they can do.  

 

Suzanne302
Level 10
Wilmington, NC

I can't add anything that the other hosts haven't already said but holy crap I never knew there were pots that cost $860! Does it come with a personal chef?! LOL

@Suzanne302 

 

You can check online the prices..maybe $860 is ambitious unless VAT is 95% in Canada.