I have a problem with cooking food in my crockpot until it burns and crusts onto the inside porcelain. So I usually avoid using my crockpot - since cleaning it is a gross chore.

last month i finally soaked the thing in rainwater for a week and was able to slough off most of the burned, moldy food crud. blech. then this week i have been using the pot again to heat up dried pinto beans.

I am trying to remember to take out the cooked beans before they burn, and put it in other containers, rather than just eating out of the crockpot. So today I moved the beans into containers for the fridge and was looking at the dried stuff on the pot's sides. I don't have hot water so i usually wash everything cold.

It finally hit me that I could cook water in the pot to make the crusties soft. So right now I am cooking the crockpot with water, a squirt of dishsoap and a little bleach. When i't s hot i will use a scrubby to clean out the particles and I bet the thing will look like new.

Well the crockpot came out pretty good. Not like new - there is a side where i just can't get the brown stuff totally off. But it looks nice now and is clean.

If you spray the crockpot with cooking spray (lightly) before adding your food - it's easier to clean.

That's a great idea. Would a light film of cooking oil work instead?

Yes, I think so!

They do have those crockpot bags too. But, then you have to wrestle with using plastic. Though, sometimes when I forget to spray the crockpot and think of cleaning my crockpot - I think I'd be ok with the plastic.

I might have some of those plastic bags somewhere.

I think I will wait until after i go to the food pantry this week and see what kind of veggies i get, and then throw them in my crockpot with some meat and see what happens.

I did it again. I made some chicken and veggie thing and then I let the thing sit and become a tub o' mold.

I tossed the bad food out by the back fence and now have another filthy crockpot to deal with. I am not sure crockpots and i get along.