re: Red beans: a question about cleaning the pot.

Bar Keepers Friend works pretty good to clean things like that without scratching them up. The stuff used to clean electric ceramic stovetops is another good option for cleaning and stain removal without scratching.

I have a tan La Creuset cast iron oval Dutch Oven that looks pretty bad on the inside. Cooks great and I usually look at the stained inner surface, shrug my shoulders turn on the heat and throw in the stuff.