Cleaning an Enamel Cast Iron Pot

In 2011 I made one of my first cast iron bargain scores, and still one of the best. At a flea market I found a huge Le Creuset 13 quart enameled cast iron dutch oven, or "french oven" for only six bucks. It was already beat up and the lid was missing, but there was no way I could pass up a bargain like that. For the past eight years this has been one of my most useful cast iron pots, as I've used it for cooking many pots of pasta sauce, stews, Boston baked beans, and even South Carolina barbecue hash. But this pot has not only become stained, the enamel itself has become worn down, and the pot is unfortunately reaching the end of its lifespan. So, here's what happened when I tried to clean up a beat up, worn down, and very stained enameled cast iron pot.