I have a ceramic pot like this one (image below).
Something in it became moldy, and the stench is unbearable. I cleaned it thoroughly several times, using dish soap. I tried to run it in a dishwasher cycle too, and afterwards to let water plus baking soda decant in it. But the smell doesn't completely goes away.
I didn't dare cooking anything in it yet.
I'm looking for a way to remove this bad smell.
Assuming you have a Cook4ME (or similar) as in the image (linked the British version from Tefal, which is the same company as Moulinex in France), the pot is anodized aluminum, though it's cleverly hidden behind the dishwashing instructions which say something along the lines of "A grey deposit may happen after using a dishwasher..." The grey deposit is Al2O3 (aluminium oxide) and is a result of attack of the metal surface by the strong hydroxides in the dishwasher detergents.
There is a coating inside the pot that is a so-called "ceramic", These are a silicone product, like many cooking implements these days. These materials can absorb smells quite readily, so this is probably what you are experiencing.
Possible solutions listed in increasing order of strength:
Soak for extended periods of time. I would start with the whole pot (including lid, as it will probably have a silicone seal too) in very soapy water for an hour or two, you could even boil/simmer the soapy water in the cooker. If you are soaking in a sink, disassemble as much of the pot as you can to ensure there isn't residue in small crevices - there are instructions for the lid in the manual. Scrub with a non-scratching pad or cloth and rinse in very hot water. Soaking for longer could also help - overnight?
Boil/cook water in the pot, fill as full as the manual recommends. Repeat as needed. You could add some acid (white vinegar) and some oil to help remove water insoluble compounds. This basically emulates cooking a meal.
Be careful with the following - if you get these on the outside of the pot they may attack the metal. If soapy water doesn't work, try soaking in baking soda (Sodium bicarbonate, fill to the brim or submerge in a sink) or vinegar. You probably want around 1-2% baking soda (weight per volume) and 5-10% (white) vinegar (volume per volume), that's 60 - 120 g of baking soda (assuming 6 litre capacity) and 300-600 ml vinegar. The wash as you would normally
Baking soda paste. Make a paste of baking soda and water. IIRC, this should be about 3:1 baking soda:water. It will feel gritty. Spread this over the surface of the pot and allow to dry, you can leave overnight for more chemical effect. Using a damp (not dripping wet) sponge, scrub the surface of the pot and then wash as you would normally. You can also rinse the pot with water, then follow with a vinegar wash.
ONLY DO THIS IF THERE ARE NO PLASTICS ON THE POT (check the handles and attachment points). Heat - silicones are quite heat resistant, up to about 200 C (392 F) is fine, but don't go over that. Heat an oven to 180 C (350 F) and bake the pot for about 20 min. Remove from oven and smell it (careful of burns) to see if smells remain. Repeat baking in 10-20 min increments until smells removed.
