How to Clean the Inside of a Kettle Because It Is Dirty
At the risk of sounding British (one of my greatest fears), I find myself saying ” tea time ” at least eleven times a day. Especially when the leaves change color – literally or metaphorically, depending on where you are – there is nothing better than curling up with your favorite warm drink.
But when was the last time you checked the inside of a kettle? I know that my kettle looks like good jeans in the sense that I can use it many times before thinking if it’s time to wash it.
This is why it is probably time to clean the inside of the kettle, and how to do it using the materials you already have in your kitchen.
How does your kettle get gross?
You’re just using a kettle to boil water, right? How bad can it be?
Take a look inside your kettle and you can see the buildup of mineral deposits that occurs if you don’t clean it for more than a few weeks. You will most likely find limescale , a white chalky deposit that usually forms around sinks or bathroom tiles. According to the American Home Water and Air (AHWA), limescale is composed of calcium and carbonate ions in hard water ( here, AHWA compares hard water to soft water ).
Also, if you leave the water in the kettle for a few days (or weeks), you can see rust forming there.
The good news is that we have a quick and easy cleaning solution to get your kettle back in perfect shape. We have previously covered how to clean an electric kettle using citric acid powder , but below is another method originally used in Real Simple .
What you need to clean your kettle
- white vinegar
- Baking soda
- Lemon juice
How to clean the inside of the kettle
Add a quarter cup of white vinegar and two cups of water to the kettle. Simmer for 20 minutes. Allow to cool and rinse thoroughly.
You can stop at this if the mineral deposits are washed off the vinegar, or you can continue with an even more thorough cleaning:
- In a teapot, combine two tablespoons of baking soda, two tablespoons of lemon juice, and water.
- Cook for 30 minutes (making sure there is always water in the kettle).
- Let cool, then rinse thoroughly and dry.
Prevent future accumulation
The easiest way to prevent rust and limescale build-up is to drain all the water from the kettle after using it, being careful not to let the water stay in it night after night.
And don’t forget that you should also regularly wash your kettle with dish soap, as you (hopefully) do with all the other dishes. Now go and enjoy the right tea .