How To Clean An Electric Kettle

Using an electric kettle is a convenient way to boil water for tea, food, or other beverages. As the water repeatedly boils inside the kettle, it can build up scaling or “kettle furring.” This buildup can flake into your tea or food, and it can also slow the heating of the kettle.

Use a vinegar or lemon solution to clean your electric kettle, baking soda to remove any stubborn stains, and wipe down the outside.

Read on to follow a simple, step by step guide on how to successfully clean your kettle. 

Using A Vinegar Solution 

1. Mix a vinegar solution. Vinegar can be used to remove hard water build up in electric kettles and to descale them. Mix equal amounts of water and white vinegar together. Fill the kettle about halfway or three quarters full with this solution.  

2. Put the solution in a kettle and bring it to a boil. Turn on the kettle with the solution inside to clean the inside of the kettle and remove limestone stains. Bring the water to a boil. If the kettle is really scaling, add more vinegar to the mixture. Bring to a boil again.

3. Let the kettle soak. After the kettle has boiled, turn it off and unplug it. Soak the solution for around 20 minutes inside the kettle. Drain the solution after 20 minutes. For severe scaling, leave the solution in the kettle for longer.

4. Clean the inside. Use a non-metallic sponge or cloth to scrub the inside of the kettle if it has really bad scaling. Make sure you let the vinegar solution soak in the kettle for a long period of time. Avoid scrubbing the bottom of the kettle’s heating element.

5. Rinse to remove the vinegar. Rinse the electric kettle under running water. It may take several rinses to get rid of the vinegar smell. Wipe down the inside with a damp cloth. Allow it to dry. In case there is any vinegar taste or smell left in the kettle, boil water in it again and dump it. That should get rid of it. If the vinegar taste or smell won’t go away after boiling the water multiple times.

Cleaning With Other Solutions

1. Use a lemon solution. If your kettle manufacturer recommends that you do not use vinegar to clean your kettle, you should use lemon instead. Mix lemon juice and water together. Cut up a lemon and place the slices in the water after you squeeze a lemon into it. Fill up the kettle with this solution.

• Let the water soak for around an hour in the kettle.
• Drain the water and rinse the kettle.
• Alternatively, you can use a lime instead of a lemon.

2.  Prepare a baking soda solution. Mix baking soda with water to create a solution. Mix baking soda with water around 1 teaspoon at a time. Place this in the electric kettle and heat up.

• Let it soak for around 20 minutes. After that, pour out the solution and rinse under cold water.
• The kettle should be free of scaling now.

3. Use a commercial kettle cleaning product. If you want a commercial cleaner, you can find it online or at a home improvement store or supermarket. According to the directions, you should dilute the cleaning product with water and boil the solution in a kettle.

• Let the solution soak in the kettle for a while.
• Then, rinse it with cold water.

Maintaining Your Kettle

1. Clean the outside with dish soap. Use basic dish detergent to clean the outside of your kettle. Wipe the outside with a damp cloth after washing it with dish soap. Avoid getting dish soap inside the kettle.
   • Clean the outside every few weeks.
   • Electric kettles cannot be placed in water due to the heating element.
2. Use olive oil to polish. If you have a stainless steel electric kettle, you might want to keep it shiny by polishing it. Use olive oil to make it shiny. Put some oil on a soft cloth and rub it over the outside of the kettle. Make sure not to scratch the outside surface by rubbing gently.
3. Clean your kettle often. With frequent use, your kettle’s interior can build up, especially if you live in an area with hard water. This can result in flakes in your tea or coffee, as well as a slower kettle. Clean your kettle every few months to keep it working properly.

Final Thoughts

By following this guide step by step, you will know by now how to expertly clean a kettle. Whether you want to use a vinegar solution, baking soda or a commercial cleaning solution, there will be an option on this list that will suit your needs.