The start of a cold winter morning is incomplete without a hot drink to refresh yourself. Once we used to put water on a stove and wait till it boils to get hot food or beverages. Things are much more different than ever now.
Since the introduction of electric kettles, making hot water has been very easy. Nowadays, it is an essential part of our life to boil water for preparing food or a variety of beverages. For being an intuitive tool to operate, a lot of people prefer it over other kitchen appliances.
So it is certain that we use electric kettles constantly to serve different purposes. However, similar to other kitchen appliances, an electric kettle also needs proper cleaning to perform well regularly. Here, we are giving you some vital ways on how to cleaning the inside of an electric kettle:
Why Do your Electric Kettle Need Cleaning
Your electric kettle needs proper cleaning for several reasons. First of all, if you frequently use your kettle, germs can potentially affect its lifespan. The problem becomes severe if your kettle starts to perform worse gradually.
Moreover, if you live in an area with “Hard Water” supply, minerals can build up in your kettle. As a result, this phenomenon can cause harm to your kettle interior. So you might find a bitter taste in the hot water of your kettle. That’s why there is no alternative to clean the inside of your electric kettle for better performance.
How do you clean the inside of an electric kettle
Cleaning the inside of an electric kettle fully depends on how much you use it. If you require it in your everyday life, we suggest you clean it at least once a week. In case of occasional use, it is fine to remove the germs from the kettle interior two-three times a month.
Vinegar Solution
Vinegar is an effective chemical element to remove the dirt inside your kettle. Firstly, fill up your electric kettle with white vinegar and water of equal parts. Then, turn on the kettle and allow the solution to boil inside.
The process will remove the limestone stains inside it. In case, the scaling is poor, enhance the white vinegar amount in the solution and repeat the process.
Turn off the kettle and allow soaking the solution for 15-20 minutes before discarding it.
Lemon Solution
If you want to use anything except Vinegar, Lemon is an ideal cleaning product to keep the inside of your kettle neat. To clean electric kettle, make a solution of lemon water with a 1:1 ratio. Alternately, simply squeeze slices of lemon in the water and make a mixture of these two items.
After that, boil the mixture and let it soak for around an hour. Finally, rinse the kettle after dumping the lemon-water solution.
Citric Power
If you are not comfortable with using lemon, you can use Citric acid powder as another cleaning option instead. At first, fill up half of your electric kettle with water and add two tablespoons of citric acid powder.
Let the ingredients mix and bring it to a boil. Then, turn off the kettle and soak the solution for nearly 20-30 minutes before discarding.
Baking Soda
Baking soda is another effective cleaning solution to ensure deep cleaning inside your electric kettle. Similar to the previous method, make a mixture of water and baking soda.
Make sure to add at least one tablespoon of baking soda solution into the water. Then, bring the solution to a boil and soak it for around 20 minutes.
Replace the Water Filter
If your electric kettle comes with a water filter, don’t forget to clean it occasionally. But always follow the instructions of the manufacturer before that.
Some kettles have metallic water filters which require regular cleaning to work properly. If you have one of these, try to clean it by soaking it in a hot water solution.
However, we recommend changing or replacing the water filter if you use it for a long period.
Scrub the Inside of the Kettle
Continuous use of the electric kettle can decline its performance. Hence, keep the inside area of your kettle always clean and dirt-free.
You can gently scrub the inside of your kettle with a soft-bristled bottle brush or a soft cloth. After the scrubbing, rinse the kettle interior with fresh water.
Alternatively, a non-abrasive sponge can be handy for the cleaning process. Always focus around the spout since mineral buildup depends on that region particularly.
Dip your sponge or brush in pure vinegar and prevent the mineral buildup around the spout inside the kettle.
After following the overall process, boil several pots of fresh water. Then, cleaning the inside of an electric kettle with it a couple of times.
Make sure no taste of previously used solution is still available inside your kettle. Obviously, none would like to taste a cup of tea with the flavor of vinegar or baking soda!
Do’s and Don’ts
- Always unplug your electric kettle before you clean it. That will ensure your safety during the cleaning process.
- Never immerse the full set of your kettle under water. Otherwise, the heating element inside your kitchen tool might not function properly later.
- Never leave water inside your kettle after using it to prepare any food. That habit can influence the mineral to build up inside which can be very harmful. So dump the leftover water after every use.
- Boil water inside your kettle in the right amount that you exactly need. That will minimize your chance of keeping any leftover water in your kitchen appliance.
- Try to ensure consistent cleaning of your electric kettle.
- Prefer distilled clean water rather than mineral water to clean your kettle.
An electric kettle is a common tool that most of us have in our kitchen. However, the situation can be troublesome unless you use the ideal cleaning solution and clean the dirt inside your kettle properly. So take care of your electric kettle and enjoy your hazy winter morning with a refreshing hot drink.
