An electric kettle is a kitchen gadget that has gained popularity in all households. It is quick and easy to use and comes with quite multipurpose features as well. Unlike traditional kettles, electric kettles are safe and can be used by adults and kids alike, they are also installed with an auto timer feature that shuts off the gadget when the water gets hot. Whether you want to cook instant noodles, boil milk or make a cup of your favourite hot beverage, trust the water heater jug or electric kettle to do it all.
Now that we know that boiling water in a kettle is simple, let's understand how to wash an electric kettle. There is more than one way to wash the kettle, see what suits you the best and go for it!
Why does an Electric Kettle Develop Scales?
An electric kettle instantly heats water for your needs. Since this process is repetitive and may leave scales, minerals or other calcium deposits inside the kettle. The buildup is also called ‘kettle furring’ and when found in large quantities, it can change the taste of our drink/beverage. It is best not to wait for the build-up to increase in quantity before you begin the clean-up process, you can perform a small cleaning routine every time and go for a deep clean every few weeks.
What are the Three Ways To Clean An Electric Kettle
Clean Your Electric Kettle With Vinegar
Vinegar is slightly acidic in nature, this allows you to get any deposits or accumulation in the electric kettle off its surface. Vinegar is also a good option to go with if you live in a place where the water itself is hard.
To clean the kettle with vinegar, you can follow the following steps.
- Mix 1 part of vinegar with 2 parts of water, if the deposits or scales are too many. If there are not too many scales you can mix 1 part of vinegar with 3 parts of water.
- Next, boil this mixture, until the auto shut-off feature gets activated. Then let the mixture stay in the kettle for about 20 minutes or overnight if you like.
- Drain the water away and check for scales again. If you feel like the scales are too much, then use a non-metallic scrubber to rinse them off.
- Then, you can boil hot water in the kettle to get rid of the vinegar smell. You may have to perform this task about 4-5 times until the vinegar smell is off the kettle.
- For the exterior, you can use a damp cloth to clean any water droplets off the kettle.
Clean Your Electric Kettle With Lemon
Citric acid can be highly useful to help you clean your kettle. If you cannot use vinegar to clean your kettle and are wondering how to clean an electric kettle, you can try using citric acid such as lemon or lime as well.
To clean the kettle with lemon or lime, you can follow the following steps.
- Cut some lemons or lime and place them in your kettle. You can also squeeze out the lemon juice and fill the kettle with this mixture.
- Next, boil this mixture and wait for the kettle to auto shut off. Your electric kettle may be as hot as a hot water jug at this point, so be careful handling it.
- Then, keep the boiled water in the kettle for about 20 minutes, then empty the kettle and wash off with regular water.
- Lastly, boil regular water in the kettle to get rid of the lemon smell. And then you are good to go!
Clean Your Electric Kettle With Baking Soda
Another way to have a squeaky clean electric kettle at home is by using baking soda. It gets the job done and hardly takes any time.
To clean the kettle with baking soda, you can follow the following steps.
- Pour a teaspoon of baking soda into the kettle and fill the electric kettle with water.
- Boil the water, and set it aside for 20 minutes. Usually boiling water in a kettle should take less than a few minutes
- Then, pour the water into the sink and use a non-metallic scrubber to clean the insides of the kettle.
- Rinse the water off and set it aside to air dry.
Clean Your Electric Kettle With Commercial Cleaning Powder
If you are looking to wash your electric kettle with chemical powder or kettle cleaner available in stores or supermarkets, that's a great option too! You can rest assured that your kettle will be as good as new from the inside and the outside.
To clean the kettle with commercial kettle cleaning powder, you can follow the following steps.
- Just like in the case of baking soda, pour the powder into the kettle.
- Fill the kettle with hot water and boil the cleaning powder along with the water.
- Then, set the mixture aside for a few hours and rinse the kettle.
- You can also boil hot water 2-3 times in the kettle to get rid of any leftover chemicals in the kettle.
How to Maintain the Exterior Surface of the Electric Kettle?
Wipe up the external surface of the Kettle using a Dish Soap
Electric kettles have minimal maintenance in general, if you want to know how to wash an electric kettle from the outside just follow the steps below.
- Pour dishwashing liquid on the external surface, and make sure it doesn’t get inside the kettle.
- Gently rub the kettle with a damp cloth until all the spots get cleaned.
- Air dry for some time before you put it back on its base.
Wipe up the external surface of the Kettle using Olive Oil
Olive oil is yet another ingredient that will help you keep your kettle as good as new. To keep your kettle cleaning process simple follow the steps below.
- Take some olive oil on a soft cloth and rub it on the surface of the electric kettle. Be sure to spread it around the kettle slowly and be gentle with your movements.
- If you rush around while shining up your kettle, it may cause scratches, so be slow and careful with your movements.
- After carefully spreading olive oil around, you will notice that the kettle is all shiny and bright.
Conclusion
Electric kettles are your happy helpers in the kitchen. They can be used for cooking food, boiling water and milk and enhance your cooking experience. In the article above, we saw how to clean the kettle inside and how to clean the hot pot on the outside. There are many ways to keep your kettle clean and what matters is the frequency. You can make an effort to clean the kettle from the outside every day so that the water doesn’t stay on it for too long and leave stains. And for the interiors, you can draw up a schedule to perhaps clean it once a week.
We hope the article was helpful and you definitely would use the above to clean a kettle every now and then.
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