Yvonne Glasgow
It’s easy to forget to clean your electric kettle, but it does need it every month or two. Fortunately, this simple project won’t take much time away from your fun weekend schedule.
Cleaning the Inside
It’s likely your kettle came with cleaning instructions, but you probably already have some products you can use to clean it. The important thing is to remember is not to submerge any kitchen device with attached cords or external heating elements in water.
The go-to cleaning agent for coffee pots is also perfect to use on your electric kettle—white vinegar! Here’s what to do:
- Fill your kettle with half vinegar and half water.
- After it comes to a boil, unplug your kettle, and let it sit for a half an hour until the solution cools.
- Empty the solution, and then wipe out the inside with a nonabrasive sponge, but avoid the heating element.
- Rinse out your kettle a few times.
If the smell of the vinegar remains a bit too pungent for your liking, heat some water in your kettle a few times until it goes away.
If your kettle instructions say not to use vinegar, you can use lemon or baking soda instead. To clean with lemon, just fill your kettle with water, squeeze the juice of one lemon into it, slice the lemon and toss in the pieces, and then follow Steps 2-4 above.
If you haven’t descaled your kettle in a long time (or ever), let the solution soak overnight. Alternatively, you might want to use a more powerful descaling agent, like Dezcal or Durgol.
Cleaning the Outside
To clean the exterior of your electric kettle, just use a damp cloth and some dish detergent—avoid using anything abrasive that might scratch the surface. Wipe off any water stains or fingerprints.
If your kettle is stainless steel, you can rub a bit of olive oil on the outside after its clean to make it shine again.
