In many homesteads, occupants use hard water for almost all chores. For purposes of drinking, they boil the water to break down its chemical components and make it softer and healthier. Tea kettle falls in the bracket of accessories used mainly for this purpose.
Proper maintenance of any tea kettle demands that the antique be cleaned regularly. This is to keep it hygienic and sparkling clean for any kind of chores. With time, you will realize that the inner surface of the tea kettle becomes greasy due to sedimentation of chalk-like substances. We are going to take you through the formation of the chalky substances and how to clean various types of tea kettle.
What makes up the limescale?
A lot that is used at home in the form of drinking water and any other type of chore is underground water. However, before the water reaches your tap there is a series of chemical reaction that it undergoes—either naturally or artificially. During the chemical processes, numerous components in the form of mineral play vital roles. These can be in the form of potassium, magnesium, calcium and so forth.
Part of the artificial curing that the water undergoes removes some of these chemicals. On the other hand, a good portion of the compounds usually finds their way into your tea kettle. During the boiling process, the compounds cling onto the surface of the antique. With gradual and longer use, the sediments build up to form what is commonly called the limescale.
The science behind the formation of limescale
Whereas temporary hardness can be removed by boiling, permanent hardness cannot. Instead, it results in sedimentation in the form of chalk-like substance in the inner surface of the tea kettle. During the boiling process, the intense heat and high boiling temperatures convert the insoluble calcium bicarbonate into insoluble calcium carbonate. It is the insoluble calcium carbonate that piles up on the surface of the kettle to form the limescale.
Can the sediments affect your health?
Doctors and books encourage the intake of calcium ions into the body. According to doctors, the components are of no effects to the body of the consumer. However, when taken gradually for a longer period, the ions can upscale your risks to diseases such as kidney stones.
Otherwise, since you are what you eat, it doesn’t hurt to remain cautious about what you take into your body system. You can use filters to remove the sediments from the water before gulping it down the body system.
Effects of limescale on the surface of the tea kettle
In the context of the functionality, limescale reduces the efficiency of the tea kettle. It increases the surface of heat conduction hence resulting in longer time when it comes to heating your water. Secondly, the white matter at the bottom of the kettle gives it a bizarre outlook and feel. This is a huge turn off more so when using the kettle in front of esteemed guests.
The process of limescale sedimentation usually takes place in the hard-to-reach surface. This is usually at the bottom of the tea kettle. As a result, it is a bit daunting to scrap off the white matter at once. This is why it is advisable to go for the kettle with lids at the bottom for convenient cleaning.
When using a whistling teapot, you will realize that the build-up moves towards the lid. With time the lid gets fully covered hence impairing the functionality of the whistling teapot a great deal.
Can limescale ruin your cup of tea?
While hard water isn’t dangerous, limescale can wreak havoc when it comes to the resultant taste of your cup of tea. Owing to the higher concentration of magnesium and calcium ions that forms the chalky substance, the elements not only flatten the flavour of the tea. They go the extra mile to give it an awful texture that is a real turn off as far as sipping tea is concerned.
Normally, there are compounds in the tea that dissolves in water during brewing to give the tea its ideal taste. The additional compounds in limescale give these elements in the tea hard time to dissolve. The result is a final brew with an awful taste that doesn’t match your expectations.
How to remove limescale from the surface of your tea kettle
The fight against limescale builds up in your tea kettle heavily relies on the action of the vinegar. To descale the sediments, fill the accessory with half water and half vinegar. Leave the compound to soak inside the tea kettle overnight. In the morning, run a cleaning cloth over the mixture and pour it down. You will realize that the sediments come off easily without investing a lot of your energy.
The rule of thumb here is thorough rinsing after washing. To regain the normal scent of the kettle, you can pour some water inside it and heat to boiling. Then, pour out the water to remain with a scent-free pot. Tea brewing works best for kettles that are purposefully used for that.
Lastly, you will need to descale the limescale regularly after a specific duration of time. Two weeks works best for most people. Otherwise, you should be guided by the rates of limescale build-up.
How to clean an electric kettle
Cleaning an electric tea kettle is not anything hard. To keep the kettle overly clean:
- Mix some vinegar with water
- Pour mixture into the kettle and heat to boil
- Unplug the kettle and allow the mixture to cool
- Scrub the inside of the kettle and pour out the mixture
- Use a microfiber cloth to clean the inner surface of the accessory
- Thoroughly Use a microfiber cloth to clean the exterior surface of the kettle
- rinse the kettle with clean water in a cycle until all the traces and foully smell of the vinegar is entirely done with.
Cleaning a glass tea kettle
Glass tea kettles feature a smooth surface that is hard-to-stain and easy to clean. To clean any type of glass kettle all you need is to:
- Fill the kettle with a mixture of water and vinegar
- Rest the mixture for about one hour to soak
- Once it is soaked enough, heat the kettle to boil
- Empty the kettle and use microfiber or washing cloth to clean the accessory inside-out
- Rinse thoroughly with water to remove the smell of the vinegar
- Rub with a drying cloth and store safely
Cleaning a copper tea kettle
Copper tea kettles are susceptible to both oxygenation and limescale build-up. Their lustrous aesthetic experience is immensely affected by simple exposure to air. Just as their glass counterparts, they feature smooth surfaces that are effortless to clean. To clean any copper teapot, all you need is to:
- Add an equal amount of vinegar solution and water in a mixing bowl. Add some salt and lemon juice
- Dip a clean soft cloth into the solution
- Use the soft cloth to rub the surface of the teapot inside-out
- Rinse thoroughly with clean water
- Dry using a dry towel and store safely
Cleaning a cast iron tea kettle
The sole reason why many people hate cast iron tea kettle is their susceptibility to rust. This not only gives them an ugly look but also impair their functions a great deal. The resultant chemicals formed when the tea accessory rust is also detrimental to your health as a user. Therefore, before even thinking of how to clean the tea kettle, it is wise to be well versed with how to prevent the teaware from rusting.
To remove rusty material from any cast iron tea kettle surface, all you need is to:
- Use an iron mesh to brush both the inside and the outside of the tea kettle
- Soak the kettle overnight with a mixture of carbonated soda
- On the next day, wash the accessory with soapy water
- Rinse the surfaces thoroughly with clean water
To eliminate the reoccurrence of rusting, you can go ahead and rub a layer of cooking oil on the surface of the antique to keep it sealed. Otherwise, vinegar works best when it comes to removing layers of limescale sediments from the surface of cast iron tea kettle.
Cleaning a stainless steel tea kettle
Stainless steel tea kettles are cleaned pretty much the same as the aforementioned variants. A 1:1 mixture of water and vinegar, when soaked inside the accessory overnight, is enough to remove all the built-up limescale from its surface. However, if you don’t like working with vinegar, you can use lemon juice instead.
To clean any stainless steel kettle:
- Add one cup of baking soda inside the kettle
- Fill the accessory with water to the brim and heat to boil
- Remove the kettle from the heat source and leave the mixture to cool
- Use a scrub brush to remove any stain and sediment from the surface of the kettle
- Use soap and washing cloth to thoroughly wash both the outside and the inside of the teaware
- Rinse thoroughly with clean water, and using a towel, rub to dry
Conclusion
Vinegar and lemon juice work well when removing limescale from almost all type of tea kettle. They can also be applied when washing a stove-top or dishwasher safe kettle. However, it is a general rule of thumb to remain cautious when handling fragile accessories made of glass, ceramic, porcelain and copper.
Related Article: How to Clean a Silver Plate Teapot? Step-by-Step Instructions
