How to Clean a Burnt Tea Kettle: 4 Simple Methods
Tea kettles are for holding the temperature of the water for a long time so that you can use it to make tea or coffee or other instant meals that have to do with hot and warm water. Finding a good kettle isn’t that easy. Conventional ones get cold too soon and mostly made of average grade material.
When the teapot reaches the maximum temperature, it damages its temperature holding ability. If you usually store extremely hot water in the teapot and looking to figure out how to clean a burnt tea kettle, you are in the right place.
Whether the teapot has burned batches on the outside or inside, you can still restore its temperature holding capacity to some extent following some cleaning methods.
Contents
Understand How Do Tea Kettles Burn
Most people, including me, think that water doesn’t burn teapot. If you leave the teapot on a hot burner for too long, it will burn the kettle. You might think the water is yet to be boiled, but most teapots get overheated sooner than you can think.
Don’t forget the functions of kettles. These are for heating water and holding its temperature for a certain duration of time.
If the teapot is heated for too long, this can cause the kettle to lose its structural integrity, and it will not be able to hold the temperature for long.
Clean a Burnt Tea Kettle
Actually, there are quite a few ways of cleaning teapots of such conditions. Depending on the intensity of burning, you need to attempt one or multiple cleaning methods.
Method 1: Using Vinegar and Other Chemicals
Most times, excessive heat also causes stains that seem quite difficult to clean off the surface. If you have an aluminum-made kettle, you have the advantage of applying much pressure for cleaning the burnt marks.
Make a mixture of vinegar, lemon juice, and tartar cream, and apply it on the burnt surface of the kettle. Let the mixture sit for 10-15 minutes. Then use a nylon sponge, and scrub aggressively to clean the marks and stains.
Method 2: Using Soap
If the burnt spot seems minor, you can tackle it using mild soap and sponge without much struggle. Consider using the soap on the marks and scrub them away with a sponge.
Method 3: Heating with Liquid Dishwasher
This one is one of the simplest methods, yet difficult to clean because it requires you to scorch the teapot much harder.
Apply some liquid dishwasher into the pot or on the burnt spot, and make it completely submerged. If dishwashing liquid doesn’t work for you, consider using one or two tablespoons of salt.
Hold the teapot in water for an hour. Use a wooden spoon or spatula to scrape the residue from it. If the burnt marks still exist, refill the pot with soapy or salty water and leave for a few hours.
A simmer will take care from here. Bring the teapot to a simmer, and make sure the temperature remains the same for about 10 minutes. Turn the heat off, and let the teapot soak overnight in the mixture.
Boil the salt or soap solution in the morning. Try with a spatula or a wooden spoon; this should clean the remaining marks.
Method 4: Applying Baking Soda
This method requires you to use baking soda, a bottle scrubber, and soft clothes or scrubbing pads.
Pour a cup of baking soda into your stovetop tea kettle and fill it with water. Boil the baking soda and water. Once it’s boiled, turn off the heat, and leave it there for 10 minutes.
Now, take the scrubber or any scrubbing brush, and give the inside of the kettle a good scrubbing. Be careful if the teapot is still hot; don’t burn your hands.
If you still see some stains on the burnt spot or near it, pour boiled water right on it; further, add some baking soda. Use the scrubber or brush to mix the baking soda until it forms a paste. If you see it dissolves in the water, consider adding more baking soda.
Keep scrubbing the burnt marks until the stain is completely wiped away. After that, wash the teapot as you normally do and make it dry.
The Final Resort
If all the above methods fail to remove burnt marks from the kettle, consider applying two methods at the same time. I would suggest trying the dishwashing liquid method and let the pot sit for max 2 hours, depending on how severe the burn is.
Then, pour some baking soda, and scrub the marks using an abrasive sponge or brush. You can add a few drops of dish soap to make it easier.
How to Prevent Staining the Kettle
Even though you must heat the kettle to be able to make water hot or warm, if you are not careful with the heat, it will cause stains on the surface. So, make sure liquids don’t burn over during cooking. Any messes and spills should be cleaned as soon as possible before the stain gets harder to remove.
If you are frying something, be sure to place the kettle somewhere else to prevent stain-causing substances from contacting the teapot.
How to Safely Use a Tea Kettle
The following tips will make sure you don’t abuse the teapot unwillingly, and its temperature holding ability lasts longer.
- Always place your kettle on a burner of the right size. If the burner is larger, it can damage the exterior of the pot.
- Fill the kettle halfway before you start boiling the water. Don’t overfill it. Check if the filling stays under the spout.
- Don’t dry boil anything using the kettle. Otherwise, it will get extremely hot and damage the pot.
- Be sure not to go above medium-high heat while boiling water in the kettle.
Final Words
I would rather use my kettle carefully than exposing it to high-heat on the stove to protect its interior and exterior structure to enjoy quick tea-drinks multiple times a day for years.
However, regardless of how careful you are, accidents can happen, and you might burn the teapot unwillingly. So, knowing how to clean a burnt tea kettle is like a lifesaving tip for those who cannot live a day without a few cups of tea.
