How to Clean Electric Kettle

You don't have to be the Queen of England to have a kettle that shines inside and out.

Sure, Ree herself may love a good cup of coffee more than a spot of tea, but there are plenty of folks that enjoy nothing more than cuddling up with a cuppa, especially when using accessories from The Pioneer Woman Collection, like gorgeous mugs and a beautiful electric kettle. Speaking of electric kettles, aren't they the niftiest? They boil water a lot faster than a traditional kettle, so not only do you get your tea more quickly, they're also more energy efficient than the old models that have to sit on the stove forever. But there is one thing that you need to know about these super-handy boilers that you might not, and that's how to clean your electric kettle.

Chances are, even if you've only been using your kettle for a few months, you've noticed icky stains on the inside and bottom of it that look like the marks perspiration leaves on clothes after it dries. This is called limescale, and it's caused by mineral deposits in your water. It's not only icky (ew, who wants to drink that stuff?) it eventually can build up on the heating element in your kettle and cause it work less efficiently or even break down completely. That's why, just like you properly clean your dishwasher, hardwood floors, or grill, it's important to wash your kettle the correct way. After all, you wouldn't want to have to postpone your tea party, would you? Luckily, it's really easy to do by taking the following steps.

Fill your kettle halfway full with equal parts distilled white vinegar and water and turn it on. Let it come to a boil, then unplug the kettle and allow the mixture to cool for about 20 minutes or so. Use a scrubby brush to clean the interior. Dip a microfiber cloth into the mixture and wipe down the exterior. Dump out the mixture and rinse the interior with water. Fill the kettle with water and let it come to a boil, then dump the water. Repeat as necessary to get rid of any lingering vinegar scent or taste. To keep limescale from building up in your kettle, clean every month or two.

Don't have any vinegar on hand? You can use citric acid or even soda. For the former, fill your kettle half-way with water, bring it to a boil and then add two tablespoons of citric acid. Let the mixture cool, then scrub the interior and rinse. For the latter process, fill the kettle about half-way with flat soda, bring to a boil, then let sit until cool. Dump the soda, scrub inside and rinse.

Jill Gleeson is a travel journalist and memoirist based in the Appalachian Mountains of western Pennsylvania who has written for websites and publications including Good Housekeeping, Woman’s Day, Country Living, Washingtonian, Gothamist, Canadian Traveller, and EDGE Media Network. Jill is the travel editor for Enchanted Living. Learn more about her journey at gleesonreboots.com.

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