What would we do without the humble kettle? It’s used multiple times a day for tea, coffee, and the ubiquitous ramen noodles. (I love ramen for an easy lunch.)

The fact is that boiling water has become an essential part of our daily routine. Yet, Cleaning our kettle is a job that too many of us forget about.

That’s right, boiling water doesn’t mean the inside of your kettle is whistle clean.

In another article, we gave you tips on how to clean your glass kettle in an eco-friendly and healthy way. Now, let’s tackle Stainless Steel kettles.

Actually, when was the last time you took a peek inside yours?

What is That Stuff? (It’s Limescale)

OK, don’t give yourself nightmares, but limescale can build up quickly in kettles, especially if you have particularly hard water.

If you don’t it can affect the taste of the water, and you might even end up with bits of limescale floating in your tea if things get bad. This won’t harm you, but pleasant it is not.

If you use an electric kettle, limescale can eventually affect the heating element and prevent the water from boiling. 

So how to get rid of it? Well, it’s easier than you think.

Cleaning in an Environmental Way

When it comes to cleaning anything, most people baulk at the idea of harsh chemicals. This wasn’t always the case, but now more than ever we are all aware of how dangerous they are. For both ourselves and for the environment when they enter the water system.

Not only this but producing them isn’t a sustainable business either.

When it comes to cleaning kettles, however, harsh chemicals have never been recommended. When you’re making your coffee using that water, you don’t want it to have been anywhere near some of the cleaning products on the supermarket shelves.

After all, if you got yourself a nice eco-friendly kettle, it would be sad to clean it with chemicals…

This is why traditional cleaning methods have always been the way to go for stainless steel kettles. 

They get rid of limescale plus AND they are kind to the planet.

Cleaning Your Kettle with Vinegar

It couldn’t be easier! 

For this task, use white vinegar. While you might have a bottle of balsamic in the cupboard, it’s best to keep that for the salad dressings.

Step 1. Half fill your kettle with a 50/50 mix of vinegar and water. No need to measure, just get it approximately right.

Step 2. Boil the kettle. If you’re using an electric kettle, just click it on. Otherwise, heat the water on the stove until it’s boiling, and then take it off to cool. Don’t let it keep boiling!

Step 3. Allow the water to cool completely. This is the step where you need to be patient and allow the vinegar solution to work its magic.

Step 4. Empty the contents and wipe down the inside of your kettle with a soft cloth or brush to remove marks before leaving it to dry. This is the point where you can clean the outside of your kettle as well (see below for how to do just that).

Step 5. Once your kettle is dry, fill it with water and boil it again. Once that’s done, discard this water (or use it for cleaning elsewhere, hot water can tackle a range of stubborn stains).

Step 6. Enjoy using your limescale free kettle!

Other Cleaning Methods for your Kettle

Vinegar solution isn’t the only way you can get rid of limescale and clean the inside of your kettle, there are other methods as well. 

And the great thing about all of these is that you might have the ingredients at home already!

Baking Soda

From deodorizing your microwave (thanks for the tip Mrs Hinch), to mixing it with vinegar to make it fizz in order to get rid of stubborn stains, baking soda can handle anything.

For cleaning, all you need is to add a teaspoon of baking soda to half a kettle of water and boil. Once this is done, scrub the inside of the kettle with a soft brush and then rinse with water.

Lemon Juice

Note: Not to be confused with the acid in vinegar, which is acetic acid.

Citric  acid can burn away stains, without burning your skin (obviously).

Cleaning your kettle with lemon is simple and it gets rid of hard water stains in a flash:

First, you’ll need to cut a lemon into slices.

Then, place these in your kettle and fill it to cover all the stains. (Make sure you don’t overfill!)

Next, boil the water and then let it rest for half an hour before boiling it again. 

Finally, empty the contents and wipe down the inside with a soft sponge before rinsing.

How to Clean the Outside of a Stainless Steel Kettle

You heard me. 

While you might be more used to dipping bread in it, this natural product is great for shining up stainless steel and is perfect for cleaning the outside of your kettle.

Simply dip a soft dry cloth in oil and rub it over the stainless steel surface. Not only will it help remove stains and get rid of grease, it will also make your kettle shine just like new.

Keeping Your Kitchen Green

Cleaning with natural products is always advised, particularly when that product is used  for the kettle that makes your tea.

If you have an electric kettle, you’ll need to make sure that the plug doesn’t get wet at any stage of your cleaning, which is why you can’t just dunk the whole thing in water and dish soap!

That’s it, you have one more green trick up your sleeve for your kitchen. 

But, hey, don’t stop here!

As we explain in our eco-friendly kitchen guide, there are loads of other ways that you can make your kitchen more environmentally friendly. 

And your ultimate goal? Having a zero-waste kitchen! Here is where to start…

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