Electric kettles are common household items due to their efficiency, speed, and ease of use. With a good quality electric kettle, you can boil water for tea, hot cocoa, instant soups, and faster food prep and cooking.
However, you must undertake routine maintenance, which includes cleaning, to ensure that your electric kettle operates effectively, correctly, and for a longer period of time.
Cleaning an electric kettle involves not only cleaning the surface to keep the gadget looking great, but also cleaning the interior to remove any mineral buildup and other tap water residues that might harm the kettle, reduce its lifetime, and contaminate your boiling water.
If your home has hard water, it is extremely crucial to clean the electric kettle.
Here are some pointers for effectively and safely cleaning your electric kettle.
How to clean electric kettle – tools, and materials you will need
Cleaning your electric kettle from residue build-up and other gunk requires only a few simple items and tools, which you already have in your pantry or home, including:
- Distilled white vinegar or citric acid powder
- A bottle brush
- A microfiber cloth
- Water
Using citric acid to clean your electric kettle
Fill the kettle with water up to ½ or ¾ and bring it to a boil. Once the kettle switches off, add one or two tablespoons of citric acid to the hot water, and let the solution sit for 20-30 minutes.
Repeat the procedure with the microfiber cloth and the scrubby brush to make sure that any residues inside and outside of the appliance are removed.
After that, discard the mixture and rinse out the kettle with tap or filtered water.
Fill it with water and bring it to a boil again to ensure there is no citric acid powder residue left inside your electric kettle. You may need to repeat this step more than once to remove any taste or odor from the appliance.
Using vinegar to clean your electric kettle
Use a measuring cup to mix equal parts of water and distilled white vinegar. Pour the mixture into the kettle so that it is half or three-quarters full, and switch on the electric kettle. After it comes to a boil, switch it off, or allow it to turn itself off automatically. Then let the boiling solution sit for about 20-30 minutes in the kettle.
When it has cooled down, dip a microfiber cloth in the solution, and wipe the exterior of your kettle. Make sure you unplug it to stay safe while cleaning the appliance.
You can use a scrubby or bottle brush to scrub the inside of the kettle in order to remove any remaining residue inside. Try to reach all corners and crevices with the brush.
After that, discard the vinegar and water solution and rinse it off with clean water. For better results, you can use filtered or distilled water.
To remove the odor of vinegar, you can run one or two cycles of boiling with plain water. You will also keep the pipes in your home clean by pouring the vinegar water into the drain of your sink.
Clean the filter as well
Most electric kettles have mesh filters on the spout to keep residues out of the water you pour from them. You should soak and rinse off the filter even more often to ensure there is no limescale or other build-up stuck in it.
This can be done by soaking the filter in a glass or bowl of vinegar and then scrubbing it with a non-abrasive pad to remove the mineral and other build-ups.
After you are done, boil several kettles of water and pour it through the filter to remove the vinegar odor and taste.
See also: Do you need a faster electric kettle?
More tips on keeping your electric kettle clean
Apart from the periodic deep cleaning with vinegar or citric acid powder, you can ensure that your kitchen appliance remains sanitary and safe for use by following the following tips:
- Use only as much water as you will need when turning on the kettle to prevent waste
- Discard any leftover water from the kettle after use to prevent residue build-up
- Do not attempt to wash and immerse the electric kettle in water or a dishwasher because you will damage the heating element
- Clean the outside of your kettle regularly to keep it nice and shiny
- If you live in an area with hard water, make sure you deep clean the inside of your kettle at least once a month
- For better results, you can use distilled filtered water, which does not cause the build-up of scale and deposits
- You can use the electric kettle to speed up the cooking process and to make oatmeal, instant soup, and other meals, which will save you time and save energy