Kettles are a vital household appliance used every day for various reasons. Whether you’re brewing up your morning cup of coffee or saving yourself time by pouring already boiled water into a pot to cook rice with, kettles play a role in many different parts of our lives while adding a great amount of value and convenience. As such, your kettle must get cleaned as often as possible.
This task won’t require a large deal of time, nor is it difficult to complete successfully. There are very few tools needed to give your kettle a thorough clean. Although there are several different ways to clean your kettle, this article will focus on one method in particular – how to clean your kettle with lemon. Before we look at this method of cleaning in more detail, it’s always good to know why it’s important to clean your kettle.
Why Is It Important To Clean Your Kettle?
The most important reason to clean your kettle regularly is to maintain good health. Although a kettle’s job is to clean and purify water, the minerals that get extracted start forming white, salty scales at the bottom of your kettle once you’ve used it enough. This becomes a bigger problem if you live in an area with dirty water. Clean your kettle often to avoid consuming the scales that get left behind.
Another good reason to clean your kettle is to extend its lifespan. Those same scales become a problem for your kettle’s element if they build up enough, causing the kettle to work less efficiently as time goes on. Instead of spending extra money to buy a new kettle, use the following 5 steps to clean the kettle you have with lemon.
1. Fill Your Kettle With Water
Fill your kettle to the halfway point or more, not exceeding its level of maximum capacity. Add 3 to 4 whole slices of lemon to the water.
2. Bring To A Boil
Bring your kettle to a boil, allowing it to run the full cycle. It’s crucial that you let the water reach its maximum temperature and boil until the kettle stops to extract as much citric acid as possible. This is the main part of the lemon that works as a cleaning component.
3. Allow The Mixture Time To Sit
Once the kettle has finished boiling, let the mixture of water and lemons rest for 30 minutes. This will allow the citric acid more time to fight off any bacteria and reach as many salty flakes as possible.
4. Pour Out And Scrub
Once the 30 minutes is up, take out the lemon slices and pour the water out of the kettle. Use a sponge to do one last clean if you feel that your kettle needs a scrub.
5. Rinse And Dry
Give your kettle one last rinse after scrubbing it and allow it to air dry.
| Pro Tip: You can swap out your lemon slices for citric acid in its powder form instead. Repeat the steps above with one change – let the water boil fully before adding the citric acid (2 tablespoons). |
You’re now ready to enjoy cleaner water and better cups of coffee. Clean your kettle often enough and you’ll give yourself the gift of improved health and fewer shopping sprees to search for new kettles.
