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Sue asked: How do I clean the inside of a stainless steel teapot? The inside of my pot is stained black. It looks disgusting, and I can’t seem to get rid of it.
Many
people think that a teapot is the same as a tea kettle, but that is not true. A teapot is used on a table to serve the tea. A tea kettle on the other hand is the device used to boil the water. Although they look similar, a teapot usually is not built to withstand cooking temperatures on a stove; it is mostly decorative. If you need to clean a tea kettle, see the guide How to Clean the Inside of a Stainless Steel Tea Kettle. If you need to clean a teapot, follow the steps below.
You Will Need:
- Denture tablets
- White vinegar
- Lemon juice
- Baking soda
- A bottle brush
Steps to Clean the Teapot:
- Fill the teapot with warm water, then drop in a couple denture cleaning tablets. Let the tablets fizz in the pot for about an hour. This will remove some types of stains and help to clean off the tea residue.
- Moisten a soft cloth with white vinegar or lemon juice, then wipe the inside of the teapot. This will work to remove some types of stains, including rust, as well as sanitize it.
- For small stains, a baking soda paste can be used. Combine 3 teaspoons of baking soda with one teaspoon of water to make a thick paste. Put the paste on a cloth and scrub it into the stains.
- If the pot is extra stained, mix 4 tablespoons of baking soda into 4 cups of hot water. Stir the mixture well to ensure the baking soda dissolves. Put the mixture into the teapot and let it sit for about an hour, then scrub the inside of the pot clean.
- If you have trouble with cleaning the spout, use a bottle brush. These can be found in the baby aisle of most supermarkets. A straw brush (made for cleaning a reusable straw) can also work.
Additional Tips and Advice
- If you have mineral deposits or limescale inside your teapot, soak a paper towel with white vinegar and press the paper towel onto the deposits. Let the towel sit on the stains for about an hour, then scrub off the deposits.
- Never use a steel wool pad or brush to clean the inside of your stainless steel teapot. They will damage the surface and allow for rust to start forming.
- If you need to scrub the stainless steel, use a nylon or plastic scrubber.
- Never use a product that contains chlorine bleach to clean the inside of your teapot.
- If you need to clean the outside of the teapot, use the guide How to Clean Stainless Steel.
Sources
- Haley’s Hints by Graham and Rosemary Haley
- Martha Stewart’s Homekeeping Handbook by Martha Stewart
- Baking Soda Solutions by M. B. Ryther
Try denture cleaning tablets. I happened by accident to use this idea to clean the inside of my stainless coffee pot, as well as the coffee maker. I’ve used the vinegar and baking soda methods, and they work. I have tried cream of tartar with boiling water, and it works on stainless steel; the stains just wash away. However, I wear a mouth guard at night that can get very cruddy. My dentist said to soak it is denture cleaner. I watched it work and applied the same concept to my coffee maker. Once a week, I fill the reservoir with hot water, drop in two tabs of denture cleaner, put two tabs in my empty coffee pot and turn it on. Rinse with another pot of fresh water. Voila! No stains and my coffee maker is clean too. The calcium residue and rancid coffee buildup are rinsed away. No after-taste like with a vinegar/baking soda wash either!
I have a teapot that is closed with just a pour spout. HELP PLEASE.
Greg,
There are scrub brushes made for glassware that you could use. Here are some by Wine Enthusiast.
There are also scrub brushes made for pipes that could work in your situation. Here are some examples.
Alternatively, you could just get a packet of craft pipe cleaners, bend the end of each one into a wad and put them into the teapot one at a time until you have a sufficient amount for scrubbing.
If you want to remove the build-up of dark material in your teaPOT, not kettle, just put in a spoonful of ordinary household washing powder, fill with boiling water and leave overnight, rinse it out and, if necessary, scrub with a non-metal brush. If the coating is heavy, you may need to do this a couple of times; works a treat.
I agree withbwhat ECT says – I use one tablet of Steradent only every two months. The best thing is no scrubbing. Put one tablet in the teapot and fill it with boiling water, leave for about two hours, rinse and repeat if necessary. When finished, fill it with boiling water, rinse and pour it away. AND REPEAT. This is brilliant, but didn’t clean inside the spout, so I broke a tablet up and put half a tablet down the spout and half-filled the teapot until foam started to come out of the spout; so not to waste it, I put my finger over the end of the spout & held it until the foaming stopped. I suppose if I did it more frequently I could make do with ONE tablet. Must try next time.
“Never use a steel wool pad or brush to clean the inside of your stainless steel teapot. They will damage the surface and allow for rust to start forming.”
RUBBISH. Stainless steel cannot rust – hence the name ‘stainless’.