If you regularly drink herbal infusions, tea, soups, coffee, and other hot beverages or preparations that require boiling water in a pinch, then an electric kettle is a must-have.

Whether you are a college freshman living the dorm life, or a busy housewife looking to squeeze some extra time out of your routine, electric kettles can provide you with unparalleled convenience.

Their one downside, however, is that they will gradually begin to accumulate mineral build-up and grime after extended use. This means that you are going to want to clean it eventually. But, doing so requires knowing which products are safe to use and which techniques will best work to get rid of the accumulated gunk.

How Do You Clean Inside An Electric Kettle?

To properly clean an electric kettle you will need some vinegar, lemon, and/or baking soda. While there are plenty of after-market detergents, degreasers, and limescale removers, natural and readily available ingredients are the way to go.

The best part is that I guarantee you have at least one or all of these items in your home right now. So run to your pantry and let’s get started!

Clean Inside An Electric Kettle The Natural Way

Cleaning An Electric Kettle With Vinegar

White vinegar is arguably the best household product that you can use to descale your electric kettle. This is because its highly acidic nature makes it very efficient at breaking down the mineral and calcium deposits that form inside electric kettles.

To clean your electric kettle with white vinegar simply follow the steps below:

  • Fill your electric kettle with two to three cups of white vinegar
  • Close the lid, and bring the vinegar to a rolling boil for at least 20 minutes.
  • Let the hot vinegar sit inside the kettle for another 15 to 20 minutes
  • Pour out the vinegar, and rinse with clean, fresh water
  • Finally, scrub the inside of the kettle with a soft, clean dish cloth to remove any leftover residue

PROTIP: I strongly recommend that you stick to distilled white vinegar. Using other common types such as apple cider vinegar or red wine vinegar, you will likely end up with small traces of their stronger aromas inside your electric kettle. If you can smell or taste the vinegar after cleaning your kettle, you can simply boil a batch of clean water.

Cleaning An Electric Kettle With Lemon

Lemon juice is another superb natural cleaning ingredient you can use to clean your electric kettle. This is because lemon juice contains large quantities of Citric Acid, which makes it very effective at breaking down limescale and grease.

To clean your electric kettle with lemon juice simply follow the steps below:

  • Add freshly squeezed juice from two large lemons to the inside of your electric kettle
  • Mix in two cups of clean, fresh water to the inside of your electric kettle
  • Bring the water/lemon juice solution to a boil
  • Lower the heat to a minimum, and allow the liquid to simmer for 1 hour
  • Empty the water/lemon juice mixture and rinse the inside of the kettle with clean, fresh water
  • Use a soft sponge to scrub away any leftover residue

PROTIP: If you are especially concerned about disinfecting your stainless steel kettle as you clean it, lemon juice is the best solution. The acidity of the lemon juice possesses strong antibacterial properties, which will work wonders against wayward bacteria and mold spores potentially hiding out inside your kettle.

Cleaning An Electric Kettle With Baking Soda

You can also properly clean your electric kettle with a common baking soda mixture.

Baking soda is highly basic, which means that chemically speaking it is on the opposite end of the pH spectrum as lemon juic. However, this also means that it is strongly abrasive and can help you break down grime, gunk, dirt, and grease very easily.

To clean your electric kettle with baking soda simply follow the steps below:

  • Dissolve one-half cup of white vinegar with two heaping tablespoons of common baking soda, into two cups of clean water
  • Disconnect your electric kettle since this is a cold cleaning method
  • Make sure that the solution has become completely homogenous and allow the mixture to rest for at least 20 to 30 minutes inside your electric kettle
  • Rinse out the kettle with clean water
  • Scrub out with a soft sponge removing any last bits of grime and limescale left behind
A Clean Electric Kettle

Reasons Why You Should Clean Your Electric Kettle Often

If you are wondering why you should even bother cleaning your electric kettle at all, here are some reasons why:

  • Cleaning your electric kettle regularly will allow the device’s heating elements to work more efficiently
  • Believe it or not, cleaning your electric kettle regularly will save you some money on your electric bill
  • Since your electric kettle will work more efficiently when clean, the more you clean it the longer your kettle will last
  • The cleaner your electric kettle is on the inside, the cleaner your drinks will be as a result

So, How Often Should You Clean Your Electric Kettle?

You should clean your electric kettle once per month. If you are a light user, then you will probably be fine doing it once every two months.

However, keep in mind that the longer you take between cleanings, the harder it will be to completely remove any unwanted buildup inside.

Thankfully, with the recommendations above, cleaning your electric kettle will never again be a hassle.