Your Electric Kettle Is Dirtier Than You Think

When you’re used to the speed and efficiency of an electric kettle, waiting for water to boil on the stove can feel unbelievably slow. And if you’ve someone who has granted precious counter space to what’s essentially a single-use appliance, you probably rely on it for everything from making hot beverages, to boiling water to transfer it to a pot on the stove, to making instant oatmeal or noodles.

When it comes to keeping the kitchen clean, you probably focus on the visible messes, while ignoring the device you use to boil water—which, after all, you may use to clean or sanitize other items in the room. Unfortunately, electric kettles (or any kettles, for that matter) are not self-cleaning. This is especially true if you have hard water, as mineral deposits might stain the bottom, build up on the filter, and leave streaks on the outside (particularly those with a stainless steel exterior). The good news is that deep-cleaning your electric kettle is much easier than you might think. Let me walk you through the process.

How to clean an electric kettle with citric acid

There are different ways to deep-clean an electric kettle, and after trying many of them, the citric acid method is the one I find to be the most effective, while requiring the least effort. Before we get started, this is your reminder that while the insides of these kettles are designed to come into contact water, their electric components are not. In other words, never submerge your kettle in water, and avoid getting the part(s) that connects to the power source—typically the bottom, or a component on the side—wet at all.

First, peek inside the kettle and take a quick mental inventory of the stains and mineral buildup so you know what you’re trying to remove. Here’s the inside of mine before cleaning it:

I’ve seen much, much worse—like limescale that had accumulated into barnacle-like formations covering the heating element and inside of the spout—but there are some mineral depots on the filter, and my water has left its signature rust-colored stains on the bottom.

Now, let’s actually get started cleaning it.

Fill your kettle roughly halfway with water, then add two small scoops/spoonfuls of powdered citric acid. (I just eyeball everything.)

Technically, you can use white distilled vinegar or lemon juice in place of citric acid, but I’ve found of the three, citric acid is best at removing the rust-coloured stains my water leaves behind. Plus, although I love vinegar, I don’t always want the smell of hot vinegar wafting through my apartment, and even if you buy bottled lemon juice, using this much can get pricey, so citric acid wins. Still, to try either of those alternatives, fill the kettle one-quarter of the way with water, then top if off with white vinegar or lemon juice until the kettle is filled about halfway.

Whichever acid you’ve chosen, you next want to boil the water and the acid in the kettle. When it’s finished, and has cooled off a bit, open the kettle and remove the little filter from the inside of the spout (if you have one). It usually clips on or snaps into place, and is easy to remove. (Below is a picture of mine, still locked in place before I started cleaning.)

Drop the filter into the kettle—which is still filled with recently boiled water and your acid of choice—close the lid, and let it sit for around 20 to 30 minutes. Don’t boil the kettle again: Just leave it. In fact, unplug the kettle.

Next, remove the filter from the kettle water (use a pair of tongs if the water is still hot), and set it aside. While you’re in there, check the inside of the kettle to assess your stain- and limescale-removing progress. Before dumping the water, use a bottle brush to scrub the sides and bottom of the inside of the kettle, in case there are mineral deposits or a layer of film that needs some more loosening.

If you don’t have a bottle brush, you can use a wooden spoon. Pretend you’re thoroughly stirring something—making sure the spoon scrapes the bottom and sides with each rotation.

After all of that, dump the water and rinse out the kettle. If there is still limescale, stains, or a film present, sprinkle some citric acid inside the kettle. When it mixes with the remaining drops of water in the kettle, it’ll form a paste. Use a clean cloth or sponge to work the paste into the remaining stains or deposits until they’re gone. Rinse the kettle again, then fill it halfway with water, and boil it.

While it’s boiling, rinse off the little filter and remove any remaining mineral deposits, using a toothpick on stubborn areas if necessary. Rinse it off with clean water.

After all of that, here’s how my kettle turned out:

When the kettle has boiled, dump the water, and leave the lid open while it cools and dries. When it’s not too hot, replace the filter, then close the lid again. Now it’s time to tackle the outside of the kettle.

Hopefully, at this point, you’ll only need to wipe the outside down with a clean, damp cloth to get rid of any stains. Kettles with plastic or ceramic exteriors are likely done at this point. But if yours, like mine, is stainless steel, the mineral content in your water has probably left some streaks. In this case, use your usual method of cleaning stainless steel cookware or appliances. I just gave mine a quick wipe with a dry microfiber cloth, which worked well enough. If it hadn’t, I would have put a drop of olive oil on the microfiber cloth and buffed out the remaining streaks.

I don’t clean my electric kettle on any kind of schedule; I typically wait until I notice stains on the bottom, or I spot a tiny white fleck of mineral deposit in my cup of tea (which has only happened once). As long as you occasionally take a peek inside your kettle when you’re filling it, you’ll know when it’s time to clean it again.