Cleaning a Teapot

Does anyone have teapots anymore? You know what I’m talking about, those metal things that whistle when the water is heated up just right? Being the frugal girl I am, I bought one of those at a rummage sale for 25 cents a while back, and just love it. In the cooler months, I like the occasional cup of tea or even a bowl of cream of wheat here and there. But I wondered about how clean I could really make this tea pot. After all, how do I know where it’s all been.

I washed it thoroughly by hand, and ran it through the dishwasher. But then I noticed some advice in one of my grandma’s old cookbooks on how to disinfect a teapot. I admit I love to disinfect things! The funny part is, I doubt my grandmother ever disinfected her teapot. She’d jiggle it to see if there was water in it, and just heat it up. I didn’t matter if the water was fresh or not. I’m a bit choosier on the state of my water.

So here are some tips to clean an old-fashioned metal teapot. I’ve used a combination of old-fashioned advice with some help from modern appliances.
First, fill the teapot with as much water as you can. If there is any kind of ring or residue from the water line you typically have in there, you want to make sure there is enough to cover it.

Next, add a fourth of a cup of white vinegar. Stir into water to make sure it’s properly mixed. Bring to a boil. When it starts boiling, remove from heat and empty teapot. If you have a bottle brush, use it to loosen any residue that is still on the inside of the teapot. Rinse thoroughly.

Fill the teapot with dish soap and hot water. Let it sit in there for about fifteen minutes, until the hot water turns cool. Rinse thoroughly with warm water. Take your bottle brush and scrub the inside again. Rinse again.

Then, place the teapot on the top rack of the dishwasher. Make sure the cover is off and the teapot hole is facing down. Run the dishwasher and your teapot (regardless if you got it at a rummage sale or not!) should be in tip top shape.

Image: sxc.hu