How To Clean Outside Of Stainless Steel Tea Kettle

Are you experiencing tea kettle shame? Is your kettle covered in a stubborn film of grease that makes you feel like you can't do anything right? If you've ever wondered how to clean a greasy tea kettle you're not alone.

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Since I use my kettle to make pour-over coffee almost every morning, and often tea at night, I keep it on my stove. No use pulling it in and out of the cabinet four or five times a day. Also, tea kettles are cute. They look nice and warm and inviting on the stovetop and make me think that at any time I could comfort a weary traveler that shows up at my door with a nice cup of hot cocoa. But this combination of caffeine habit and idle fantasy means that over time, my kettle has developed a gross, greasy sheen, since it's hit by all kinds of splatter from pots and pans nearby. Even worse, all the heat that the kettle is exposed to have hardened the grease into a substance that is impervious even to a good scrubbing with dish soap and hot water.

If you're in the same boat, it's okay. You can stop being ashamed. We're all friends here; let me make you some cocoa with my kettle and teach you how to clean yours. Here are a few ways you can clean your kettle.

If You Prefer the Natural Way

To clean your kettle totally naturally, without using any chemicals. Place 3 Tbsp. of baking soda in a bowl. Then, add enough white vinegar to form a thick paste. Use a rag or sponge and apply the solution to your kettle. If the kettle is really greasy, you can allow the solution to sit on the kettle for about 5 minutes. Scrub the kettle with the baking soda and vinegar solution. Then, wipe the kettle off with a damp cloth.

If You Don't Mind Getting Chemicals Involved

Sometimes, you need to bring out the big guns for really tough caked-on grease. If you don't have an objection to using chemicals to clean, here are some effective cleaners.

1. Use an Oven Cleaner

Using an oven cleaner, like Easy Off is a highly effective way to clean your greasy kettle. Just like your oven, spraying this solution on your kettle and allowing it to sit for 30 seconds will then allow you to wipe away caked on grease with ease using a paper towel or rag. It's honestly scary how well this product works for any kind of caked on grease situation you may find yourself in.

2. Use Ammonia

You can also scrub your kettle with ammonia which will cut through the grease. Simply use a sponge or towel to rub the kettle with ammonia. Then, wipe it clean with a wet rag.

3. Use a Magic Eraser

Some people on Pinterest—and a good friend of mine, too!—swear by using a Mr. Clean Magic Eraser to clean the outside of their tea kettles. Simply wet the magic eraser with water and scrub your kettle with it until all of the grease is removed.

Now that we've been on this journey together and we all have clean kettles, the world feels right again. I suppose I should tell you to keep your kettle out of harm's way now, so that it won't get gross again. My coworker Anna is a big proponent of an electric kettle, which sits on the countertop, safely protected from stovetop splatter. Me? I figure now that I know how to clean a greasy kettle, I can always repeat the process. YOLO. It's time to relax with a book and a cup of tea from that sparkling clean kettle. Learn how to brew the perfect cup—you deserve it after all that cleaning.

Now that you've got a sparkling-clean kettle, why not cook with some tea?