I notice mine has a lot of white looking particles collecting in the bottom. Are those mineral deposits? Other than going in with a sponge and hot water, is there a better method? Also, is the mineral deposit bad for you?
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Natural Remedy Since the white deposits are most likely just a build up of minerals in the water it won't be bad for you. If you are looking for a "natural" way to get the mineral deposits off, you can try vinegar or a vinegar and baking soda mix. The Gist is, get vinegar or a vinegar/ baking soda paste mix and let it soak for about 15 minutes, then scrub away. Here are 3 links to tutorials on removing minerals and should be helpful even though they aren't written specifically for a tea kettle. http://www.ehow.com/how_2000311_remove-calcium-deposits-shower-head.html http://www.ehow.com/how_2300952_clean-calcium-deposits-from-tile.html http://cleaning.tips.net/Pages/T004201_Removing_Calcium_Stains.html Personally, I love using baking soda for cleaning. It's natural and works wonders on most things I use it on. Good luck scrubbing. : ) |
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It's most likely some form of mineral deposit. If you live in a hard water area the water will contain higher levels of calcium and magnesium ions (and some other minerals, see the linked article for details). The minerals deposit over time and form a (usually) whitish layer often known as limescale. To extend Mike's suggestion for removing it, soak with vinegar (mix 1:1 with water) and leave for about an hour (don't boil the kettle). Alternatively use citric acid (dilute 1:15 with water) and boil the kettle, then let cool before pouring away. Once emptied, put some baking soda on a damp cloth and gently scrub the remaining scale away. You can also buy commercial descalers, but check it is one suited for kettles. As far as health concerns, from the Wikipedia article:
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Limescale deposits always come back, it's in the water ... If you clean it out completely, the scale will return. Time was, you could buy a small piece of marble stone or hard chalk - you put that in the kettle and the scale built up on the stone, rather than on the sides of the kettle. That way it was less likely to get into the tea - the scale formed in a clean kettle is always finer than scale forming on top of existing scale. Now, let us be clear about this - lime scale is harmless to people, it does not harbor germs, and hard water is good for you - it is proven fact that you are more likely to get heart disease in a soft water area, from old UK studies. I throw out the loose stuff from time to time, but I only descale the kettle if the element is getting coated. Yes, the scale is unsightly ... but you are less likely to get it in your cup if you don't descale often. OTOH I descale the coffee machine on a regular basis, it takes years to heat up if there is a scale build-up. |
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