The Right Tea Newsletter
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Issue #21 - June 2018

Every year in spring we remember to clean our houses, throw or give away what we don’t need and put some order into our wardrobes and drawers.

We wash clothes and clean the inside of cabinets and drawers, but how often do we clean our teapots? And how do we clean them properly?

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Keeping your teapot clean!

If you are an avid tea drinker, your teapot may get a fair bit of use. Even if you give it a rinse after each use, over time your teapot may start to become stained.

So how often do you clean your teapot? Or better still, should you even be cleaning your teapot?

To clean or not to clean, that is the first question.

Some defend that you should never clean your teapot, but this may be just a myth.

Firstly, unless you have a teapot for each type of tea you drink or you only drink one type of tea your whole life, then you should clean your teapot to prevent transferring flavors from stronger teas to milder ones.

Secondly, if you like to add sugar directly into the teapot, then you should definitely clean your teapot properly. Sugar residue may lead to bacterial growth.

Lastly, it may come down to the type of teapot: unglazed teapots (e.g. Yixing teapots) should be rinsed with water only and not use soap or other solutions, glazed teapots may be more thoroughly cleaned.

How to clean a ceramic teapot?

Glazed ceramic teapots tend to be the most common ones, so we will start by looking at how to clean these first.

Should your teapot go in the dishwasher? Those hard-to-reach spots like the inside of the spout may not only not be properly cleaned, but they may also be places where detergent may buildup.

Solution: Wash your teapot by hand using a small brush to clean the inside of the spout, making sure to properly rinse out the detergent.

Over time the teapot may become so stained that the simple regular wash is not enough. So here are a few more natural solutions that could make your life a little easier.

Natural Cleaning Recipe

Ingredients: white vinegar, baking soda, hot water

How to:

• 
  Place about 4 tablespoons of baking soda and a cup of vinegar inside your teapot and then fill the remaining of the teapot with hot to boiling water.


• Leave the teapot to soak overnight.


• The following morning, pour out the mixture and rinse well. Use a soft clean sponge to quickly wipe away any remaining stains.


• The spout can be cleaned using one of two ways: using a small bottle brush or rolling up kitchen paper towel soaked in the white vinegar and baking soda and feeding through the spout to clean up the interior.


• Again, make sure to rinse your teapot well and wipe it dry before using it to make your next pot of tea.

What not to do:

• Do not clean your teapot with harsh or toxic chemicals. There could be residue that you could ingest and cause serious health problems. No matter how dirty your teapot is, using bleach to clean it is a serious mistake.

How to clean a stainless steel teapot?

A lot of people also use stainless steel teapots. Not kettles, but actual teapots that do not go on the stove, but over time and with use stains and dirt could begin to accumulate.

Solution: you can use the same white vinegar, baking soda and hot water to remove stains from your teapot, leaving it overnight to properly remove any scum that have built up.

If you are just dealing with a small stain you can just make a paste of a teaspoon of baking soda and water and then apply with a cloth or brush, or soak a cloth with a bit of white vinegar.

Rinse properly and wipe your teapot dry before using it again.

What not to do:

• Do not use abrasive brushes or steel wool pads. These could scratch the surface of your teapot and create scratches where bacteria and rust could build up.

How to clean a glass teapot?

Glass teapots are perfect to make an elegant cup of tea or to enjoy flowering tea, but they also require care to make sure they always look their best.

Regular washing should be enough to keep your teapot clean, but you may need to use the good old recipe of baking soda and hot water or a bit of lemon juice to tackle a stain. If this does not work, mix a bit of cream of tartar with hot water and apply.

Rinse the teapot well and use a soft cloth to clean it so as not to scratch the surface.

What not to do:

• If you are washing your teapot, do not wash it in a sink filled with dishes or with your hands full of detergent as one bump against the tap or the side of the sink could crack and break the teapot.


• If your teapot does get crack, consider just throwing it out, as you never know the moment it may break apart and give you a nasty cut.

How often should you clean the teapot?

This will up to you and the tea you use. Darker colored teas will tend to stain your teapot in a more obvious way, but even if you use your teapot for lighter colored teas then remember to:

• Rinse your teapot after use, preferably after finishing your tea and not letting it sit in the teapot until the next day.


• If you like adding sugar to your tea, consider adding it to the cup or glass instead of directly into the teapot.


• Dry your teapot thoroughly before storing it away.


• Every once in a while, if stains do appear, use the white vinegar and hot water method to kill off bacteria and clean your teapot properly.

And now that your teapot is clean, it’s time to put the kettle on and let’s make some tea!

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What’s Next?

More articles about tea are coming, so keep on the lookout for the next issue of our newsletter. While you wait, look around our website and learn more about tea and its health benefits.

Until then make sure to follow us on Facebook for daily tips and other wonderful tea related items.

Follow us also on Pinterest!

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