How to Clean Stainless Steel Copper Bottom Tea Kettles
Every good cook knows the value of copper pots---for even heat, they're the best, and the sunny color of gleaming copper accessories, including copper tea kettles, hanging from their hooks generates a subtle warmth in the kitchen no collection of steel accessories can equal. Maintaining that rosy glow is another story. Keeping copper clean has fostered a plethora of homemade cleaning recipes. Does this Spark an idea?
Things You'll Need
- Thickener - cream of tarter or flour
- Abrasive - baking soda or salt
- Acid - lemon juice or vinegar
- Ketchup or Worcestershire sauce (optional)
- Soft cloths
- Mineral or olive oil (optional)
Instructions
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Make a paste using a thickener, an abrasive and an acid in proportions to give a toothpaste-like consistency. One recipe calls for equal parts salt and flour with enough vinegar to make a thin paste. Alternately, make a paste of lemon juice, salt and cream of tartar. Ordinary ketchup or Worcestershire sauce also works---though often not as well on heavily tarnished copper.
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Apply the paste thickly over the entire copper surface of the kettle, and set aside for 30 minutes or more---the longer the better, usually. (Note, though stainless steel doesn't tarnish and doesn't need a coating, this won't hurt the stainless portions, and cleans those as well.)
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Wash, and rinse the kettle in warm water. Repeat the process---rubbing paste in vigorously with a soft cloth, if necessary---until the kettle's clean. Dry thoroughly to avoid tarnish buildup.
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Rub copper with mineral or olive oil on a soft cloth to keep it shiny and tarnish-free between cleanings, if desired.
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Tips & Warnings
Clean intricate copper or brass objects with toothpaste (not the gel types) and a toothbrush. (This works for fine jewelry, as well.)
A solution of ammonia and sudsy water is another cleaning possibility, or rub the bottom of your kettle with a salted lemon. Always rinse, and dry well before storing kettles.
A well-known product called Bar Keeper's Friend (originally formulated in 1882 and still unchanged---it uses oxalic acid as its active ingredient) is also said to be very effective for cleaning copper.
Never use ammonia in conjunction with chlorine bleach--resulting fumes are highly toxic.
