How to Properly Clean a Teapot

A touch of elegance: Keeping your teapot clean

"Oh, look at that beautiful China teapot! It must be ancient and it is spotless! How do you keep it that clean? Don't you ever use it?"

You probably have your own, extraordinary collection of old and new teapots, from all over the world. They are different shapes and sizes, made out of different kinds of materials and created with unique designs. Some appear to be fragile, while others do not. Perhaps one or two are ornamental teapots, while others are more practical for use as every day teapots.

Every teapot in your collection has one thing in common. They all need to be cleaned, once they have been used, as most teas, or even different blends of tea, tend to leave stains inside the teapots in which the various teas are brewed. Of course, there are a few exceptions.

In the wonderful, perfect world of long, long ago, there used to be scullery maids who would clean the tea pots in a home. Now the task is yours.

"Oh, no! What do I do?" you ask. "I know how to brew tea, but I don't know how to clean a teapot."

Somehow, tea seems to taste a lot better when it is served with a touch of elegance, from a clean teapot. It also less embarrassing, when you have guests to whom you are serving tea.

How badly stained your teapot is, depends upon the kind of tea that you use and the kind of teapot that you have been given or purchased. Maybe you inherited an old, silver teapot from your mother, one of your grandmothers, or maiden aunts. Silver teapots have a wonderful way of being passed down, through the generations.

How you go about cleaning your teapot, will depend upon what the teapot was made of, when it was created or manufactured. Ideally, you want to restore your teapot to its original condition, if at all possible. After all, who wants to drink tea out of a stained teapot or a China teacup with a ring?

There are a wide variety of teas and many will make the inside of your teapot look brown. Tea stains can be very difficult to remove.

Consider the following suggestions:

Fine china teapots, English porcelain teapots and glass teapots

Fine china teapots, English porcelain teapots and glass teapots are the easiest teapots to clean. The reason is they are not made of a porous material. The simplest way to clean one of these is to use water to which a bit of chlorine has been added. Fill it right up to the top and make certain that the spout contains the water and chlorine. You will see the stains disappear almost immediately.

One of the concerns about the use of chlorine is that it contains carcinogens, so it is advisable to use as little chlorine, as possible. Wash and rinse the teapot well, immediately after the stains have disappeared. You should be careful to make certain that you are not breathing fumes from the chlorine. Your teapot will turn out sparkling clean and look like it has never been used. Clean your teacups, at the same time.

If you do not wish to use chlorine, then you might try some of the following options.

Clay, pottery and ceramic tea pots

Clay, pottery and ceramic teapots tend to be more porous. As a result, the stains sink in deeper and are more difficult to remove. It may not be a good idea to use chlorine bleach on these teapots, for that reason. You might try using water to which vinegar has been added. Let your teapot soak overnight. Vinegar is safe to use for cleaning, but the teapot needs to be washed and rinsed, before it is used again. Allow it to dry for twenty four hours, before making tea in it. The vinegar odor will gradually disappear, as it dries.

Another cleaning option is to use baking soda and water as a paste, for stubborn stains. Do not use anything that will scratch the inside of the teapot, as the stains will get worse over time, if you do. Clean your mugs at the same time, in the same way. Note that these kinds of teapots should never be put directly on the stove.

Silver teapots

There are many different brands of silver cleaner and polish that can be used on the outside of your silver teapot, but some could be toxic if consumed, so cleaning the inside of the teapot with only detergent and water, is something you could try first. A heavier, laundry soap with water, might also be effective. Make certain that the teapot is rinsed afterwards.The difficulty with trying to clean a silver teapot lies in the reality that you may not know the quality of the silver, especially if it is old. Is it real silver or is it sterling silver? That will make a difference with respect to how you clean it.

It is a good idea to have a silver teapot assessed for its silver content and value, before attempting to clean it with a silver cleaner, of any kind. Sometimes it is better not to clean it at all. Just leave it as it is. If you receive the gift of a silver teapot, find out how the person who gave it to you has cleaned it, in the past.

Do not use anything to clean it that will cause scratches. Avoid abrasive cleaners and chemicals. Remember to keep your silver teapot dry, so that it does not corrode. Always handle your silver teapot carefully, so that you do not damage the spout or the handle, as these can be expensive to repair. Clean your silverware at the same time.

Stainless steel teapots

Stainless steel teapots can be cleaned with mixture of detergent, laundry soap and water. Soak your teapot well and let it stand overnight. Wash and rinse it thoroughly, before you use it to make tea. You may also try to use baking soda and water or vinegar and water, if the stains persist. If you have stubborn stains, something that might work, may be an effervescent tablet used for dentures. Fill the teapot full of water and add one tablet. Allow it to sit overnight. Wash and rinse it well.Do you have stainless steel pots and pans? How do you clean them? Your teapot may be cleaned the same way.

Copper teapots

Copper teapots are not normally used for making tea. They can be purely ornamental. Sometimes, they are used to boil water for tea. Cleaning the outside of a copper teapot is possible with a copper cleaner and polish. Remember to follow the instructions on the container. If you are cleaning the inside, make certain that the cleaner that you are using, is not toxic. Wash and rinse the teapot well. Do not leave any water sitting in a copper tea pot, as it will corrode the copper.

Cast iron tea pots

Cast iron tea pots are rarely used nowadays, but there are a few around. These need to be cleaned the same way that you clean cast iron frying pans. Cast iron pots of any kind, will rust. Use olive oil and heat to loosen any buildup on the iron and then, clean it with a scouring pad. Wash and rinse it thoroughly. After cleaning, apply a bit more olive oil to prevent further rust. Do not use any chemicals to clean the inside.

Stone teapots

Stone teapots may be semi-porous, depending upon the kind of stone used to make them, so caution must be taken when cleaning them. A baking soda and water paste should remove most tea stains, but you may need to soak them overnight. Try vinegar in the water for stubborn stains. There are commercial, stone cleaners that you can purchase, but make certain that you know the kind of stone that your teapot is made of before you apply any kind of chemical cleaner on the outside. Make certain that it is not toxic, if you clean need to clean the inside. Wash and rinse well.

These are ways to clean teapots. Perhaps you have a few better suggestions. Enjoy drinking your tea with a touch of elegance.