How to clean a teapot

Key steps:

1. Dishwashing detergent is great for cleaning a teapot. However, you can also use natural solutions like vinegar or lemon juice.

2. Remember to test your chosen cleaning product on a small part of your teapot first, you don’t want to ruin your lovely teapot!

3. Don’t forget to clean your teapot’s spout as well. Use a narrow wired scrubbing brush for this.

Teapots are a kitchen staple, and a well loved and regularly used item in most households. But while it’s without a doubt lovely to have a cup of tea or two on a rainy day, tea is unfortunately also known for its ability to leave nasty stains on crockery if not cleaned off properly. Teacups are usually not the issue: a quick rinse after use, and they’re shiny again. Cleaning a teapot, on the other hand, seems to be an entirely different story. It’s especially easy to neglect your teapot, as you rarely ever see its inside and therefore often only notice the build up when it’s too late. That’s why it’s especially important to know how to clean your teapot in the most effective way, so you can enjoy a carefree cup of tea from a clean teapot.

Homemade solutions can be a useful addition to your cleaning arsenal, but for the best results, it’s usually best to opt for a commercial cleaning product designed for your purpose. They can be more efficient – and often have a far more pleasant smell!

How often should you clean teapot stains?

This is really up to you – but in order to avoid an unpleasant build-up of stains, it’s safe to say that you should at least rinse your teapot after every use. Opt for a more thorough cleanse every once in a while, depending on how often you have a cup of tea. 

Our step-by-step video guide will show you how to clean a teapot.

Teapot cleaning: Choosing a product

Some people don’t feel very comfortable with the idea of using conventional cleaning products for cleaning teapot stains – but rinsed off thoroughly, a little dishwashing liquid, like one from Persil’s range of washing up liquids, is not going to damage your pot. Usually, a rinse alone will do the job.

If you want to pick a homemade cleaning product over conventional store-bought cleaning products, lemon juice or vinegar are safe options. These can also be used when cleaning a kettle. You can mix both with a little baking soda for a clean teapot. Once again, rinse thoroughly – while lemon is a pleasant accompaniment to tea, vinegar and baking soda will taste (and smell) unpleasant!

When cleaning a beloved old teapot, particularly one with an attractive glaze, you may want to be cautious with homemade cleaning products – test any cleaning solution on a small, unnoticeable area of your pot before applying it liberally.

How to clean the inside of a teapot

The basic method is very simple: soak a sponge in your chosen cleaning solution, scrub your teapot, and rinse it afterwards with hot water to remove any remaining product. The following tips will help you clean a teapot thoroughly:

• If you have the habit of putting sugar straight into your teapot, you should be a bit more careful – you don’t want bacteria to feed off the sugar, so in this case, a bit of soap or liquid dishwashing detergent mixed with hot water is essential to make sure you’ve removed every single bit of sugar.

• If you have some truly stubborn stains, dilute either liquid dishwashing detergent or vinegar with water, fill the pot, and leave overnight. The marks should be easy to scrub off in the morning.

If you’re wondering how to clean a teapot spout, the products and methods are the same. However, it’s a good idea to purchase a narrow wired kitchen cleaning brush in order to be able to thoroughly clean the teapot spout with any of the products mentioned above.

Now you know how to clean teapot stains you can sit back, relax, and enjoy a cup of tea from your sparkling clean teapot!