Do I need to wash the inside of the teapot?

Tea is not just a drink! If it is well brewed, it is a real miracle, a life-giving infusion, art and philosophy at the same time! And this is a ceremony in which there are no trifles. A special place in it is occupied by the vessel in which tea is prepared. Modern brewing vessels are made from different materials: porcelain, glass, metal or earthenware. The buyer chooses the appropriate one based on his preferences. But not everyone knows how to properly care for a kettle. Disputes are often raised by the question of whether it is necessary to wash its inner surface. Let's figure this out together!

Types of teapots

Today you can see a variety of teapots on sale.

Material

The best selling copy is porcelain, as it retains heat for a long time and is quite durable to use.

Vessel made of metal not so popular among buyers, because at high temperatures, the metal gives an unpleasant aftertaste to the welding.

Glass This option is very good for a ceremony. It is beautiful, holds heat well and separates tea leaves particles thanks to its double flask.

Form

Teapot must be round or cylindrical. This is due to the simplicity of the form. In such a dish, the fragrant leaf unfolds without problems, since it has enough space.

Things are more complicated with the nose. It should release a small stream of drink and be high so that the tea leaves do not pour out through it when the vessel is completely filled.

In addition, the spout should not drip after pouring the drink. Therefore, when purchasing, you need to pay attention to this so as not to stain the tablecloth.

Additional features

To prevent parts of the brewed leaf from falling into the cup, it is necessary that the spout be complete with filter mesh. Or with built-in flask-sieve, where the tea leaves are immediately sifted out from the brew.

Reference! In a French press, the role of a filter for tea leaves is played by a piston, which, when pressed, presses them to the bottom of the dish, preventing them from falling into the cup.

Washing the teapot - pros and cons

A clean, neat teapot becomes a real table decoration. Therefore, washing the external surface does not raise any doubts. What about the inner walls?

Arguments of opponents of washing

Indeed, there are quite a lot of people who are convinced that the teapot does not need to be washed. This assumption is based on the fact that clay teapots were originally used in the East. They were “educated”: the clay was prepared for its first use. And then they were used only for infusing tea leaves.

At the same time, washing in the East was considered not only an unnecessary, but also a procedure harmful to the vessel. The clay could absorb substances and odors that spoiled the taste of the drink. Therefore, only rinsing of dishes was allowed, without removing plaque.

Since then, the belief has persisted that brewing utensils should not be washed.

Opinion of washing supporters

There is also the opposite opinion: you definitely need to wash! After all, no sieve or bag can prevent the smallest plant particles from getting into the container. Over time, they and tea plaque can become a source of bacteria. It's not so much about the taste of the drink, but about human health.

Important! Cleaning products for the teapot must be selected taking into account the material from which it is made.

How to properly wash teapots

So, it is still better to wash dishes for making tea than to leave them dirty. This should be done correctly.

How to wash

The care procedure varies for different cookware options.

Glass, porcelain

A glass teapot is necessary wash regularly after each brew tea leaf. Otherwise, the tea leaves will bloom inside, and not only will the taste of the tea be spoiled, but the drink itself will no longer be drinkable.

Glass teapots can be washed with regular soda or detergent. You just need to rub the inside of the dish with a sponge.

Metal

Metal teapots clean after every use using regular table salt or baking soda.

Advice! Scale in stainless steel can be easily removed with 6% vinegar.

Clay, porcelain, faience

Particular attention should be paid to caring for a clay teapot.

• After purchase, it is important to wash off the white deposits under running water.
• Walls of dishes Do not clean with a sponge with an abrasive surface, you can only wipe lightly with a damp cloth.
• After every tea party you should throw away the used tea leaves, wash the inside surface and rinse with warm water.

Important! It is not advisable to clean off dark tea deposits. It preserves the aroma and taste of the tea drink.

• Before preparing new tea, you must rinse the inside of the infuser with boiling water.

French press

In a French press, the strainer is constantly colored dark brown due to the coloring pigment - tannin.

The filter sieve will constantly become clogged and stained if it is not removed and cleaned in time. If you do not wash the brewing vessel, then debris will penetrate into the drink, and the filter strainer will stop letting aromatic tea into the cup.

Important! You can avoid the appearance of a dark coating if you use tea leaves in disposable bags. But the taste and aroma will be less rich and aromatic.

What to wash with

The following products are usually used to wash and clean porcelain, metal or glass items and strainers.

Baking soda

Soda instantly removes dark deposits, but can damage the walls of the kettle. Before washing the teapot with baking soda, you should use other less traumatic detergents.

Important! The abrasive composition of soda can erase the enamel from the walls of the vessel, which will significantly complicate the care of the dishes in the future.

Salt

The salt is dissolved in warm water so that the solution is saturated. The resulting composition is poured into a container. If only the strainer needs to be cleaned, immerse it in salt water.

Leave the dishes like this for 30 minutes and then rinse thoroughly.

Lemon juice or acid

Lemon juice is poured into the teapot. Thanks to the acidic environment, the plaque will quickly dissolve. After this, rinse the dishes well with cool water.

Vinegar

To clean teapots with vinegar, you need to use a solution of less than 9%, and it is better to take a 6% composition.

The liquid must be poured onto the sponge and wiped from the inside. The strainer should be soaked in a vinegar solution and then rinsed under a strong stream of cold water.

Don't forget properly dry kettle before proceeding to the next ceremony! Enjoy your tea!