Good Question: How Do I Clean My Vintage Kettle?

I just won a great vintage Michael Lax tea kettle (yellow kettle in photo). It was super cheap on eBay and unfortunately is nasty beyond use. There were no promises so I can't really fault the seller, but it smells like a mixture of Chanel #5 and cigarettes.

It smells so strongly that I can taste it just by taking the lid off. I haven't even tried to use it yet, but I have tried to clean it. I've boiled a mixture of vinegar and water, let it soak. I've scrubbed it with baking soda. Let it stand filled with baking soda. Tried the vinegar again, etc. You get the idea.

Any other suggestions for saving my purchase? I've just always loved this tea kettle and it would hurt my heart a little to give it up. - Shayna

(To All Good Questions)

Wow, our condolences, Shayna! We have never dealt with such a persistent smell on cookware, and we wonder here if time is the only thing that will help. In other words, how long did you let it stand in a baking soda solution? We would suggest overnight.

You can also scrub in the inside with half a lemon and salt - although test a little first, as this may remove any coating or finish.

One other suggestion we came across is salt and cinnamon mixed - scrub thoroughly and let sit overnight, then rinse. Again, be careful as this may scratch the pot.

Other than leaving her pretty new teapot on the shelf as a decorative accessory only, any suggestions for Shayna?

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Comments (16)

I don't know if this would help, but I got nasty pet smells out of my carpet with a mixture of hydrogen peroxide and baking soda mixed with a small dab of dishsoap. It's worth a shot if you really love it.
I would go to a bookstore and check out Haley's Hints. That's where I got the info for the pet smell.

Oh, how sad! And it's a very handsome kettle. Maybe try the lemon over the whole thing and leave it in the sun for a day or two?

I agree, soak that baby and then leave it out to sit in the sun. Perhaps even try boiling lemon/vinegar/or baking soda water a few more times to draw out the odor. Don't give up just yet! :)

On a totally unrelated note -- that's a really beautiful stove. Your new teapot goes so well with it! Good luck.

Your stove looks very much like the wedgewood stove that was in an old apartment of mine. It worked great except one oven was kaput. And it was fun to entertain guests with making pancakes on the stove-top griddle.

Wow, Chanel #5 and cigarettes? Your teapot has lived a glamorous life!

Is it a copper pot? I can't tell in the photo there. If so, here are a few suggestions:

1) Scrub w/ a few tablespoons undiluted, cheap cheap white vinegar and sea salt
2) Scrub w/ ketchup
3) Scrub with oven cleaner. And then clean thoroughly before using!

I also heard a tale that boiling milk will help get rid of smell. Meh?! Anything at this point, eh?!

i'm pretty sure they're iron, because i have one in white and it turns water into a rusty sludge if i leave a little in mine overnight.

mine doesn't smell badly, but it's so rusty i'm scared i'll get heavy metal poisoning! can i?

hey guys,

thanks for your suggestions. it's an enamel tea kettle and has the lovely interior calcium buildup look that old kettles get. i'm going home tonight to wreak havoc on the remnants of it's past "glamorous life"...

yes, we love love love our wedgewood stove. i joke that it's turned me in to a better cook. there's storage on one side and a small oven on the other. unfortunately our griddle seems to have given up but we dream about restoring it one day.

shayna

I WOULD SUBMERGE THE WHOLE THING IN A LARGE POT(AS IN FOR CANNING) AND BOIL THE HE-- (OOH I JUST SENSORED MYSELF-I FEEL SO SALLY FIELDS)OUT OF IT-MAYBE WITH LEMON,VINEGAR AND BAKING SODA,THERE'S A GOOD CHANCE THE SMELL IS ON THE OUTSIDE AND HANDLE TOO SO JUST CLEANING THE INSIDE MAY NOT HELP-LET IT BOIL FOR A GOOD HOUR THEN DRY AND SNIFF!! REPEAT AS NECESSARY

This is totally random, but my dog used to chase skunks. Whenever she got sprayed by a skunk she would run home with excitement over her new "eau de funk". The only way we could get the smell out of her is to give her a bath in tomato juice and sauce. If tomatoes can get the skunk smell out of a dog, it's worth a try on a nasty tea kettle that smells like Elizabeth Taylor.

Try soaking in bleach, Oxyclean, or OrangeGlo. Regarding the build-up, simmer some white vinegar and water.

Good luck.

I'm wondering if the smell isn't lodged in the wooden handle and not in the enamel pot...?

My thoughts too, chartreuse. This pot has a wooden handle (I've seen them on ebay and almost bid on one, congrats.) Maybe the stink is in the wood handle. Would it be safe to soak the wood? I haven't seen anyone suggest Barkeeper's Friend yet, so that's my 2 cents.

I read about deodorizing a wooden bowl by sealing it in a plastic bag with a dryer sheet. This page has some good tips as well as the one I mention, which has the benefit of possibly avoiding damage to your kettle from scrubbing or chemicals:

http://www.safenaturaltips.com/cleaning/odorcontrol.html