Cleaning a teapot from the thrift store
Some may think it gross to buy a teapot second hand, but personally I love finding unique vintage teapots (and tea cups) now and then.
The only problem is that I haven’t used any of them yet, as I’ve not found a cleaning method I like for getting the inside really clean (and thrift store smell free).
I don’t mind just leaving them where they are, looking pretty on a shelf, but if anyone has any suggestions as to how to eliminate that smell, I might be inclined to use them once in a while.
Thanks!
I go to thrift shops with the sole purpose of buying teapots and tea cups. I love finding really nice sets for a few dollars instead of $45+ new. :) I have one white one with permanent stains at the bottom, but it doesn’t seem to leech into whatever I put in there. I put mine in my dishwasher on the heavy pots and pens setting which completely disinfects it and gets rid of any smell. My grandmother once told me she would let vinegar sit in it and then wash it twice thoroughly. Maybe you could try that? I have not tried it myself but vinegar is cheap so it would be worth a try.
I agree with mrmopar. Mandala’s smart soak is really good. However, if you don’t want to wait, you can get some Oxyclean from the grocery store. Use boiling water with it and it should clean and remove the smell.
I’ve found that a tablespoon of baking soda poured over with boiling water cleans tea stains really really well. Just let it sit for 10 minutes then use a bottle brush to get the tough-to-reach spots. Worked wonders in my stainless steel tumbler.
I second the Smart Soak :) http://shopmandalatea.com/tea-wares/smart-soak-cleaners/smart-soak-tea-stain-dissolver.html
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