Electric Element Cleaning And Care

[Kai]

I've had an electric kettle for about a year now and have not gotten around to cleaning it yet. It's not losing efficiency but I figure it's definitely time to give it a bit of a spit and polish. So, I'm after suggestions for the best way to do it.

I was just going to boil some cleaning solution for half an hour or so but am undecided on what's best to use. So, I thought I'd turn to you good people for advice. Thoughts?

 

[TidalPete]

I've had an electric kettle for about a year now and have not gotten around to cleaning it yet. It's not losing efficiency but I figure it's definitely time to give it a bit of a spit and polish. So, I'm after suggestions for the best way to do it.

I was just going to boil some cleaning solution for half an hour or so but am undecided on what's best to use. So, I thought I'd turn to you good people for advice. Thoughts?

Kai,

Here is a little gem that I copied & pasted to my cleaning notes from a thread somewhere on this Forum.
Haven't tried it yet although my urn could well do with a clean too.



SS Electric Urn --- Element cleaning.
Use CLR - mix with boiling water - turn element on - boil.
Leave sitting overnight - use a SS Scourer to scrub the crap off.
Repeat until the Urn is sparkling clean.


TP :beer:

 

[TidalPete]

Kai,

Here is a little gem that I copied & pasted to my cleaning notes from a thread somewhere on this Forum.
Haven't tried it yet although my urn could well do with a clean too.



SS Electric Urn --- Element cleaning.
Use CLR - mix with boiling water - turn element on - boil.
Leave sitting overnight - use a SS Scourer to scrub the crap off.
Repeat until the Urn is sparkling clean.

TP :beer:

Just done the Google thing & found the thread HERE. I may have taken that advice from GMK in Post 4.

TP :beer:

 

[ausdb]

Hey Kai, CLR is pretty nasty as far as being food safe. I run a little CIP system to clean and sanitise my CFC using a hopack and immersion element or one of my brewing urns and after the caustic or sodium percarb I then do an acid clean using phosphoric acid. I find that the urn elements or immersion elements come up squeaky clean after the acid step. I have recently thought about using citic acid instead of the phosphoric but havent run out of phosphoric yet!!
Citric acid seems to be the descaler of choice in the home coffee making circles as well I have recently,

 

[TidalPete]

Hey Kai, CLR is pretty nasty as far as being food safe. I run a little CIP system to clean and sanitise my CFC using a hopack and immersion element or one of my brewing urns and after the caustic or sodium percarb I then do an acid clean using phosphoric acid. I find that the urn elements or immersion elements come up squeaky clean after the acid step. I have recently thought about using citic acid instead of the phosphoric but havent run out of phosphoric yet!!
Citric acid seems to be the descaler of choice in the home coffee making circles as well I have recently,

How would you go about cleaning with citric acid ausdb? Fill the urn right up? How much citric acid?

TP :beer:

 

[enoch]

I never needed anything more than a green scrubby. Doesn't get all the buildup of the inside of the spirals but get 90% clean.

 

[pbrosnan]

How would you go about cleaning with citric acid ausdb? Fill the urn right up? How much citric acid?

TP :beer:

I put enough water to cover the element then add a couple of teaspoons. I let it sit for a couple of hours then rub it with a scourer. Mind you I only do this every few months. Like AusDB I run a caustic then acid wash through the pump and the plate chiller and the urn is part of that circuit.

 

[ausdb]

How would you go about cleaning with citric acid ausdb? Fill the urn right up? How much citric acid?
TP :beer:

Hi TP I havent actually gone the citric acid route yet, still just using the phosphoric which I just add enough to 4L of water to get down to pH2. On the coffee machine descaling they suggest using somehwere between 10-20g/L so maybe give that a try for starters. Zwickel is a great exponent of using citric acid for brewery cleaning maybe PM him. If I wanted to totally descale the urn then I would fill it to near the top, turn it on to heat up to somewhere between 60-70degC and leave it to soak for a while. Like pbrosnan says I usually just put in enough to keep the element covered whilst I am circulating it through my CFC and hoses.

 

[kook]

I've use citric acid in the past for descaling my brew kettle. I used about 50g in a few litres of boiling water. Came up great.

I've also used it in higher concentrations for removing surface rust from old postmix keg posts.

 

[SpillsMostOfIt]

I've used citric acid a couple of times and vinegar once or twice too.

I'd use citric acid (couple teaspoons in a few litres) over vinegar, but if someone had used all the citric I wouldn't hesitate to use vinegar. It takes a bit longer, but it is also cheaper...

 

[David Sinclair]

That was going to be my suggestion - vinegar, boil some vinegar works a treat for coffee kettles does a good job of cleaning your sinuses as well

But citric acid seems to be the go, i'll be using that next time.

 

[RobB]

I scored a 20 litre Birko urn today. It cost me next to nothing but it's pretty damn crusty inside!

Looking in my laundry cupboard, I have caustic soda and cleaning grade vinegar so I think I'll give it the double whammy (not at the same time of course ).

Can anyone tell me what concentrations of these two would be safe and effective?

 

[Screwtop]

I scored a 20 litre Birko urn today. It cost me next to nothing but it's pretty damn crusty inside!

Looking in my laundry cupboard, I have caustic soda and cleaning grade vinegar so I think I'll give it the double whammy (not at the same time of course ).

Can anyone tell me what concentrations of these two would be safe and effective?

CLR, little expensive but safe!!

 

[RobB]

CLR, little expensive but safe!!

It just so happens that I have some CLR in the shed. However the label states "do not use in kettles or urns with exposed elements". Perhaps it reacts with certain metals? I can't tell what my element is made of because I can't see it under the scale!

I'll start with vinegar and elbow grease and see how far I get.