March 2025: Sparkling Spring Clean Recipe

Ingredients:

• 100g citric acid
• 50ml water
• 15ml eco-friendly washing-up liquid
• Small saucepan and silicone/wooden spoon
• Spray bottle
• Funnel
• Rubber gloves
• Sponge with non-scratch scourer on one side
• Old toothbrush

Method

Add the citric acid, water and washing-up liquid to the saucepan. I actually doubled the quantity to make sure I had enough for the kettle and other items I wanted to clean.

Stir over a low heat until the crystals dissolve and the liquid is clear.

If you prefer, transfer the liquid to the spray bottle using the funnel – but you might find as I did, that the narrow outlet of the sprayhead clogs up quickly with crystals. Instead, I found it best to don some rubber gloves – essential if you don’t want to get citric acid in all the scratches and cuts to your hands – and get stuck in.

I took the copper kettle over to the sink and placed it in a washing-up bowl. This is where Nancy says to spray the utensil all over and rub the liquid in with your hands, but I used a sponge instead, soaking it from the saucpan and then rubbing it over the kettle. You can then sit the kettle down in the bowl and continue to baste it with the liquid that collects in the bowl.

You can then leave it for 10-20 minutes (have a cuppa!) and then rub at it with the wet scourer until it’s gleaming.

You can also use the cleaner that’s in the bowl as a dip to clean up other metal items such as brass weights or pans. I found that it was still effective when it had been diluted with some rinsing water.

Any unused cleaner can be stored in a screw top bottle. If you do use a sprayer, remember to flush it well afterwards as it gets clogged.

Then just wait for the gasps of admiration from visitors.