FUR ON KETTLES

Evening Star, Issue 19723, 25 November 1927, Page 2

FUR ON KETTLES

Which is the best method of keeping an electric kettle free from fur? (asks a corespondent). This is a very important question, and one which has been occupying tilts attention of kettle manufacturers for a long time past. Fur is a most objectionable deposit in water used for drinking purposes, and is apt at times to have a bad effect on the flavor of, for instance, tea. In electric kettles it is a cause of much trouble for another reason, too; if your kettle is fitted, as most modern kettles are, with an automatic switch or fuse in tho bottom, a thick deposit of fur in the kettle will often make the fuse “blow’” before tho waiter boils. Tho reason is that the fur absorbs a good amount of beat and acts as a ’resistance to heat passing through it to tho water, and so makes the fuse or switch come into operation too soon. China or tin marbles and similar anti-fur devices are very often only partially successful, they keep tho fur broken up, but do not absorb it. The latest and, as far as can be seen, most successful device is, as is the case with many patents, the simplest. It consists of a piece of unbleached calico. This should be cut into squares of about Sin sides, and placed one on another until a pad of four or five thicknesses is made; these arc thou spwui together in a pad ami placed in the kettle. If they are removed once a week and w’ashcd under the tap the fur deposit which collects will ho found to come out quite easily and tho kettle is kept clear of all deposit. If the kettle already has sonny fur in it the easiest way to remove it is lo fill tho kettle three-parts full of water, add a tablespoonful of vinegar for each pint of water, and boil for about half an hour. If the fur is very thick, empty tho kettle ami repeat the operation. Do nob forget to fill the kettle with clean ivater; boil up and rinse nut thoroughly before using, w’hcm the fur is cleared away.