You know what it’s like—you get back from a harrowing day, and the first thing you want to do is put your water boiler on for tea. Wonderful though a water boiler from Zojirushi is, you will need to check the unit at least once every 3 months for scale build-up.
This is because calcium will accumulate in the boiler and if it’s not cleaned, it can cause problems with dispensing. The cool thing about water boilers is that you can choose from different temperatures for boiling the water to suit different teas and purposes.
All the water boilers from Zojirushi look darn attractive too—they’re like an enhancement to your kitchen. Unlike with your regular kettle, the Zojirushi water boiler boils your water and then keeps it warm at different temperatures.
It means that you have hot water available to use whenever you want a cup of tea or require hot water for some other purpose.
Kitchen appliances require regular cleaning
If you want to get the most out of any household appliance, it needs to be cleaned and maintained regularly. Cleaning a Zojirushi water boiler will help make sure it operates at maximum efficiency for as long as possible.
The manufacturers have made sure that the water boiler’s lid completely detaches. It simply makes cleaning and filling the boiler a seamless process.
But how dirty can a water boiler get when all it’s really doing is boiling water? The answer to this is that after quite a bit of use, the boiler will become full of salt-like scales that can hamper the efficiency of your boiler.
Water contains minerals that can get left behind in the bottom of your boiler, and you’ll need to get rid of the scale. You’ll need to clean your water boiler every 3 months or so, depending on the hardness and pH level of the water in your particular area.
How to Clean Zojirushi Water Boiler
Vinegar is a good acidic compound
To clean your Zojirushi water boiler, you will need an acidic compound such as vinegar. With distilled white vinegar and equal parts water, you add this to the boiler until it is halfway full, then bring the boiler to a boil.
Allow the boiled vinegar water to rest in the boiler for about 20 minutes. Pour out the liquid and rinse the boiler. You can use a sponge to try and remove some of the scale buildup.
Use your favorite soda drink
Who would have thought that Pepsi or Coke could be so useful as to not only quench your thirst but also help clean your boiler? You will need to fill your boiler up to half-full with the soda.
Bring your Zuji to the boil and allow the soda to sit in the boiling water for about 30 minutes. Once you’ve poured out the Coke, a little scrubbing may be required before rinsing thoroughly.
Manufacturer’s recommendations
The company recommends that you clean your water boiler every 1 to 3 months. They suggest a cleaning process:
- Take a cup of warm water and a packet of citric acid. Stir in the citric acid until it is all dissolved. Pour the solution into the boiler’s water container to the max water level.
- Close the lid and press and hold the ‘Reboil’ button for roughly 3 seconds.
- The lights flash on the LCD display, and a square rotates for an hour and a half. Once the square stops rotating, the boiler has completed its cleaning process.
- Unplug the magnetic power cord, remove the lid, and pour the water from the water removal part.
- Fill the boiler with cool water to the maximum water level. When the power cord is attached, the appliance starts to boil. Once the water has heated, you can pour all the water out, and the Zoji is clean.
Use your own citric acid
Did you know that you can make your own citric acid? For that you will require a few items. It’s a good idea to use safety goggles and latex gloves while preparing it.
You can do research online to find out how to make the citric acid, but the ingredients will include lemon juice, calcium chloride, sodium hydroxide liquid, sulfuric acid and distilled water.
Once you have made the citric acid, place the mixture into an acid-proof container with a lid, and refrigerate it. You will then have a citric acid solution to use around the home for cleaning
Pour in the pre-mixed citric acid, add water to the maximum fill line in the boiler, and boil as you usually do.
Once the boiling is done and the unit has cooled, you can empty your Zojirushi water boiler. Rinse it and boil your Zoji once again to make sure all sediment is flushed right out.
Use dishwashing liquid
You can clean the interior of a Zojirushi thermos with dishwashing liquid. Remove the boiler’s lid and pour a blend of hot water and the dishwashing liquid into the thermos. Swirl it around to loosen all the sediment.
You can leave the liquid like that for a few minutes before emptying the soapy water. Rinse the thermos out thoroughly, repeating the process a few times. Sometimes it may be necessary to use a soft-bristle brush.
- Baking soda and white vinegar
You can also try a stronger cleaning solution. Combine baking soda and white vinegar.
You can use 1/3 cup of baking soda and 1/3 cup of white vinegar in the thermos and then fill it with hot water. Shake the thermos for a minute, allow it to soak for a few minutes, and then rinse it out with clean water.
A Zuji boiler free of sediment buildup
With these different options for cleaning your Zojurushi boiler every few months, you will always be able to rely on fresh, clean, pleasant tasting water from a kitchen appliance that works efficiently because it is free from sediment buildup.