Unclogging a stainless steel deep tea strainer

CuiBono

The holes at the bottom of our tea strainer got so clogged that very little tea filtered through.
I tried descalers and citric acid but these had no effect.
Today I left it soaking in neat bleach and this worked perfectly.
Have you found anything else that works ?

grumbler

I guess drain unblocker has to work. Or flame/heatgun.

Why do you want anything else if bleach works?

CuiBono

grumbler said:

I guess drain unblocker has to work. Or flame/heatgun.

Why do you want anything else if bleach works?

I only tried bleach as a last resort and was hoping someone else has found something not a severe as neat bleach.

grumbler

I wouldn't say that bleach is 'severe' for stainless steel.

twopenny

Did you try very hot water and bicarb?

It cleans the inside of thermos flasks and tea pots a treat. Steriliser tablets for false teeth do much the same.

I also keep a hat pin and tooth pick in the kitchen for those annoying things that get bunged up or delicate glueing or anything small and tricky,, put something interesting on the radio and go into meditation mode as I work on them.

CuiBono

twopenny said:

Did you try very hot water and bicarb?

It cleans the inside of thermos flasks and tea pots a treat. Steriliser tablets for false teeth do much the same.

Thanks Twopenny, your suggestions are just what I am looking for !

FreeBear

twopenny said: I also keep a hat pin and tooth pick in the kitchen for those annoying things that get bunged up

A toothbrush sits by my sink - Gets used from time to time to clean the filter in my coffee maker. A scrubbing action to get rid of surface muck, and pat the bristles across the holes to dislodge the trapped grounds.

Apodemus

CuiBono said:

twopenny said:

Did you try very hot water and bicarb?

It cleans the inside of thermos flasks and tea pots a treat. Steriliser tablets for false teeth do much the same.

Thanks Twopenny, your suggestions are just what I am looking for !

Steriliser tablets tend to be sodium hypochlorite aka "bleach".

knightstyle

I put ours in the dishwasher from time to time. Yes it is still stained a brown colour but does that matter?  You don't see it when it is inside the teapot.