Cleaning a teapot spout

It's like a black sludge. Definitely not meant to be there.
There are no marks inside the teapot, it's as clean as a pin.

It looks pretty but it's for being used. It holds two cups and that's why I bought it, it's enough for me.

I don't like stainless steel, it looks harsh and cold.
I've got a stainless steel one here in a cupboard, my mam and dad used to take it out when we went for picnics many years ago. I've been meaning to get rid of it but it holds lots of memories and I've found it difficult to let it go ... so it stays here with all the other clutter

 

It's difficult to reach inside the spout because of the bend. That's why I can't clean it properly. I may write to the seller if I can't get it clean.

 

Dish cloth wrapped around a bendy stem such as a pipe cleaner could work. You can stuff as much of the cloth in there as possible to get the full width and then just scrub rotating the wad.

Pre- soaking with strong washing up liquid solution overnight will help, and a pinch of baking soda could help too. Or lemon juice- tea stains react well to that.

However, if the glazing is compromised, it is likely that any detergent flavours will penetrate the material and taint your tea. Good soaking with lemony hot water will help, changing the water often. But, the staining will re-appear with use.

Fingers crossed, it's a lovely teapot

 

This might sound terrible but if you have any leftover swabs from a covid testing kit, they might be a good little device to shove in there?

 

I love china teapots and use several different ones including two 2 cup ones during the day. I would suggest you use diluted bleach ( as in my previous post) and tightly put a finger over the spout, tip the pot at an angle so as to allow the bleach to run into the spout and then hold the position for a minute. Cotton wool buds are handy to use too.

 

Thanks for all suggestions. All gratefully received and appreciated

The spout is very narrow and bendy, and there's a sort of 'belly' at the bottom of it, and that makes it difficult to get any cloth or kitchen roll down it, or to rotate anything inside it.
I've even tried wire plant ties but I can't get them to go around the bend and into the 'belly'.

I've now put the pot to soak in boiling water with bicarb and washing up liquid. I haven't got anything else - no pipe cleaners and no denture cleaners etc. I'll haveto go shopping !

I may try very diluted bleach if the bicarb doesn' work.

I have heard in the past that you should not clean a teapot but I don't know what the stuff inside the spout is, and that makes me not want to use it.