# So, what does this tea-warmer burn?

**URL:** https://boards.straightdope.com/t/so-what-does-this-tea-warmer-burn/343340
**Category:** Factual Questions
**Created:** [February 7, 2006, 3:28am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/so-what-does-this-tea-warmer-burn/343340 "2006-02-07T03:28:27Z")
**Posts on this page:** 4
**Page:** 2

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### Author: ![Speaker\_for\_the\_Dead](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/c77e96/32.png) [@Speaker\_for\_the\_Dead](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Speaker_for_the_Dead)
#### Post date: [February 7, 2006, 10:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/so-what-does-this-tea-warmer-burn/343340/21 "2006-02-07T22:06:52Z")

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> [@Joey P](#):
>
> Did anyone else check to see if there was a naked reflection in the first picture.
> 
> Just me?

Actually, I noticed that it sort of looked like that. If anyone’s curious, that flesh-coloured bit is my hand holding the webcam.

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### Author: ![Squink](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/b5e925/32.png) [@Squink](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Squink)
#### Post date: [February 7, 2006, 10:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/so-what-does-this-tea-warmer-burn/343340/22 "2006-02-07T22:23:31Z")

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> [@](#):
>
> The bottom of the kettle was covered in black scoring, so I assume it wasn’t alcohol.

Alcohol, methyl, wthyl or isopropyl, can leave soot too.

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### Author: ![Q.E.D](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/q/51bf81/32.png) [@Q.E.D](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Q.E.D)
#### Post date: [February 7, 2006, 10:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/so-what-does-this-tea-warmer-burn/343340/23 "2006-02-07T22:28:51Z")

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> [@Squink](#):
>
> Alcohol, methyl, wthyl or isopropyl, can leave soot too.

Indeed, any fuel containing carbon can, even normally clean-burning methane. It all depends on combustion efficiency (or the lack thereof). Generally, if there’s an orange-ish flame, you’ll get sooting.

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### Author: ![Speaker\_for\_the\_Dead](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/c77e96/32.png) [@Speaker\_for\_the\_Dead](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Speaker_for_the_Dead)
#### Post date: [February 17, 2006, 4:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/so-what-does-this-tea-warmer-burn/343340/24 "2006-02-17T16:25:52Z")

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Since I’m sure you’ve all been biting your lips waiting to discover what my solution was, I’ll tell you. I found some odourless lamp-oil and it works like a charm. Thanks, everyone!

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