Updated May 2023

General Guidelines

The utensil to be immersed must be completely clean – i.e., free of dirt, dust, rust, stickers, labels or glue. (Practical Tip: WD-40 is very effective in removing adhesive.) One should wet one’s hands in the mikvah water, hold the vessel in the wet hand and say, “Baruch…asher kid’shanu b’mitzvosav v’tzivanu al tevilas keili (keilim for multiple utensils)” and immerse the vessel(s).

If one forgot to make the bracha, the immersion is valid.

The water of the mikvah must touch the entire vessel, inside and out.

The entire vessel must be under water at one time, but does not have to be submerged for any prolonged period of time.

A vessel’s lid or cover can be immersed separately if it is removable.

If a basket or net is used to hold small utensils, the basket should be immersed in the water, the utensils placed in the basket, and the basket […]