If you’re a coffee drinker, chances are you’re pretty fond of your kettle – but that also means that you’ll be familiar with the build-up of limescale in your device.
Limescale is a chalky substance that’s mainly made up of calcium carbonate, usually found in rocks and seashells.
However, it doesn’t stay beside the seaside, and can affect kitchen and bathroom appliances, especially if you live in an area with hard water – made even worse by the fact that 11% of us have apparently never washed our kettle.
This is because hard water supplies contain larger amounts of calcium and magnesium, which builds up and forms a tough coating if left for too long.
Limescale is a natural occurrence and isn’t harmful to consume… but it looks unsightly and can leave a bitter aftertaste – which can have a knock-on effect on your hot drinks.
If you’ve got limescale in your kettle, how can you get rid of it?
Five ways to descale a kettle
There are different methods to try to get rid of limescale in your kettle.
Some involve buying products designed to specifically target limescale, but you can also try using household products you might already have in the cupboards.
Using descaling powder in your kettle
You can pick up descaling powder in most large supermarkets, online or from DIY stores.
Follow the instructions outlined on any packaging, but most descaling powders involve a similar methodology.
You can expect to simply pop a sachet into a recently boiled kettle and waiting around 10 minutes for it to remove the limescale.
Once you’ve waited the set amount of time, pour out the water and give the kettle a bit of a rinse and a wipe down.
How to use descaling liquid
Descaling liquids, like powders, are available from most supermarkets or DIY shops.
The method will be largely the same as the descaling powder but be sure to always wear gloves and read the instructions thoroughly.
Descaling a kettle with vinegar
If you want to try giving it a clean without popping out to the shops, vinegar, a mild acid, is great at treating limescale.
To try this method:
How to use lemon juice to descale kettle
Lemon juice is a natural antibacterial and antiseptic agent, so can be used for lots of household cleaning purposes.
To effectively remove the limescale from your kettle using lemon juice, either squeeze enough fresh lemon juice into a glass or buy pre-made lemon juice.
Then,
Using citric acid to descale kettle
If the smell of vinegar is too much for you to bear, you can use a very similar method as outlined above but with citric acid.
You can pick this up at most DIY shops and it’s just as good at removing stubborn limescale.
The methodology involves:
MORE : Americans are just discovering kettles and Brits are finding it hilarious
MORE : Please do not boil your underwear in hotel kettles
Follow Metro across our social channels, on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.
Share your views in the comments below.
