The truth is no one enjoys cleaning out their kitchen appliances, especially a kettle because there’s no right way to get it done. Cleaning the kettle is honestly a tedious chore which is often forgotten about, however, it's necessary to remove limescale from your kettle regularly to keep it in the best condition for as long as possible and to ensure that you or your family aren't picking flakes out of their tea.
Kettles are highly used appliances in the home and can be more energy-efficient than boiling water on the stove. However, limescale can build-up in kettles quickly, causing households to face higher energy bills. Luckily, in this article we share
"cheaper and more effective"
ways to descale the appliance, using a few ingredients you may already have tucked away in your fridge or under your kitchen sink.
What is a Limescale Limescale is a hard chalky substance that's mainly made up of calcium carbonate, which is commonly found in rocks and seashells. It's off-white in colour, but can also be grey, pink, or reddish-brown in some cases.
In many cases you may notice that limescale builds up in your appliances quite quickly. This is because your water supply contains large amounts of calcium and magnesium, which builds up inside your kettle and forms a scaly coating if left untreated.
Limescale is an age-old inconvenience that's unlikely to disappear any time soon. However, it won't cause any harm to you, but it could mean you end up replacing your kettle far sooner than necessary. However, there are many things you can do to keep your kettle limescale-free, and below are a few steps you can follow to ensure your kettle is nice and sparkling.
Simply measure out equal parts white vinegar and tap water, then fill your water around three quarters full of the mixture.
Bring it to the boil and leave to stand until it's completely cooled, before rinsing it out several times. You can use a long-handled scrubbing brush to remove any particularly stubborn patches if necessary.
Once all the limescale is gone, fill your kettle up with clean water, boil it and empty it again.
Repeat this process two to three times to remove any traces of vinegar and prevent your tea from tasting funny.
If your kettle is particularly scaly, you can also add a small amount of bicarbonate of soda to the vinegar and water mixture to help shift any rogue flakes. You should only need to add about a teaspoon but keep an eye on your kettle to make sure it doesn't bubble over.
Another cleaning method may include using a lemon.
Begin by filling the kettle three quarters full of water and one lemon, then let it soak for one hour.
Next boil the kettle three times and allow it to cool. Then rinse thoroughly several times.
Boil the kettle again to ensure there is no aftertaste and wipe the outside of the kettle with an anti-bacterial multi-purpose cleaner and a damp cloth.
Doing this for a second time will act as a de-scaler, getting rid of any traces which could spoil your next cup of tea.
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