How to descale an electric kettle naturally

How to Descale an Electric Kettle Naturally

Do you use an electric kettle to make tea or coffee? Are you looking for an eco-friendly, cost-effective way to descale an electric kettle? If so, you’ve come to the right place! In this article, we’ll show you how to descale your electric kettle naturally, with no harsh chemicals or store-bought cleaners needed. We’ll provide step-by-step instructions, plus tips and tricks to keep your kettle clean and in excellent condition. So, if you’re ready to get started, keep reading!

Descaling is one of the most efficient, less expensive, and time-saving ways of keeping your kettles limescale free, properly cleaned and effectively functioning.

Descale an electric kettle

In this article, we exhaustively share the causes, elimination, and prevention of limescale on your electric kettle through natural methods.

What is Descaling?

Electric kettles are a great way to quickly and conveniently make tea or coffee. But over time, the mineral build-up from hard water can cause limescale to accumulate inside, affecting the flavor and performance.

Descaling is the total removal of limescale from the surface of a metal, especially from the inner surfaces of boilers and kettles.

What Is Limescale?

Limescale, which could also be called calcium scale, is most common in hard water. It is a hard, off-white chalky substance often found on the metallic parts of water-operated machinery. It is particularly common in equipment that involves heating such as boilers, electric kettles, or heat transfer systems (such as heat exchangers). So it is only natural that these scales are found on the surfaces of your kettle.

Hard water is known to be of utmost benefit to health. In fact, most mineral waters for sale contain minerals such as calcium and magnesium. These elements are good for your body as they have roles to play in the build-up of the body’s immune system.

 What Causes Limescale?

The accumulation of calcium and magnesium minerals in hard water causes limescale. This hard water is formed when rainwater filters through rocks like chalk and limescale, picking up hard minerals along the way. These hard minerals are not harmful to the human body.

Kettles get limescale because of calcium carbonate deposits and a residue left behind by hard water. When you heat up hard water at home, in your kettle, the minerals inside the hard water turn into limescale and cling to whatever they can, mostly the kettle’s inside.

How to Descale an Electric Kettle Naturally

If your electric kettle has seen better days and is in need of a descaling, there are a few natural methods you can use to get it back to top shape.

Naturally Descale An Electric Kettle Using Vinegar

First, fill the kettle with equal parts water and vinegar and let it sit for an hour. This will help to loosen any build-up on the inside of the kettle. Afterward, empty the kettle and rinse it out several times with fresh water to remove any lingering vinegar taste.

Descale an electric kettle naturally using vinegar

Tip: Drop 1 cup of baking soda into the sink before pouring out the vinegar, it helps clean the draining system.

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Use Rice to Clean An Electric Kettle

Another option is to fill the kettle with water and add a handful of uncooked rice. Boil the water and rice mixture for about 15 minutes, then let the kettle cool before emptying it out. The rice will have helped to scrape away any build-up on the interior of the kettle.

Baking Soda Can Effectively Descale an Electric Kettle

Finally, if your kettle needs a deeper cleaning, you can fill it with water and add a cup of baking soda. Let the mixture sit for an hour before boiling it, then empty and rinse out the kettle several times with fresh water.

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If your kettle is not perfectly clean, wet a cotton cloth a little, dip it into baking soda and use it to clean the limescale residue inside the kettle, the spout, and the edges, depending on the material of the kettle. Rinse thoroughly!

Lemon Juice Can Break Limescale Deposits And Clean An Electric Kettle

Put a half cup of lemon juice into your kettle and wait for about 30 minutes. If the limescale is very thick, turn on the electric kettle, the lemon juice would heat up and break up the limescale; the steam caused by boiling would help steam up the rest of the kettle. (Repeat this step a couple of times if the limescale is really thick.) Allow boiling for some time, at least 2 to 3 minutes. Rinse thoroughly!

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Whichever method you choose, be sure to descale your electric kettle regularly to keep it in good working condition.

Summary

It is important to clean your electric kettle regularly in order to prevent the build-up of limescale and other deposits. Limescale can reduce the efficiency of your kettle and make it take longer to boil water. It can also cause your kettle to overheat and break down. If you have hard water, you may need to descale your kettle more often.

In this article, we have shared practical and readily available steps to take in descaling and maintaining an electric kettle.

Usually, scales grow on metal surfaces after a short period of time. It is only natural and normal to find them on your kettle because they are mostly formed as a result of residue from hard water. However, this practice should be repeated in a couple of weeks or once a month to maintain your kettle in top shape. 

Frequently asked questions (FAQs)

What Causes Limescale in Your Electric Kettle?

Limescale in a kettle is caused by the continuous use of hard water, which has calcium and magnesium residue, and tends to leave scales on the surface of metals.

How do you know when your kettle has limescale?

The presence of limescale in your electric kettle is caused by hard water. To test if you have hard water, you could try these easy DIY steps of the soap lather test by putting a small amount of soap in a water container filled halfway with water and shaking vigorously. If you have cloudy milky water and dull bubbles, it is most likely you have hard water. There’s no cause for alarm as you could easily descale your kettle efficiently with the steps given in this article. 

If your kettle has limescale, does it mean you are dirty or unkempt?

No, it doesn’t. Having limescale in a kettle could be gross but this doesn’t mean you are a dirty person, as you could always try out the steps in this article.

How do you maintain a scale-free kettle?

This may depend on the duress of the water in your area. However, by frequently descaling your kettle- once a week for example, since it is not such a time-consuming task, you can rest assured your appliance is clean and good to use for as long as possible.

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