Limescale is a white deposit of salts in water that can damage your kettle and drinks, as well as increase energy consumption and the risk of the appliance breaking down. Limescale is formed when the water is hard and boils frequently.
To prevent scale formation, you can use water filters or special tablets for kettles. To get rid of existing scale, you can use various means and methods that are based on chemical or physical action on the scale.
Among the most popular and accessible methods for cleaning a kettle from scale are the following.
- With citric acid: pour water with 20 grams of acid into the kettle, boil, wait an hour, pour out and rinse. Citric acid dissolves calcium and magnesium salts, which make up the scale. This method is suitable for kettles of any material, but it is not recommended to use it too often, as the acid can damage the coating of the kettle.
- With vinegar: fill the kettle with vinegar one-third and water two-thirds, boil, cool, pour out and rinse. Vinegar also dissolves scale salts, but has a sharper smell and taste. This method is suitable for stainless steel or glass kettles, but not for aluminum or copper, as vinegar can cause corrosion of these metals.
- With soda: pour water with a glass of solution of two spoons of soda into the kettle, boil and rinse. Soda has alkaline properties that neutralize the acidity of scale and make it less durable. This method is suitable for kettles of any material, but is not very effective with heavy scale.
When using any of these methods to descale your kettle, you must take precautions: wear gloves, avoid contact with eyes and skin, and rinse the kettle thoroughly after the procedure.
You can also use professional scale removers, which are sold in hardware stores or household chemical stores. They usually have a higher concentration of active substances and clean the kettle from scale more quickly and effectively.
However, before using such products, you need to carefully read the instructions and follow their recommendations. You also need to consider the compatibility of the product with the material of the kettle, so as not to damage its coating or color.
Descaling your kettle is a simple but important procedure that will help extend the life of the appliance and improve the quality of your water and drinks.
To avoid the formation of strong scale, it is recommended to clean the kettle from scale at least once a month or more often in case of hard water. For this purpose, you can use both folk remedies and special preparations that effectively dissolve scale and make the kettle clean and shiny.
