Limescale in your kettle can reduce the water flow so it’s essential to regularly clean and remove kettle limescale to improve its performance and longevity
Limescale, also known as calcium carbonate or hard water deposits, appears as a white chalky mineral accumulation in your kettle when water is heated or left to stand. As time passes, limescale in your kettle can restrict water flow, impact heating efficiency, and lead to corrosion, making it crucial to regularly clean and eliminate kettle limescale to enhance its performance and extend its lifespan.
Numerous methods exist for removing limescale from your kettle, including both chemical and natural approaches. Many households favour the natural route.
Four primary natural alternatives include white vinegar, baking soda, lemon juice and citric acid.
Posting on her TikTok account @sifaveli, Sifa Veli revealed her remarkable results after using citric acid to dissolve the limescale in her kettle in a video, reports the Express.
In the caption, Sifa explained: “Living in hard water central I worry about making my girl’s food with limescale in there.
“I always use a limescale strainer when pouring water but I love this quick and natural way to descale.”
She began by adding roughly one to two tablespoons of citric acid into the kettle before filling it only halfway with water, creating a “potent.”
Solution
Sifa then boiled the kettle and demonstrated the “results after just one boil.”
Not a trace of limescale remained.
Households can then rinse the kettle before switching it on for a second boil using just water. Though a second boil isn’t necessary.
Taking to the comments section, fellow TikTok users shared their own experiences with this method.
User @mermaid26x mentioned that she uses a lemon which works in a similar way, but citric acid is more powerful.
She revealed: “Get a lemon cut in half and squeeze the lemon into the empty kettle.
“Cut the lemon into small slices and put it into the kettle. Fill the kettle halfway up and leave it to settle for half an hour then boil.”
Some users favour citric acid over lemon and even white vinegar.
Another user @happyfam794 commented: “Citric acid is superior to vinegar and anything else I’ve used on my kettle. It also doesn’t leave a nasty smell.”
Once the kettle is free from limescale there are two steps to take to stop it from coming back – drain the kettle after every use as stagnant water is one of the main causes of limescale accumulation in your kettle and routinely clean the inside.