Scale, hard deposits on the heating elements, bottom and walls of the kettle are the result of cooking the so-called hard water. The water you use every day contains a certain amount of calcium and magnesium ions, and the deposits in the appliance, commonly referred to as scale, are nothing more than tangible evidence of their presence. How can I prevent scale formation in the kettle? There is one method that is more effective than all others – try it and you will be limescale free.

Why does a lot of scale form in the kettle?

For some, drinking tea every day is a ritual without which they cannot imagine a pleasant afternoon with a well-deserved moment of relaxation. For others, it’s just a simple, everyday activity that helps warm you up when it’s cold, relieves a sore throat when you’ve got a cold, or simply allows you to prepare your favorite drink for breakfast, lunch or dinner.

Whatever you boil water in the kettle for, we’re pretty sure you do it at least a few times a day. Intensive use of the kettle exposes it to constant contact with hard water, which means that a lot of limescale builds up in the kettle. Simply put, the calcium and magnesium ions present in water are precipitated as carbonates when exposed to high temperatures, forming hard deposits that are difficult to remove.

The higher the concentration of minerals (both in carbonate and non-carbonate form) recorded in the water, the higher the hardness designation. Precipitated millerals from boiling hard water in turn form a scale layer. A kettle covered with limescale is not only an aesthetic problem – the water poured from it has a bad taste and the appliance is susceptible to damage. Therefore, regular descaling of the kettle is a must.

How to remove limescale from a kettle without chemicals?

Special descalers for various types of kettles, metal, glass and plastic, are available in stores. You can, of course, use them to clean the appliance, but if you want to avoid excessive use of chemicals when cleaning and maintaining kitchen items, see how to remove limescale from a kettle without chemicals.

Here’s an effective method that leaves the vinegar solution or baking soda far behind. Chalk deposits that have already sealed the metal base plate and filter surface can be removed with a fresh lemon.

The classic version of descaling a kettle with a lemon consists of squeezing half a juicy lemon directly into a larger glass or a practical kitchen jug with a measuring cup, into which 240 ml of water is measured in advance. The resulting solution should be boiled.

Without squeezing out the juice

Don’t want to bother with juicing? There is nothing simpler. Here’s how to juice a kettle by reaching for fruit:

  • Cut one large lemon into small pieces (without peeling it first) and use a knife to collect them from the boards straight into a bowl filled with water.
  • Pour the water from the bowl together with the pieces of lemon into the kettlewhich needs to be descaled, close the lid and switch on the appliance.
  • Wait for the water to boil and the kettle switches off.
  • Do you want to clean a traditional kettle? This method will also work on the stove. Boil water by turning on the stove and placing an appliance filled with water and lemon particles on it. Wait for the water to boil – give it about a minute and then remove it from the burner.
  • Wait another 60 minutes after the water has been clamped and the burner turned off or removed from the cookeruntil the limescale accumulated in it is thoroughly soaked.
  • After an hour, pour the contents of the kettle into the sink and rinse the remains of lemon or settled shavings several times with running water.

Finally, you can additionally wipe the inside of the kettle with a damp lint-free cloth or a stronger one with several layers of kitchen paper. The citrus aroma will be released when the water is further heated, and with the boiled lemon, the metallic aftertaste and split mineral residues will disappear once and for all – the kettle will shine like new again.

How can I prevent limescale in the kettle?

Before you start fighting against limescale in the kettle, carefully read the information in the instructions for use of the appliance. You may find that using acids for cleaning is not recommended and the manufacturer recommends other forms of cleaning the inside of the kettle from deposits from use.

Regardless of what appliance you use to boil water, you should pay attention to regular inspection and cleaning if you notice a significantly increased concentration of minerals. Find out how to prevent limescale from forming in your kettle, after all, it’s better to do something sooner rather than delay and struggle with a hard, hard-to-remove scale layer.

The advice in this regard is the only one – do it so that your kettle does not have such hard water as before. Use external water filter containers and pour water into the appliance from them rather than directly from the tap. You may also consider setting up a dedicated water treatment system.

Interestingly, some types of kettles can collect more deposits than others due to their design. Significantly more scale can appear on appliances equipped with spiral heaters. Models with plate heaters are also exposed to dirt, but mineral deposits are easier to remove from their surface.

Odorless and faster. This is how to remove scale from a kettle without vinegar