There’s nothing quite like a cuppa to kick start your day, but if you live in a hard water area, regularly boiling your favourite brew can quickly lead to a build-up of chalky limescale on the interior of even the best kettles. Not only is this unsightly to look at, but a limescale-covered element can take longer to boil, use more energy and, at its worst, affect the overall lifespan of your appliance.
The good news? Tackling limescale and maintaining your kettle to keep it running at its best isn’t as tricky as it sounds. There’s a wide range of off-the-shelf kettle descalers as well as DIY solutions you can make at home, using items such as lemon, vinegar and baking soda.
To bring you the lowdown on how to descale your kettle, we’ve tapped into the views of industry experts, combining their advice and insights with tried and trusted hints and tips from Mumsnet users. Here’s everything you need to know to keep your kettle running at its best.
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Why do I get limescale in my kettle?
Whether your appliances struggle with limescale all comes down to the hardness of your water.
The term ‘hard water’ is used to describe water that contains a high volume of minerals - specifically calcium and magnesium. Commonly found in London and the South East of England, hard water can cause limescale deposits on home appliances such as kettles and dishwashers.
“The underlying cause for limescale build-up in kettles is due to how the water, minerals dissolved within the water, and the repeating heating cycles all interact,” the team at Morphy Richards told us, adding: “Water has a boiling point of 100ºC, whereas minerals such as calcium bicarbonate and magnesium bicarbonate have higher boiling points (over 300ºC). Over time, the minerals are ‘left behind’ by the boiling water, resulting in limescale build-up on the element and interior.“
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How can I find out if I have hard water?
You can check whether you live in a hard water area using this hard water map.
You may also see some visible signs of hard water in your home. These may include white residue around your taps and showerheads, slow lathering of soap and even a slight metallic taste to your tap water.
If you’re concerned about hard water damaging your appliances, you may want to consider investing in a water softener, which connects to your water supply to actively remove calcium and magnesium deposits that can cause limescale and residue.
Water softeners don’t come cheap, however, and if you’re plagued by unsightly specks in your morning cuppa, you may want to consider buying one of our best kettles for hard water, with effective options starting from just £30.
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How to descale a kettle with vinegar
A popular choice amongst Mumsnetters, vinegar is highly acidic, which helps it to quickly neutralise and lift limescale deposits from your kettle’s heating element without the need for scrubbing. It’s worth noting that this isn’t the malt vinegar you douse on your french fries, but instead white vinegar – available in most supermarkets for an affordable price.
To descale a kettle with vinegar you should:
Fill your kettle with a 50/50 split of water and white vinegar
Boil the kettle and leave the contents to sit for 20 to 30 minutes
Unplug the kettle and drain the contents
Rinse thoroughly and repeat if necessary
Pros
A more eco-friendly alternative to chemical kettle descalers
Budget-friendly product that you may already have in your kitchen
Versatile choice that can be used elsewhere in the home
Cons
What Mumsnet users say
“If you're in a hurry, fill the kettle with vinegar and bring it to the boil. Give it a scrub with a brush after a few minutes. A long-handled art paintbrush, the sort with stiff bristles, is very useful for getting into all the nooks and crannies. The advantage of vinegar is that it is entirely harmless if not perfectly rinsed out.” - JellySlice
"Vinegar works really well. [...] Fill your kettle up with enough to cover the scale, pour in a very generous amount of vinegar and leave for a few hours. You'll need to rinse out the kettle and fill it up and boil it once or twice afterwards, pouring away the water. You can repeat if it doesn't all come off the first time.” - DramaAlpaca
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How to descale a kettle with lemon
If the strong smell of vinegar is enough to put you off, lemon is a more gentle natural solution. While the citrus scent is less offensive to your nose buds, it can leave a slight aftertaste, so it’s important to thoroughly rinse your kettle before making your first brew.
To descale a kettle with lemon you should:
Squeeze the juice of two lemons into a jug (by hand is sufficient – just be careful to remove pips!)
Fill your kettle with water and add the lemon juice
Bring to the boil
Leave the contents for 20 to 30 minutes
Unplug and drain, rinsing thoroughly with cold water
Pros
Cons
Less acidic than chemical solutions so you may need multiple applications
Can work out more costly than vinegar
Can leave a citrus after taste if not rinsed thoroughly
What Mumsnet users say
“The best and easiest [way to] descale is to boil half a kettle and put a fair bit of lemon juice in there. Wait a minimum of two hours and then rinse. Super clean descaled kettle.” - 1hyuny
“I use lemons in my glass kettle all the time. You only need a small amount of water, put the halved lemons flesh side down and boil a couple of times. Rinse well and wipe away any excess limescale if needed.” - Hoohaahoo
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How to descale a kettle with baking soda
If you’re concerned about the high acidity levels of vinegar and lemon but prefer a chemical-free solution, baking soda is also worth considering. This multipurpose choice does require a little more effort to work; however, it can be applied directly to the source of limescale for more focused cleaning.
To descale your kettle with baking soda you should:
Mix a tablespoon of baking soda with a small amount of water and blend into a thick paste
Spread onto the heating element and scrub across any internal areas where you can see a visible build-up of limescale (an old toothbrush will do the trick)
Leave for 5 to 10 minutes
Rinse thoroughly
Pros
Eco-friendly and affordable alternative to chemical descalers
Gentle and odour-free
No aftertaste left behind
Can also be used for cleaning taps and shower screens
Cons
Less acidic than vinegar and lemon so may take longer, require scrubbing or multiple applications to achieve good results
Requires thorough rinsing
How to use a descaling solution for a kettle
Descaling solutions are widely available at supermarkets, and while they can be a little more costly than natural solutions, they generally work very efficiently, quickly lifting away even the most engrained limescale build-up.
Regardless of which kettle descaler you go for, it’s important to follow its individual usage instructions. Some simply need to be placed inside your kettle, while others have to be mixed with water to create a cleaning solution.
Many contain acidic chemicals that react with the minerals to break them down. We recommend wearing gloves if using this method, and it goes without saying – always keep the kettle descaler out of reach of children.
In most cases, using a descaling solution involves the following steps:
Prepare your descaling solution (as per usage instructions)
Add to your kettle and bring to the boil
Allow it to work, leaving inside the kettle for a minimum of 20 to 30 minutes to lift away limescale
Unplug the kettle and rinse thoroughly
Repeat if necessary
Rinse, refill with water and boil again to remove any remaining descaler from your appliance
As tempting as it may be to cut corners, it’s important to be patient and trust the process. The Morphy Richards team advises, “The majority of descaling products will require you to bring the kettle to boil once the solution has been poured in. You must allow the kettle to complete a full boiling cycle. Don’t be tempted to turn it off early like you would when making a cuppa!”
If you’re unsure which descaler to go for, it’s also worth checking whether your kettle manufacturer has a preferred brand. Natalie Harrison, Head of E-commerce and Marketing at Dualit says: “There are many descalers available on the market, but we always recommend the Kilrock K Descaler for Dualit Kettles - the solution is biodegradable, phosphate-free and suitable for metal or plastic kettles.”
Pros
Fast and efficient at removing limescale, with minimum scrubbing required
Many descalers are made especially for kettles, so you can use them without fear of damaging your appliance
As long as rinsed correctly after use, they’re less likely to leave an after taste or unpleasant odour
Cons
Kettles need to be rinsed thoroughly after use
Chemical-based cleaners are less environmentally friendly
Some kettle descalers can prove costly, especially if you need to use them regularly
What Mumsnet users say
“I've used Oust for regular descaling of my kettle for years as [I live] in a very hard water area. A good rinse and a boil is sufficient.” - Brand recommended by Whatthefack
“Kilrock is the best thing. I live near London, very hard water. I descale with Kilrock one to two times per year, had the kettle seven years — still going strong.” - Brand recommended by DeepaBeesKit
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How often should you descale a kettle?
“As a general rule of thumb, we recommend you descale your kettle at least once per month, sometimes more or less depending on where you live in the UK,” Dualit’s Natalie Harrison recommends.
She adds: “For example, the South and South East of England has the hardest water so we would recommend you descale your appliance at least once a month or every 25 cycles. The further north you go, the softer the water becomes and in this case, we recommend you descale your appliance every two months or every 100 cycles.”
Verdict: the best way to descale a kettle
Ultimately, it all comes down to personal choice. If you’re short on time and want minimal fuss, shop-bought kettle descalers are the fastest and most efficient way to descale your kettle. That said, they can prove costly, especially if you need to use them regularly, and many contain harsh chemicals.
For DIY kettle descalers, vinegar tends to be the fastest natural alternative to chemical cleaners. However, it can be quite abrasive, so you may want to use it sparingly.
Lemon and baking soda are a more gentle choice – so long as you’re prepared to wait a little longer and repeat the process if necessary.
About the author
Lucy Cotterill is a mum of two and a Content Writer at Mumsnet, specialising in baby/child and kitchen product round-ups. Having written reviews on her own blog Real Mum Reviews since 2012, Lucy loves to research and explore the pros and cons of products, scrutinising expert guidance and consumer feedback to help people make confident purchase decisions.
In addition to this piece, Lucy has written several Mumsnet round-ups on kettles, including the best glass kettles, the most portable travel kettles, and top energy-efficient kettles, so she knows a thing or two about keeping small kitchen appliances working at their best.