How to descale an electric kettle

Due to hard water, water heating devices are subject to salt deposits on the internal walls. These are calcium and magnesium salts that affect water quality.

An electric kettle with scale boils water longer, making it harmful, and the service life of the device becomes shorter. That's why The kettle needs to be cleaned regularly to remove build-up. Cleaning at home will not present any difficulties to anyone.

Causes of scale in a kettle

When heated, various compounds contained in water precipitate, forming rough, hard deposits. The amount of scale directly depends on the quality of the water. Hard water contains a lot of salts, so it is recommended to use filtered water. It also contains salts, but in moderation.

It is impossible to completely protect an electric kettle from scale. But regular care will significantly extend the performance of the kettle and improve the quality of water.

Reference: Most cases of electric kettle breakdowns occur precisely because of a large amount of scale.

How to descale an electric kettle at home

All effective methods for cleaning an electric kettle are easy to apply, and products that are used as a remedy are available in every home.

The device must be cleaned at least once a month. It is better if cleaning is carried out once a week to prevent excessive deposits. The more salts accumulate, the more difficult it will be to get rid of it.

Under no circumstances should you remove accumulations with a knife or other sharp, hard object. They can damage the integrity and structure of the kettle, which will render it unusable. Also, do not use metal brushes. Abrasive powders severely scratch the inside surface of an electrical appliance.

Important: Kettle users should be warned that cleaning is in progress. Water boiled from a kettle containing cleaning products becomes undrinkable. The cleaning process will not take much time.

Effective methods

The household must have one of the following products: soda, vinegar, citric acid, soda and household chemicals. The products are the most effective for descaling. They contain organic and inorganic acids that destroy salt compounds. There are also special products, such as Antiscale, which will also quickly get rid of accumulations.

Cleaning an electric kettle with citric acid

Citric acid is effective against old scale. The product can be used on an electric kettle made of any material. For cleaning you will need:

• 0.5 l. water;
• 1–2 tbsp. l. acids.

Fresh lemon can replace acid. A quarter of a lemon is the optimal amount to create an active but not aggressive acid solution. The cleaning process consists of the following steps:

1. Boil water in a kettle.
2. Add a pack of citric acid powder (dip lemon in water).
3. Wait for the water to cool (maximum 2 hours).
4. Shake the kettle lightly.
5. Rinse the kettle.

Newly formed scale will come off without agitation. But for more old ones, you need to help the product dissolve the compounds.

Cleaning the electric kettle with soda

Baking soda is the most popular means for cleaning an electric kettle at home. It can loosen even old scale. For cleaning you will need:

• 0.5–1 l. water;
• 2-4 tbsp. l. soda respectively;
• For maximum effect, you can also use a 20 gram sachet of citric acid.

The process is not long, and the method is considered the safest. The cleaning process consists of the following steps:

1. Pour water and add soda.
2. Boil.
3. Wait 20 minutes and drain the solution.
4. Rinse the kettle.

After the action, the same is done with citric acid. Using baking soda and citric acid alternately will give immediately visible results. If the scale itself has not left the walls, it can be easily removed with a sponge.

Cleaning the electric kettle with vinegar

Using vinegar to clean an electric kettle is the most effective home method. The only disadvantage of the method is that it is not recommended for use with plastic teapots. For the solution you will need:

• an amount of water equal to the maximum volume of the device;
• 1 glass of 6% vinegar per 1 liter. water;
• citric acid or baking soda to consolidate the effect.

If you combine vinegar with powdered acid, a violent reaction will occur with abundant release of CO2, which helps break down the layers of scale. The method is effective even for old, multi-layered scale.

First, water is poured into the kettle, then vinegar is added. The solution should boil. Leave it to cool for 2 hours. A kitchen sponge will help remove any remaining deposits.

Attention: The method leaves a strong smell, so be sure to ventilate the kitchen well.

Cleaning the electric kettle with oxalic acid

Oxalic acid can rid the kettle of salt deposits. It quickly loosens layers. If there is no acid, you can take fresh sorrel. But concentrated store-bought acid removes scale much faster.

Water is poured into the kettle, to which a small amount of acid is then added. The solution must be brought to a boil. Within just a few minutes, the salts will begin to flake off. Using a kitchen sponge you can successfully remove all softened peelings. Fresh sorrel is also thrown into water and brought to a boil.

Cleaning an electric kettle with soda water

Carbonated drinks usually contain orthophosphate acid (E338). It can loosen layers. After exposure, the scale falls off in layers. Sprite is an effective drink.

It is recommended to use carbonated drinks without dyes, since the additive can color the inside walls of the kettle. Before use, you need to remove the gas from the drink a little to avoid foaming. To do this, you can shake and periodically open the bottle of drink, or leave it open for a while.

Soda is poured into the kettle and boiled. Then you need to leave it for an hour.Then the soda is drained, and the remaining deposits can be removed mechanically, without the use of sharp hard objects.

Removing scale using household chemicals

Modern descaling products are known for their effectiveness, but not all of them. The most popular are Antiscale, Silat and Mayordom. Excessive amounts of scale cannot always be successfully removed with such purchased products, so most people prefer not to spend money, but to use folk remedies.

Instructions for use must be present on the packaging. Cleaning must be carried out strictly following the instructions. They usually also require boiling.

It is extremely important to thoroughly rinse the electric kettle after cleaning. The chemical components of the products are hazardous to health. Before drinking water from an electric kettle, you should boil clean water at least 3 times.

Precautionary measures

If we talk about safety, the main precaution when cleaning an electric kettle is to rinse the device. After using any folk or store-bought remedy in a kettle, you need to boil it several times and pour out clean water in order to rinse the solution used as much as possible. The components of the products can cause poisoning.

You also need to be careful not to get acids into your eyes. In case of contact, rinse eyes with running water.

Preventing scale formation in a kettle

By following simple recommendations, you can be confident in the functionality of the kettle. To make the need to remove deposits less frequent, you need to:

1. Use filtered or settled water.
2. Throw away unnecessary remaining water. Even when water cools, salts settle and harden.
3. Do not wait until the scale layer becomes too rough.Cleaning should be regular.
4. Clean the appliance with a kitchen sponge at least once every two days.
5. If it comes about choosing a kettle, then devices with a closed spiral are much easier to clean.
6. For preventive cleaning, products such as brine and fruit peelers are suitable.

If you take care of your electric kettle, you can significantly extend its service life. Maintenance involves regular cleaning, which prevents the appearance of rough deposits.