How to descale an electric kettle

2024 Author: James Gerald | [email protected]. Last modified: 2023-12-17 14:00

A household appliance such as an electric kettle is used in our kitchens more often than any other kitchen equipment, therefore it is prone to scale accumulation more often than washing machines or dishwashers. Even filtered water contains some particles of salts and minerals, which, when boiled, accumulate on the walls, heating elements of household appliances …

Any housewife needs to know how to quickly and reliably descale an electric kettle at home. Excessive sediment accumulation is harmful not only for technology, but also for the health of households.

Why fight sediment

Salt deposits, mineral particles, rust cover the heating element of the appliance, which takes more and more time to heat the water. Working in this mode, the kettle will fail much faster.

At each boil, particles of harmful elements enter the prepared drink and settle on the walls of the gastrointestinal tract.

Tea made from water that has been boiled with scale loses its entire bouquet of aroma and taste.

To remove such a nuisance from your favorite home kettle, several effective methods are used, the main action of which boils down to a single principle: the effect on acid deposits.

For light to medium soiling

Lemon acid

With citric acid, small to medium deposits can be regularly cleaned up with little time and money. This is done like this:

Water is poured into the kettle, citric acid is added at the rate of 2 tablespoons per 0.5 liters (or a quarter of lemon for the same volume) and brought to a boil. In most cases, all the limescale leaves on its own; you do not need to clean anything further.

Baking soda

Boiling soda also helps to cleanly remove salt deposits. Proportion: 1 tbsp. spoon per liter of boiling water. If you pour the solution hot into the hole of the sink, you can also clean the drain pipe at the same time.

Vinegar

Unlike the first two substances, acetic acid has a stronger effect on sedimentary rocks, therefore, for the current cleaning of a small plaque, it is used in a weak consistency: 1 teaspoon of vinegar per liter of water.

For old scale, the dose of the agent is increased depending on the degree of contamination.

Overdose and frequent use of vinegar threatens to damage the enamel on the teapot body and is just as harmful to the heating element as the scale itself.

Another disadvantage of cleaning with vinegar is the pungent acidic odor that remains in the appliance. To eliminate it, rinse the inside of the kettle with a sponge and detergent, rinse. It is better to drain the first boiling water after cleaning.

Unusual folk methods

Unusual and effective folk methods include:

1. Cola or sprite. The content of acids and other elements in these popular drinks is such that they can be used off-label (which is much healthier, by the way). Many housewives have learned how to clean indelible dirt on any dish with Cola. Limescale in the teapot - including. Before use, the drink should be defended open for the release of gases, then pour and bring to a boil. It only remains to rinse.
2. A similar action is performed using plain sparkling water without dyes … In this case, it is not necessary to release the gas, but it is enough to fill the kettle by 50%.
3. Apple or potato peel, well washed, placed in a kettle, filled with water and boiled. Due to the insignificant effect, boiling is repeated several times. This method is good for getting rid of small deposits.
4. Cucumber or tomato pickle bring to a boil in a kettle and leave to cool. The brine is poured in pure form, strained, without impurities. The disadvantage of this product is the smell of pickles, which is especially absorbed by devices with a plastic case. The aroma evaporates after additional rinsing with dish detergent.

Removal of stubborn old limescale

Salt deposits that have accumulated over a long period are much more difficult to remove without harming the device. Typically, a complete cleanup requires several passes and the use of harsher media.

Shock measure - the use of several active substances together:

• soda + vinegar;
• citric acid + soda;
• citric acid + vinegar;
• soda + vinegar (citric acid) + salt;
• one of the elements, but in increased concentration.

Special means for descaling, which are offered in the departments of household chemicals: "Anti-scale", "Descaler", "Major Domus" and others. The use of chemical compounds requires thorough rinsing.

In order to avoid the ingress of particles of "chemistry" into the esophagus after cleaning, boil and pour water at least three times. The proportions and order of use of such products are indicated in the individual instructions for use.

Useful information

If the kettle has been used for a long time, has never been cleaned, the heating elements and the walls of the body can be damaged so much that it is impossible to clean them even with the most thermonuclear means.

Increased doses of funds, vinegar cleaning, combining various substances should not be used for weak scale, otherwise the enamel may be damaged.

The frequency of regular cleaning depends on the quality of the water and the frequency of use of the kettle.

Before boiling again, the remains of the old boiling water with sediment should always be drained and the kettle rinsed.

Keep your device clean. He will delight you with well-oiled work for a long time.