How to Descale a Kettle

The build-up of limescale can be a real problem in kettles, especially in hard water areas like the South of England, where it accumulates fast. 

It’s important to keep your appliance free from limescale because not only will it prevent pesky flakes from finding their way into your cuppas, but it’ll help cut down your energy bills. A kettle full of limescale takes longer to boil, which uses more energy and costs you more money over time.

If you don’t know how to descale a kettle, we’ve detailed everything you need to know in this guide, including how to prevent limescale in future and how often you should descale your kettle. 

How to Remove Limescale from a Kettle

Getting rid of limescale in a kettle is really easy – not to mention strangely satisfying! All you need to do is add the right product, of which you can choose from a few options, and the limescale will fizz away in minutes. 

Choose from any of these products:

• Citric acid
• White vinegar 
• Kilrock Big K Multi-purpose Descaler

When it’s time to descale, follow these simple steps:

1. Boil your kettle.
Tip: Save energy by only filling it to just above the level of the limescale, rather than filling the whole kettle.

2. When it’s boiled, pour in a tablespoon or two of citric acid or your chosen descaler, and wait for a few minutes until you can see the limescale has fizzed away. 

3. If there’s still any limescale left, empty the kettle and repeat the process. 

4. Pour away the water, refill and bring to the boil again, and then rinse with clean water.

And voila – your kettle will look sparkling clean again.

Watch how to descale a kettle with the Kilrock descaler in our short video. 

If you’re having trouble with limescale building up on the outside of the kettle, such as near the spout, we recommend using a little Kilrock Big K Multi-purpose Descaler and rubbing it off. It’ll look like new again in a jiffy.

How to Prevent Limescale in a Kettle

A quick and easy way to prevent limescale in a kettle is to simply add a kettle descaler, such as this Chef Aid Kettle Descaler. All you have to do is pop it in your kettle once descaled and leave it to work its magic.

How Often Should You Descale Your Kettle? 

This depends on how hard your water is but the general rule is to descale your kettle once every month or two, especially if you live in a hard water area like the South of England. If you leave it for too long, limescale will build up and it’ll take more than one clean to dislodge it all. 

Once descaled, you’ll not only be able to enjoy cuppas that are free from flakes, but you’ll save money in the long run as your kettle won’t have to use extra energy to boil. So it’s well worth doing on a regular basis. Have a look at our descalers and help your kettle last for longer.