It’s important to maintain your electric kettle for a variety of reasons: it will increase its longevity, allow your tea and coffee to taste fresh, and keep the kettle looking its best. But as with other kitchen appliances, you can’t just throw it in the dishwasher or scrub it with a little soap and water. Below we answer all the common questions that arise when descaling an electric kettle.
Why do I need to descale my electric kettle?
The water contains natural minerals such as calcium and magnesium carbonate. When you boil water, the heat causes these minerals to precipitate into a white, chalky deposit inside the teapot known as lime buildup. Decalcifying your electric kettle removes that buildup. Although limescale is not dangerous to health, it can damage the kettle and affect your efficiency—Making the water take longer to boil. It can also affect the taste of the water.
How do you descale an electric kettle?
Can descale your kettle using a water and vinegar solution: mild acidity helps to break down mineral buildup. Add equal parts water and vinegar to the kettle and bring to a boil. If you don’t have vinegar on hand, you can also use baking soda or lemon juice. When using baking soda, you should add one or two tablespoons to two cups of water and bring it to a boil. For the lemon juice, you can cut a lemon in half and squeeze it or use ¼ cup lemon juice. Then, add the juice to a cup of water, mix it and bring it to a boil.
Depending on how much mineral buildup there is, or how much time has passed since you descaled the kettle, you can let the solution sit inside the kettle for as little as 15 to 20 minutes or even overnight. Then, pour out the water and clean the inside with a sponge, soft cloth, or soft-bristled sponge. You can repeat the process if you still see limescale.
How often do I need to descale my electric kettle?
If you live in an area with hard water (which is water with a high mineral content), you should descale your kettle every three months. If you live in an area with soft water (which has a low mineral content), you can wait a little longer. However, you should also descale it if you notice mineral deposits In the kettle, the tea or coffee tastes a little bad or you see grainy sediment at the bottom of the cup.
