Limescale can be a recurring problem in kettles due to a build-up of hard water. When hard water evaporates, which is water with a higher mineral content, it leaves behind calcium and magnesium deposits that look like a white, crusty coating on the inside of the appliance.
Cleaning fan and Tiktok Georgia, who goes by Clean with Georgia, revealed a speedy way to resolve the issue: using one fruit you probably already have in your fridge. While many people opt for baking soda or vinegar, Georgia suggested using lemons instead. This can be an effective natural alternative for those who want to avoid chemical and commercial cleaning products.
How to descale a kettle
Simply cut the lemons in half or into slices, fill the kettle with a generous amount of water, and add the lemons. Set the kettle on to boil and allow the lemons to work their magic.
Once boiled, you can allow the water to stand for a while. Then pour the water and lemons away, and the limescale should be broken down enough to follow along with it.
Before using the kettle again, just give it a quick rinse.
Lemons are an effective natural remedy as they contain citric acid, which can help dissolve mineral deposits in limescale. This acid helps break down the calcium and magnesium in hard water stains.
While using lemons as a descaler is generally safe and an effective natural remedy, there are a few things to keep in mind when using them or any lemon derivatives.
Although lemons contain citric acid, which helps dissolve limescale, it’s still only a mild descaling agent compared to other solutions, such as using citric acid itself or vinegar.
In comparison, vinegar contains acetic acid, which effectively breaks down the calcium carbonate that makes up limescale, essentially dissolving it by creating a salt, also known as calcium acetate, which easily dissolves in water; this is why a mixture of water and vinegar is effective at descaling a kettle when boiled.