Delicious coffee or warm tea gives us a good start to the day. According to statistics, every German citizen consumes around 150 liters of coffee and 80 liters of tea a year - pretty impressive, right? Whether alone or with friends – drinking coffee and tea is always a pleasure and we associate the popular drinks with warmth and joy. But we've all been there before - we look forward to our nice cup of tea, but after brewing we notice small, unappetizing limescale crumbs in it. Be it an iron, a coffee machine or a kettle – all household appliances that use water must be descaled and cleaned regularly. There are now numerous chemical products on the market that can be used for this purpose. However, these are often quite expensive and environmentally unfriendly. In order to protect your wallet, we have done some research for you and will explain below how you can best descale your kettle. Whether with vinegar, baking soda, lemon or even cola - with these home remedies you can get the kettle perfectly clean!
What is lime?
We all know that we need to descale our coffee machine and kettle. But what exactly is lime and how do lime deposits form? Lime is also called calcium carbonate and is a chemical combination of the elements oxygen, calcium and carbon. The higher the proportion of these minerals, the higher the so-called water hardness. When the water evaporates, small crystals form and this creates limescale deposits in the kettle. Contrary to popular belief, limescale in water is completely harmless to health, but it can still be very annoying and doesn't look particularly appetizing.
How often do you need to descale the kettle?
Unfortunately, there is no uniform answer to the question of how often you should descale the kettle. In general, the harder the water, the more often you should do it. The hardness of the water has a major influence on how quickly limescale deposits form on the kettle. So if you see a clear layer of limescale, then it's time to descale the device. Even if you use it very frequently, it is recommended to descale the kettle every two to three weeks. While lime is not harmful to our health, it can give our coffee or tea a slightly metallic taste and the small crystals are simply unattractive. If the heating tubes have already become clogged with lime, it will take a little longer for the water to boil and this in turn increases energy consumption. In addition, heavy calcification can significantly shorten the lifespan of the device, and we don't want that.
Descale the kettle: With these home remedies it works perfectly!
If you don't want to use chemical preparations on the market, you can also descale the kettle using home remedies. They work just as well (sometimes even better) and you probably already have most of them in your kitchen cupboard.
Descale kettles with vinegar essence or vinegar
It doesn't matter whether youthe shower heador want to descale the kettle - vinegar essence and vinegar are real all-rounders and have all sorts of uses in the household. However, the acid it contains can damage sensitive plastic parts and rubber seals and is unsuitable for cleaning brass or copper. You should also be careful not to inhale the fumes and if the smell of vinegar is too strong, let the device air out for a few hours. And this is how you can descale a kettle with vinegar essence:
- Fill the kettle with 1 liter of water and add 2 tablespoons of vinegar essence.
- Bring the mixture to the boil and then let it sit for 30 minutes.
- Then rinse the kettle several times with clean water and you're done. To get rid of the smell, we recommend that you boil the fresh water 2-3 times.
- To descale the kettle with vinegar, mix water and apple cider vinegar in a 1:1 ratio and proceed as described above.
With citric acid
In addition to vinegar, citric acid is also one of the most popular home remedies for descaling the kettle. However, some caution is required and citric acid is only suitable for limescale descaling. If this is heated, it can combine with the lime and thus form calcium nitrate. This coating is quite stubborn and is difficult to remove, even with chemical cleaners. To descale the kettle with citric acid, fill it with water and add 1 pack of citric acid. Stir thoroughly and leave the mixture for 4-5 hours. Then rinse the device several times with clear, lukewarm water. Alternatively, you can also use a mixture of 50 ml freshly squeezed lemon juice and 600-700 ml water.
Descale the kettle with baking soda or baking powder
Baking soda and baking powder are two excellent home remediesyellowed laundryto get white again. So it makes sense that we can also use it to descale our kettle. However, it can foam a lot when heated and you should use it sparingly. And this is how you descale the kettle with baking soda or baking powder.
- Fill the kettle with water and add 1 heaped tablespoon of baking soda.
- Stir and bring the mixture to a boil.
- Leave the mixture to work for 1-2 hours.
- Then fill the kettle again with clear water and bring it to the boil to completely remove the residue.
With aspirin
Descale kettle with Asprin? What sounds strange at first can actually work wonders. After all, we all have aspirin tablets in the house, right? These also contain a certain amount of citric acid and are therefore ideal for removing limescale deposits. To do this, dissolve an aspirin tablet in a glass of water and add the mixture to the kettle. Bring to the boil and then leave for 1 hour. Finally, rinse the kettle thoroughly with clean water and you're done.
Descale the kettle with Cola
An ice-cold cola isn't just for drinking - the fizzy drink is actually a real secret weapon against calcification. We all know that the high content of sugar as well as carbonic and phosphoric acid is bad for our health. But it is precisely these ingredients that break down the lime and are therefore ideal for descaling the kettle. In addition, Cola does not have as strong a smell as other home remedies, such as vinegar. To do this, put around 500 ml of cola in the kettle and leave it to work for at least 4 hours or, ideally, overnight. Then rinse the device several times with clear water and bring it to the boil once if necessary.
