How to Clean Your Kettle
Descaling your kettle is an easy job. And, it shouldn’t take you long – with just a few household items, your kettle will be back to brewing again in no time.
Cleaning Your Kettle with Vinegar
While it’s possible to scrub away limescale, the mineral deposits are tough, and using too much force can damage your kettle. However, limescale breaks down easily in mild acids, like household vinegar. Just follow the below steps:
- Mix a vinegar and water solution – Combine vinegar and water in equal parts. You’ll want enough of the mixture to fill your kettle between half and three-quarters full.
- Boil this solution in your kettle – Boiling the water and vinegar mix gives your appliance a thorough clean and helps to get rid of any limescale stains. If the scaling is especially severe, you may wish to add a little extra vinegar and boil again.
- Leave the solution to soak – Once the kettle has boiled, switch it off and unplug it. Allow the vinegar solution to sit inside the appliance for about 20 minutes, then empty the kettle. For appliances with particularly bad scaling, you may wish to leave the solution to soak for longer
- Scrub inside the kettle – If your appliance has a lot of scaling, take a soft cloth or non-metallic sponge and wipe down the inside. Take care not to scrub the heating element.
- Thoroughly rinse out the kettle – After cleaning, you may need to rinse the kettle a few times to remove the smell of vinegar. Wipe the inside of the kettle with a cloth and allow it to dry.
- Boil once more – Once the kettle has dried, add water and boil again. Discard the water to remove any possible aftertaste. If a taste remains, repeat this step.
We recommend that you clean your kettle every couple of months, as this will clear limescale deposits and keep your appliance efficient. If you live in a hard water area, then we recommend cleaning even more frequently.
Cleaning Your Kettle with Lemon
If you don’t have any vinegar available, you can try a similar method with lemon. This even has the added benefit of scenting your appliance.
- Mix a lemon and water solution – Squeeze the juice of one lemon into water. Cut up the rest of the lemon, adding the pieces to the water.
- Boil this mixture in your kettle – Like the vinegar method, boil the kettle, then switch off the kettle and unplug it. Leave the lemon mixture to sit in the appliance for around an hour.
- Empty the appliance – Pour out the water and rinse the kettle, as you would with the vinegar method, until any taste of lemon is gone.
Following these steps should have your kettle back to its best – and smelling fresh!
Cleaning Your Kettle with Baking Soda
If you don’t have vinegar or lemons to hand, you can prepare a cleaning solution with baking soda and water. This quick clean should help to rid your kettle of scaling.
- Mix the baking soda solution – Stir about a teaspoon of baking soda into water, mixing to combine the two.
- Boil the mixture in your kettle – As with the previous methods, boil this solution in your kettle. Let the solution rest in your appliance for roughly 20 minutes, then pour it out and rinse with cold water.
Other Tips for Cleaning Your Kettle
- Clean the outside of the kettle – While finding limescale in a drink might push you to descale your kettle, it’s important to regularly clean the outside of it as well. Wipe your kettle down with anti-bacterial multi-purpose cleaner every week or so to keep it sanitary.
- Polish your kettle – For stainless steel models, polish the outside with a little olive oil and a soft cloth for a brilliant shine.
- Only fill the kettle as much as you need – Many people like to leave extra water in the kettle so that the next person won’t have to refill it. As polite a gesture this is, leaving water to stand inside can contribute to limescale deposits over time. To avoid this, simply fill the kettle up as much as you need.
- Use filters – Many kettles also feature removable filters. While they don’t prevent limescale build-up, they catch limescale flakes as you pour, preventing them from getting into your drink.
Whether you choose vinegar, lemon or baking soda, cleaning your kettle is a quick and simple job. Follow our checklists above, and you can say goodbye to limescale build-ups. In less than half an hour, you’ll have your hot drinks tasting their best again!
