Ever wonder what that nasty residue is that accumulates in your coffee maker and tea kettle, occasionally putting white floaters in your drink? It's limescale -- calcium carbonate and other minerals left behind when water evaporates.
Water that contains a lot of these minerals is called "hard water," and limescale that builds up on small appliances like coffee makers and tea kettles can interfere with their efficiency and shorten their lifespan.
Removing limescale usually isn't accomplished by everyday cleaning techniques; after all, everyday cleaning uses water, and it's the water that's the problem! Descaling requires an acidic agent that will react with the alkaline mineral deposits to make them easy to remove.
Commercially produced descaling agents are available for purchase, but it is easy to descale your appliance with common household items. The video below, from HowToDoYourself, demonstrates the vinegar method of cleaning a kettle: run equal parts water and white vinegar through a boiling cycle in the kettle. Dump the vinegar water out and rinse thoroughly.
Lemons or lemon juice added to water in the kettle or coffee maker is another method of descaling; Jill Nystul of
One Good Thing recommends adding a tablespoon or two of citric acid powder to accomplish the same effect. Simply bring plain water to a boil, then turn the kettle off and add the powder. Let the water sit for 15-20 minutes, then discard and rinse.
Finally, baking soda (bicarbonate of soda) will also work as a descaling agent, reports
kidspot. Dissolve a tablespoon of soda into the water before boiling; let the appliance run through its cycle, then discard and rinse thoroughly.
To prevent or delay limescale buildup:
1. Do not leave water sitting in your kettle or coffee maker.
2. Use distilled or bottled water.
3. Make use of water softeners or water filters.
4. Purchase a steel "kettle protector" to put into your appliance.
