Descaling a kettle

bobbyss

How do you descale your kettle? I have put the sachet in and it does a good enough job. But the instructions say only half fill your kettle. The result is that the bottom half of the kettle is clean and the upper half remains black. Any suggestions?

bobbyss

Thanks. I am not sure what it is. The inside is all discoloured so I am assuming that is some kind of deposit or other. The instructions on all sachets are to half fill the kettle so only half the kettle will be cleaned. Not sure why it can't be filled up to clean the whole kettle. Maybe it would get to the element or something?

How do you use vinegar? How much do you put in and do you fill the kettle up to the brim and boil it? How often would you use it?

Chiarrai92

Personally I fill up the kettle and cut up a lemon and boil it does the trick for me

NIMAN

Descaling a kettle is usually for limescale.

It shouldn't be black. If anything, it's white. It sounds like you have another issue?

Is your water from a well?

greasepalm

Post a photo to see might be handy , is it metal or plastic . I have used a brillo pad to clean up the top section of metal kettle or a pot scrubber.

lucalux

I buy 5l drums of vinegar usually.

So if descaling my kettle I fill it up to the brim and leaving it overnight.

Removes all limescale with no scrubbing

(Use the vinegar then to scrub the shower glass or something)

The outside limescale comes off with a bit of elbow grease.

Limescale can get black mould on it tho, so if you remove the limescale I'd clean out the kettle with Milton and rinse well, boil afterwards before use

magicbastarder

I assume you don't fill the kettle with neat vinegar? Diluted 20 to 1 will do fine, usually. Especially if left overnight. Descaling usually works within minutes, especially if the vinegary water is warm or hot.

bobbyss

kettle.jpg

Thank you for your replies. Water is from the mains. Some questions.

Re Lemons. You cut up a lemon fill kettle, boil it and all parts of the inside are clean? Do you leave it for a while to soak in? Or just boil and it's done? if so, I will certainly give that a try.

Re Vinegar. How much vinegar do you put in? Just vinegar? And what outside limescale are you referring to? Outside the kettle? ? Where would you get 5l vinegar?

Thank you all.

lucalux

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/123200756#Comment_123200756

i just use neat vinegar (5% distilled vinegar)

If i dilute it i'll still have to scrub the sides, or crack bits of limescale off the element in the morning, where it can be a really thick build up

lucalux

https://www.woodies.ie/white-hat-distilled-vinegar-5l

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/123201023#Comment_123201023

i get mine at a discount shop, supersavers, for cheaper, maybe 4 euro

mr. price or similar usually have them

I use neat vinegar but I'd have very hard water and really thick scales of limescale, you can dilute as above

The black is probably other mineral deposits, I'd use neat vinegar and leave overnight. No need to boil the vinegar.

Outside of my kettle gets limescale down the front and bottom, and the base, which is usually a very thin film from drips. That's easy enough to get off

Buddy97mm

I use lemon juice, comes in a lemon shaped plastic container, costs less than a euro. A few squirts into kettle maybe quarter filled, bring to boil, sorts limescale every time.

Limescale generally only gets bad at heating element point of kettle at bottom, although hard water can leave lighter deposits on other areas, which usually come off with a bit of light scrubbing. Any acidic substance will normally get rid of limescale, easiest being lemon juice, vinegar, which people generally have anyway. Boiling agitates the liquid and accelerates the descaling, it will however expand and get "frothy", hence why better to fill no more than halfway at most.

To me, that black staining you reference is not limescale, which is generally chalky.

bobbyss

I actually put the juice of two lemons into the kettle, filled it up and almost instantaneously it started cleaning up all the build up. I even filled it to the brim.

Interestingly, I did the same with the cup I use for tea which was badly stained…and it didn't work at all!

Isn't that strange!

VG31

I use citric acid to descale my kettle. It's much better than baking powder or vinegar. A teaspoon or two is enough.

bobbyss

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/123222612#Comment_123222612

Where do you get it and how much do you use? Isn't it the same as lemon juice?

magicbastarder

Better in what way?

VG31

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/123222622#Comment_123222622

I bought a large pack online a good while ago, but from a quick Google it appears pharmacies sell it. For example https://www.inishpharmacy.com/p/ultrapure-citric-acid-bp-500g/ucitric500g-0014

It's usually food grade also which is a big advantage over the likes of bleach. It's not the same as lemon juice, it's much more effective. It's also great for getting stubborn stains out things like mugs.

2011abc

doesn’t smell of vinegar