Durability & hygiene
You should therefore descale your kettle regularly
Over time, kettles build up scale if they are not cleaned regularly
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Depending on the region, the tap water can be particularly rich or poor in lime. The resulting degree of hardness has a decisive influence on the hygiene and durability of various kitchen appliances – such as the kettle. Why is that and what can you do about it? We’ll tell you.
The more minerals (i.e. calcium and magnesium compounds) there are in tap water, the higher the degree of hardness. For this reason, one speaks of soft, medium or hard water. While the latter poses no threat to our health, it is the ultimate boss for household appliances. Because the fact is: if water is heated, the limescale it contains is released and deposited. You can see that and you can taste it – in addition, the kettle has to use more energy and needs more time to boil. If you do not do anything about the increasing calcification, the shelf life of the kitchen appliance will be shortened many times over. It is all the more important to descale the kettle regularly.
How often should a kettle be descaled?
Two factors influence how often you should descale your kettle: On the one hand, the degree of hardness plays an important role, as it has a decisive influence on how quickly the first deposits on your kitchen appliance become noticeable. To find out how hard or soft your drinking water is, you can do one Endurance test execute. You can then orientate yourself on the following values from the consumer advice center:
Soft water | Hard water |
Hardness range I. | Hardness range III |
0 to 7 degrees of German hardness (dH) | 14 to 21 degrees of German hardness (dH) |
0 to 1.3 millimoles of calcium oxide per liter | 2.5 to 3.8 millimoles of calcium oxide per liter |
On the other hand, the frequency, i.e. how often a kettle is used, also has an influence on the limescale deposits. If the drinking water is particularly hard, you should clean the kitchen appliance every two to three weeks. If you use filtered water or soft tap water from the tap, it is sufficient to descale the kettle twice a year. At the latest, however, when the first white deposits, edges or flakes become visible in the device – especially the heating elements – it is time to decalcify.
Use the descaler for kettles correctly
Commercially available descaler (liquid and solid) can be found in every drugstore as well on-line. The correct dosage is stated on the manufacturer’s packaging. However, the application always remains the same:
- Fill the kettle with the specified amount of liquid and descaler.
- Make sure that all calcified areas come into contact with the mixture.
- Turn on the kettle to heat the mixture in it until it boils.
- Let the water-descaler mixture work for as long as the manufacturer specifies.
- Pour the mixture down the sink and fill the kettle with fresh water.
- Boil the fresh tap water (without the descaler) in the kettle again.
- Pour the water down the sink and repeat the process again if necessary.
DIY: home remedies for limescale deposits
1. Descale the kettle with citric acid
A classic for descaling kitchen appliances is the citric acid. In contrast to a commercially available decalcifier, however, this must not be heated in the kettle, otherwise it will react with the lime and release calcium citrate – an even more stubborn deposit that is difficult to remove. Therefore proceed as follows:
- Mix the citric acid with the water, refer to the packaging for the correct mixing ratio.
- Let the citric acid-water mixture work for as long as the respective manufacturer specifies.
- Then pour the mixture into the sink and rinse the kettle several times with tap water.
2. Descale the kettle with vinegar essence
An equally well-tried home remedy is vinegar or Vinegar essence. While ordinary vinegar is mixed with water at a ratio of 1: 1, the essence has to be diluted more: 500 milliliters of water are used for just two tablespoons. Then bring the mixture to a boil and let it work for an additional 30 minutes. But be careful: do not inhale the water vapor while you are heating the vinegar, as it can irritate your eyes and mucous membranes. It is best to open a window so that the steam can escape. Last but not least, the kettle has to be played through several times with clear water and the fresh water boiled in it a few times.
3. Descale the kettle with baking soda
Baking powder is usually always on hand and can be used to descale a kettle. It contains baking soda, which reacts with water and thus loosens stubborn deposits. However, due to the foaming effect, you should use the powder with caution:
- Take a sachet and pour the contents into a kettle.
- Fill the device halfway with water and switch it on.
- Bring the water to a boil and let the mixture take effect.
- Pour away the cold water and rinse the kettle through.
4. Descale the kettle with baking soda
As already mentioned, the baking soda contained in the baking powder is the key ingredient for descaling a kettle. For this reason, you can also use it directly by mixing 20 grams of loose powder with 200 milliliters of water and briefly boiling it. Here, too, the mixture should take effect for at least an hour before you pour it down the sink and rinse the kettle thoroughly several times.
Source: Consumer advice center
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