BLOGS

When It Is Time to Descale Your Kettle

It’s the coziest time of year! If cuddling up inside your McCaleb Home is not complete without a warm drink in your hands, your kettle is most likely a very loved item of yours. From the soothing sips of herbal teas to the rich aromas of a pour over coffee, a kettle is an essential fixture in any functional kitchen. Over many uses, however, they are known to develop limescale buildup inside. Limescale is hard mineral deposits that are left behind after water is heated and these deposits can taint your drink experience and shorten the lifespan of your kettle. Here is how to remove limescale buildup to avoid those fates.

Exterior Descaling

Don’t neglect to tackle any scaling on the outside of your kettle. Not only will it make it look pristine and beautiful again, but scale can also form on the spout and that can let little white mineral deposits find their way into your brews too.

Especially if you have a copper or stainless-steel kettle, be sure not to use anything too abrasive. A soft sponge should be all you need. Load the sponge with warm water and a bit of dish soap and gently wipe down the surface of the kettle. Afterwards, dry the surface with a soft cloth.

Interior Descaling

Acid does a wonderful job at breaking down limescale. For our purposes, you will need either white vinegar or the juice of a lemon as your acid. Fill your kettle with equal parts acid and cold water. Plug in your kettle or set it on the stovetop and bring it to a boil. After it has been brought to a boil, turn off the heat and allow the acidic water to dwell in the kettle for half an hour to a full hour. Once cooled, pour out the contents and rinse with cold water.

If you have lingering vinegar smells in your kettle, you can deodorize it by bringing some plain cold water to a boil in it. Taking this extra step will make sure that no sour flavors are brewed into your tea or coffee.

Vinegar and lemons are things that most people have handy already, which makes descaling your kettle an easy, low-cost chore. So, the next time you notice white mineral buildup on the inside of your kettle, follow this process to remove it.

By McCaleb Homes 12-20-2022