How to descale anything. How to quickly descale a kettle without much effort Folk remedies for descaling a kettle

Due to the large amount of salts and impurities in the water, we can observe how scale forms in our kettles. The more scale there is in the kettle, the longer it will heat the water, and it is not always pleasant when something floats in the water. There are several ways to clean your kettle at home, and today we will tell you about them!

How to remove scale in a kettle?

Using the simplest products that every home has, we can periodically clean the kettle so that it lasts longer. Today we will tell you how to clean the kettle with the help of such things.

Baking soda
. Vinegar, 9%
. Sparkling water
. Lemon acid

How to clean a kettle with baking soda?

1. Pour a full kettle of water and add 1 tablespoon of baking soda there.

2. We put the kettle on the fire (if it is an electric kettle, then turn it on) and wait until it boils.

3. When the kettle boils, turn off the heat and let it stand for 20 minutes.

4. We pour out the water from the kettle and draw a new one, now we need to add 20 grams of citric acid.

5. We repeat the heating process, and then wait half an hour.

6. Rinse the kettle and enjoy the cleanliness.

How to clean a kettle with vinegar?

1. Pour water into the kettle so that it fills 2/3 of the maximum volume. Then pour the vinegar to the full volume.

2. We put the kettle on the fire and wait until it boils. As soon as this happens, put the kettle off the heat and let it stand until the kettle has cooled down. We will see for ourselves how, over time, the scale will begin to disappear.

3 . As soon as the scale disappears, we should wash the kettle very well, after which it can already be used.

How to clean the kettle with soda?

One of the newest and most unconventional descaling products, but according to people - very effective.

The method of application is very simple - pour a colorless mineral water into a kettle and boil it. The scale will disappear during the heating process.

If you use this method, we recommend that you use colorless mineral water, as colors from other water can remain on the walls of the teapot.

How to clean the kettle with citric acid?

1. Pour a full kettle of water and pour 1 sachet of citric acid into it.

Regardless of the cost and model of the kettle, after some time of operation, a layer of scale appears on its inner surface. Hard deposits not only reduce the efficiency of the device, but also degrade the quality of the water that is heated in it. We will figure out how to remove scale in the kettle with improvised means and industrial preparations.

Before we learn how to remove scale in the kettle at home, let's find out why it forms. Hard deposits are formed due to the fact that when the temperature rises, magnesium and calcium salts dissolved in water break down into carbon dioxide and solid small crystals. As a result, a gray-brown sediment accumulates on the bottom and walls of the kettle.

The consequences of scale formation:

• a decrease in the performance of electric kettles - sediment on the heating element increases energy consumption, in addition, the device may break as a result of overheating;
• acceleration of the destruction of the material from which the walls of the container are made;
• deterioration in the taste of water;
• the ingress of calcium, magnesium and other substances into the human body - they accumulate in the kidneys, forming solid calculi (sand, stones).

The rate of scale formation in the kettle depends on, the level of which is determined based on the concentration of salts. Before a liquid from natural sources is supplied to the supply system, it is cleaned of excess impurities. But in most regions, the level of water hardness remains very high.

Folk remedies

Scale adheres tightly to the inside of the kettle and cannot be removed with a brush or scraper. The only way to get rid of the sediment is to apply an organic or inorganic acid to dissolve it.

In search of answers to questions about how to descale, as well as how to restore the original appearance of a traditional metal appliance, it is worth remembering the following popular folk remedies:

• vinegar;
• citric acid;
• soda;
• carbonated drinks and so on.

Vinegar

There are several methods that make it possible to descale the kettle with vinegar, some of them are suitable for electrical appliances, others for traditional ones.

Ways to process a regular teapot:

1. Pour water and vinegar essence into a container - 2 large spoons per 1 liter. Heat to 70º, reduce heat and hold on the stove for 30 minutes.
2. Combine in a teapot 1 liter of water and 150 ml of 9% vinegar. Boil for 15-30 minutes. The time should be adjusted depending on the intensity of the descaling process, which can be controlled by periodically opening the lid.

It is undesirable to use vinegar for cleaning electric kettles because of its high aggressiveness. But with a thick layer of scale, this method is acceptable. You can process devices whose body is made of metal, glass or plastic.

Action algorithm:

1. Pour 0.5 liters of water into the kettle. Boil.
2. Add 200 ml of vinegar (9%) or 1-2 tablespoons of vinegar essence.
3. Leave the liquid in the kettle for 15-20 minutes. If the scale has not peeled off, bring to a boil and wait 15-20 minutes. Repeat if necessary.

The scale that has fallen off the walls in the kettle, how to remove it with vinegar, which was discussed above, should be removed from the appliance by washing it several times under running water. Then you need to fill the tank to the top, boil and drain the liquid. It is desirable to repeat the action twice. Such a final treatment should be carried out with any cleaning method.

Important: When choosing how to remove scale in a kettle at home, you need to know that when vinegar is heated, the room is filled with a pungent odor. Remove children and pets from it, as well as open the window.

Lemon acid

Considering how to clean the kettle from , we note that this method is ideal for electrical appliances. The advantages of the method are safety for coating and the absence of a pungent odor.

Cleaning steps:

1. Pour 0.75 liters of water (2/3 of the volume) into the kettle. Add 2 tablespoons of acid.
2. Bring the electric kettle to a boil. The device should turn itself off.
3. After 15-20 minutes, check the result of cleaning. If the precipitate separates, discard the liquid and rinse under running water.

If a slight scale has formed in the kettle - how to remove it with citric acid? You can heat water, add powder to it and leave the liquid in the device for 5-6 hours. It is advisable to carry out such cleaning every month for prevention. In extreme cases, citric acid can be replaced with lemon juice.

Soda

Let's find out how to remove scale in a metal kettle: enamelled, stainless steel or aluminum. It is best to use baking soda or soda ash.

Cleaning methods:

1. Pour water into the kettle up to the top. Pour soda at the rate of 1 large spoon per 0.5 l. Boil 30 minutes. Drain liquid. Clean off softened plaque with a brush or hard sponge.
2. Fill the reservoir with water. Pour soda - 2.5 large spoons per 1 liter. Boil 30-40 minutes. Drain liquid. Fill the kettle with water and add vinegar - 4 large spoons per 1 liter. Boil for another 25 minutes.

Let's consider how to clean the kettle from scale with soda, if it belongs to electrical appliances. It is necessary to fill it with water, boil it and add soda in the proportion of 2 large spoons per 1 liter. After 2 hours, clean the container with a sponge.

Carbonated drinks

When figuring out how to descale the kettle with Coca-Cola, you should pay attention to the fact that the method is not suitable for electric models. Other drink options are Fanta, Sprite, Schweppes. The last two types of soda are more preferable because they are colorless and cannot stain the surface of the dishes.

The destructive effect of the listed drinks on scale is explained by the presence of phosphoric acid in them. They will not cope with a thick layer of deposits, but they will remove a thin coating without any problems.

Processing steps:

1. Fill the kettle with drink.
2. Wait until the gas comes out (all bubbles burst).
3. Boil.
4. After half an hour, remove the liquid and wash the kettle.

other methods

When deciding how to descale an enamel kettle, you should consider the following options:

1. Put washed peels from potatoes, apples or pears into the tank. Fill with water. Boil. Let stand 1-2 hours. Remove soft deposits with a sponge.
2. Combine chalk, laundry soap, water and ammonia in a ratio of 9:2:6:3. Pour into teapot. Boil over low heat for 1.5 hours. Wash under running water.
3. Pour brine from cucumbers or tomatoes into the kettle. Boil. Wait until the liquid has cooled down. Remove plaque with a brush or sponge.

Chemicals

If a thick scale has formed in an electric kettle - how to remove it and not ruin the appliance? You can resort to industrial means. Most often, they contain acids that break down the precipitate.

Popular drugs:

1. Antiscale by Frau Schmidt - tablets for tea and coffee makers. Composition - sulfamic, adipic and citric acids. Application - boil water in a kettle (3/4 volume), put a tablet, wait 10 minutes, pour out the liquid and rinse.
2. Cillit is a descaling liquid for coffee makers, kettles and other appliances. Composition - sulfamic and oxalic acids. Application - fill the kettle with water, add the product (50 ml per 0.5 l of water), wait 30 minutes, rinse.
3. "Antinakipin" from TM "Cinderella" - a liquid for removing scale in kettles, washing machines, electric boilers, coffee makers. Composition - organic and mineral acids. Application - fill the kettle with water, add the agent (60 ml per 1 liter of water), rinse after 2-3 hours.

Note: The products described contain strong acids. The instructions for them indicate which surfaces are not recommended for processing. It is undesirable to use them more than once a month.

shared

Perhaps one of the most used items in every kitchen is the kettle. It is he who is a kind of symbol of home warmth and comfort, as well as an integral attribute of the home tea ceremony. In the process of use, pollution and scale gradually form inside and outside. You can clean it using several proven methods that allow you to return to its original appearance without unnecessary hassle and financial costs.

There are a large number of different models made from various materials. But unfortunately, none of them is immune from the appearance of scale. The main reason for the formation of such complex pollution is the high concentration of salts in the water. However, even the use of special filters is not always able to solve the problem. Scale usually covers the bottom and walls of metal and enameled vessels, as well as electric kettles. Because of its appearance, many electrical appliances simply fail.

It is dangerous to ignore the formed plaque, because such a deposit can not only cause damage to an electrical appliance, but also lead to overheating, having a small heat sink. In addition, water boiled in such a device can contribute to the development of kidney disease.

If you want to remove scale from the kettle, you can use several proven methods, however, it is advisable to take into account the material of manufacture of this product. Regardless of which model you have to clean, you should remember that after the treatment, the vessel must be boiled 1-2 times, and then drained. This will destroy the remaining funds used.

Homemade ways to clean the kettle from scale and rust inside

If you need to qualitatively clean the device from scale and rust, using home remedies, you can use the following methods.

Vinegar

Attention! This cleaning method should not be used on electrical appliances. Vinegar can deprive the heating element of certain properties.

Soda

Lemon acid

Cleansing with citric acid can be carried out without the boiling process.

How to clean the kettle with citric acid - video

Brine

You can get rid of traces of scale with the help of brine left after preservation. In this case, the effect is achieved due to the presence of the same lemon in it, which can easily cope with scale.

Fruit and potato peels

If there is a thin layer of scale that has formed on the inner walls of the vessel, peelings from fruits and potatoes can be used.

Using the peeling of pears and apples, you can easily get rid of white salt deposits.

Carbonated drinks

You can wash the kettle with high quality using Coca-Cola, Fanta and Sprite.

Attention! This method is not suitable for an electric kettle. In addition, colored drinks can leave a characteristic shade on the walls of the vessel. If it is necessary to clean the white, it is advisable to use colorless liquids such as Sprite or 7UP.

In the case of the formation of very complex contaminants that accumulate on the walls of the kettle for a long time, you can use a more powerful method of cleaning it, which involves the alternate use of several products at once.

Attention! When cleaning, do not use metal scrapers and hard brushes.

When choosing one or another cleaning method, one should take into account what materials the vessel is made of. To do this, you can use the table below.

Table of home remedies for cleaning kettles made of various materials

How to clean outside

During operation, pollution appears not only inside, but also outside. If scale can be dealt with using the above methods, how can you easily and effectively clean the outside of the kettle? In this case, simple improvised means will also come to the rescue.

Soda

Grease that has stained the surface can be wiped off using baking soda and a damp kitchen sponge. However, with this cleaning option, you should not be too zealous, as scratches may remain on nickel teapots.

Old dirt can be removed by boiling in a soda solution.

Advice. Before cleaning the outside, warm up the appliance. This will make it easier to remove dirt.

Soda with 9% vinegar, mixed in equal proportions (1 teaspoon each), will help get rid of dried dirt.

How to clean the outside of the kettle with baking soda and vinegar - video

Activated carbon

Aluminum kettles are perfectly cleaned with activated carbon.

Toothpaste

Instead of baking soda, you can also use toothpaste, which is more gentle.

How to keep your kettle clean

With the help of these simple folk methods, you can clean the surface and inside of the dishes from scale, while making a lot of effort. Many of them cannot cope with too complex pollution, and it is for this reason that in some cases it is more expedient to use means of industrial production. However, for people who prefer to avoid the use of complex chemicals in the kitchen, these methods will be the best option. Timely removal of scale will provide easier and faster cleaning of surfaces, and regular prevention of its appearance will guarantee the cleanliness of the vessel for a long period of time.

Reading 5 min. Published on 01.05.2019

An electric kettle is an almost indispensable household appliance. With it, you can quickly and easily boil water for making tea or coffee. It does not need to be monitored, after boiling it will turn itself off and will not waste electricity. But even the most modern electric kettle requires care and regular cleaning.

Causes of scale

The electric kettle seems to be a device that requires absolutely no maintenance. But if the technique is not given enough attention, over time it may begin to work less efficiently or even break down.

The most common cause of breakdowns is the accumulation of excessive amounts of deposits. They cover the walls and the heating element, reducing the rate of water heating.

Scale in an electric kettle is salts and compounds contained in water and precipitated when heated. It is impossible to completely get rid of this phenomenon. But a set of care measures will allow
using different means as little as possible.

It is important to understand that deposits on the bottom of the kettle are not only a cosmetic problem. They significantly reduce the rate of heating and, if ingested, can cause the formation of sand in the kidneys or aggravate an existing disease.

current care

Proper daily care of the electric kettle will allow global cleaning to be carried out very rarely. In order for salts to be deposited as little as possible, it is important to observe the following requirements:

1. The container should be cleaned regularly, preferably every evening. Just drain the water and use a sponge to wash the inside.
2. Do not boil more water than necessary. Salts from the liquid remaining after heating in the kettle will compact the layer.
3. Use purified water. This will save the technique, and it is more useful for health.

So that maintenance is not too laborious, and the household appliance lasts as long as possible, it is important not only to know how to remove scale in an electric kettle, but also to do it regularly. A thin layer of deposits is much more easily affected and special tools can not be used to remove it.

Virtually any acid-containing products effectively remove deposits. For cleaning electric kettles, you can use both industrial compounds and improvised means.

Special funds

With scale on the walls and heating elements of electric kettles, ready-made compounds that can be purchased at the store in the household chemicals department help to fight. It is quite simple to recognize them, the manufacturer puts an image of equipment on the packaging, the name usually corresponds to: “Anti-scale” and the like.

They should be used in strict accordance with the manufacturer's instructions, do not exceed the dosage and exposure time.

Usually the scheme is simple: the product must be dissolved in water in a certain proportion, poured into a kettle, boiled and left for a while. After that, wash the equipment and use it as usual.

The composition of industrial products contains several types of acids and auxiliary substances that successfully fight salt deposits. It is important to know how to clean the electric kettle so as not to harm the health of the family. You can also use improvised tools that are in every home.

Lemon acid

As part of special funds
is an essential component. It can be used to clean your equipment quickly and efficiently. And what is especially pleasant, such care will not cost at all.

For one treatment, you will need 1 sachet of acid containing 25 g of the substance.

You should act according to the following scheme:

1. Take a full kettle of water and pour the contents of 1 sachet.
2. Bring water to a boil and turn off the appliance. Care should be taken, as the solution may begin to foam when boiling.
3. Leave for 30 minutes to take effect. After drain the composition.

The effect is based on the chemical reaction of converting citric acid into acetic acid.

After cleaning, thoroughly wash the equipment and boil clean water in it. This will help get rid of the smell. If necessary, repeat all manipulations.

food vinegar

The food grade vinegar found in every kitchen is acetic acid diluted to a safe concentration. With it, you can clean the kettle quickly and efficiently.

Pour vinegar solution into the kettle (1 part 9% vinegar to 2 parts water). Bring the composition to a boil and turn off the device. Leave until completely cool. After draining the active composition and thoroughly wash the container with a moderately hard sponge.

The acid will soften the scale and can be easily removed.

After cleaning, the equipment must be thoroughly washed and boiled with clean water several times. This will help get rid of the specific smell of the acid composition.

Baking soda

Soda is a fairly active substance, which can remove even a large layer of scale. It is worth turning to if a milder effect does not bear fruit.

Pour water into the kettle and add a tablespoon of soda to it. Boil and leave the composition to act for several hours. The alkaline solution will soften the deposits and they can be removed with a sponge.

If this action is not enough, you can repeat the procedure or add citric acid to the water instead of soda at the rate of 1 sachet per 1.5 liters of water. Boil the solution and leave for an hour.

After that, traditionally clean the surface with a sponge.

Carbonated drinks

Most carbonated drinks contain citric acid. It is she who will help to cope with scale in the kettle. The method of removing deposits with drinks is passed from mouth to mouth and is considered effective, but it also has features:

1. Choose colorless drinks. Dyes, especially bright ones, can leave stains that are more difficult to clean off than salt deposits.
2. Partially degas the liquid before use. Otherwise, in the process of boiling, the drink will foam, pouring everything around.
3. The drink should be poured into the kettle, boiled and left to act. In just an hour, the scale will begin to move away in layers and it can be removed mechanically.

Before cleaning the electric kettle, it is important to warn all family members about it. Liquids and compounds used for such work are colorless, they can be confused with ordinary water. A few sips of citric acid solution will not bring significant harm, but negative emotions are guaranteed.

In order for the electric kettle to continue to remain an indispensable assistant, it should be cleaned regularly, preventing the formation of a significant layer of scale. It is enough to boil the acid composition every few weeks, and the heating elements of the equipment will shine with cleanliness.

With a decent hostess, the kettle is always clean, and not only from the outside. Its internal cleanliness means the absence of lime deposits that lead to the formation of scale.

However, tap water already contains lime and salt, which explains its hardness. As a result, the appearance of scale is inevitable. After all, they have not yet come up with a remedy for the appearance of limescale when boiling tap water (even filtered).

There are many different ways to explain how to descale a kettle. These are both folk recipes and ready-made chemical compositions.

Does the filter help?

Many people think that purchasing a water filter eliminates the problem of scale. This is an erroneous opinion, although filtering the water somewhat reduces the amount of scale. A household filter purifies water only from chlorine and heavy metals, leaving lime untouched. You can partially prevent the appearance of scale by boiling soft water.

Household anti-scale products

In our technically advanced time, many household products have been created to help remove scale:

• "Antikipin",
• "Cinderella",
• "Antiscale".

They contain soda ash, commonly used to soften water. This product is available as a liquid or powder. But they are used in the same way - they are poured into a kettle, filled almost to the top with water and boiled.

Other products from various manufacturers, including foreign ones, are also sold. However, they all have a similar principle of operation and the same result.

Beware of Chemistry

Household products serve as an easy way to get rid of scale. But it has disadvantages:

• chemicals contained in cleaning products enter the stomach, which is not safe;
• some formulations do not give the desired result.

Home remedies for descaling

Since it is easier to remove scale in a kettle with reliable and proven folk remedies, we will present the most popular of them.

Soda plus or minus vinegar

To remove scale, they have long used such a safe tool as regular baking soda. Pour soda (3 tablespoons) into a kettle with boiling water. When the water has cooled, after about half an hour, boil the water again. Then pour this water out, and pour hot water into the kettle with vinegar essence added to it (1-2 tsp). Boil the water again and pour it out after half an hour.

After such “manipulations”, the scale will turn into a loose mass, which can be removed with an ordinary sponge. This method helps in advanced cases with a thick layer of scale. It separates in the form of thin plates. If there is a little scale, then one soda is enough.

Another effective method involves using only vinegar (no baking soda). Pour vinegar (1-2 tablespoons) into the kettle and boil for 20 minutes. The result is excellent, and then for a long time there will be no problem how to remove scale in the kettle. But there is still one drawback - the smell. That is why you need to open the windows during work, and at the end rinse the kettle thoroughly.

Citric acid - advantages and disadvantages

Pour two or three bags of citric acid into a kettle of cold water and boil. Let the kettle sit for a while. Then drain the water and boil new water. With the help of acid, all the scale is easily split, so that it remains only to rinse the kettle. The functions of citric acid can be performed by lemon. After cutting it into several slices, lower it into a kettle and boil.

Citric acid fights well with scale in ordinary and electric kettles. This is a cheap and effective method. But it also suffers from shortcomings:

• Not suitable for metal kettles. The acid dissolves scale, making the metal surface rough. It quickly forms a new and more durable scale.
• Citric acid does not cope well with a large "crust".

Peel and ash effect

Washed peel from apples or potatoes allows you to descale the kettle with a good result. Dip the peel from three apples and potatoes into a kettle of water. Boil for about two hours.

Another sure remedy is wood ash. Pour more ash into the kettle. Then, with a washcloth or sponge, rub the ash into places with scale. Finally, rinse the kettle with warm water.

Soda on scale

Surprisingly, the effectiveness of carbonated drinks for descaling has been proven by practice. Suitable for this:

• "Fanta"
• "Coca Cola",
• "Sprite".

Pour the drink into the kettle and boil. When the water cools down a bit, pour it out. As a result, scale is freely removed.

Deposits in the kettle can be prevented by using filtered or bottled water for boiling. In the absence of such an opportunity, it makes sense to defend tap water during the day. During this time, the excess salts will settle, and the chemical composition of the water will soften a little. You can put a piece of silicon in a container with water - this both disinfects and softens the water.

Popular products for cleaning electric kettles

When scale has already formed in an electric kettle, you should resort to the following methods:

1. If the scale is small, then it is enough to wash the kettle with a washcloth and soapy hot water.
2. Descaling and whitening the electric kettle is achieved with one sachet of citric acid. Add it to water, boil with a double change of water. The kettle will be like new.
3. You can clean the electric kettle from scale with any cleaning and detergent in finished form. The most popular of them are: "Descaler", "Antinakipin: deep cleaning", "Major Domus". In this case, it is very important to follow the instructions. After chemical treatment, the kettle should be rinsed several times.
4. The same proven products will help get rid of scale in the electric kettle - vinegar and baking soda according to the previously described scheme.
5. And carbonated water is suitable for an electric kettle. Only it should be colorless. This is very important, since the dyes settle on the walls during boiling, and it can be more difficult to get rid of them than the scale itself.

From a wide variety of methods and means in the fight against scale, choose any one that suits you. But it is better to resort to total cleaning as a last resort. It is wiser to replace the fight against scale with its prevention with the help of regular daily care.