Many people are not aware of the effects that hard water has on their daily lives. Hard water can build up in your kettle, making it difficult to clean. This is not only true for kettles but also affects many other appliances. The scale that builds up in the kettle is 100% calcium carbonate. This type of scale can be challenging to remove, but there are things you can do about it.
If you’re looking for a new kettle considering buying a kettle specially designed for hard water.
As the water evaporates from the kettle, the calcium carbonate remains behind. Hard water also makes it difficult to brew tea or coffee. This is because it interferes with the processes that make these beverages.
Drinking from a kettle that contains hard water, such as limestone, can lead to calcium deposits on your teeth. This is because the calcium carbonate in the water will be washed over your teeth as you drink. As you continue drinking from the kettle, the calcification process will intensify and lead to a significant increase in tooth decay. This is why it is crucial not to leave these deposits on your kettle. Here are some easy ways to clean kettles with hard water scales on them:
Use A Descaler
One of the most common ways to remove hard water scale is by using a descaling product. To use this method, fill up your kettle with hot water and then pour in enough liquid for it to come about ¼ full. Next, add the recommended amount on the label (usually around ½ teaspoon) and boil as usual. Make sure to use the descaling product regularly for the best results.
Do It Yourself With Baking Soda & Vinegar
This is another effective way of removing the calcium carbonate scale without using any harsh chemicals or products. The baking soda and vinegar mixture works by neutralizing the effects that hard water has on appliances, including kettles. First, fill up your kettle with water and then add in about ½ cup of baking soda. After this, pour the same amount of vinegar into the mixture as well. Put on your gloves before handling any acids because it can irritate the skin if you don’t. Then place a lid over the top and wait until boiling point is reached (about 30 minutes).
After this time has passed, you can pour out the mixture and rinse with water. Repeat this process until all of the scales are gone from your kettle.
You Can Do It With Vinegar & Lemon Juice
This method uses vinegar again to clean off the calcium carbonate scale but adds lemon juice for its acidic properties. The acid from the lemon juice will help break down the hard water scale and make it much easier to scrub off.
To start this process, boil up some hot water in your kettle as usual. Then add around a ½ cup of vinegar into the mix along with a tablespoon of fresh-squeezed lemon juice. This will give your mixture more acidic properties, which will make it more effective at cleaning. After this process is complete, you can pour out the mixture and rinse with water again. Repeat until all of the scales have been removed from your kettle.
Water Filter
If you want to remove hard water scale but do not want any chemicals or vinegar in your mix, investing in a water filter might be the best option. Removing calcium carbonate with this method is very simple and does not require much effort on your part.
To start, all you need to do is attach the filter to your sink and then let the running water flow through it. The calcium carbonate will be removed from the water before it even touches your kettle, which makes this one of the easiest ways to remove hard water scale without having to put in much effort at all.
Filtered Kettle
The final method is to invest in a filtered kettle. The water used from this appliance will be much more pure and free of the calcium carbonate scale that causes problems for kettles and other appliances. They also use a different filtering system to remove impurities, which makes water cleaner and tastes better.
No matter what option you choose, hard water needs to be taken care of for appliances to run smoothly. Make sure to follow the steps above every couple of months or so if needed on an appliance-by-appliance basis. Proper care is crucial for your kettle, not just for aesthetic purposes but also for your health.
