How to descale a kettle with citric acid
That chalky white crust inside your kettle is mineral scale. Citric acid dissolves it in about 20 minutes, with no scrubbing and no vinegar smell.
By the Blue Grove team · 4 min read
Why kettles get scale
Hard water carries dissolved calcium and magnesium. Each time you boil it, a little of that mineral content is left behind and builds into a white or tan crust on the bottom and around the heating element. Scale makes a kettle slower and louder, and it can leave flakes in your tea or coffee.
What you need
- Citric acid powder
- Water
- Your kettle
Step by step
- Fill the kettle about halfway with water.
- Add 1 to 2 tablespoons of citric acid. Use the larger amount for heavy scale.
- Bring it to a boil, then switch the kettle off.
- Let it sit for 15 to 20 minutes while the scale dissolves.
- Pour the solution out and rinse the kettle well.
- Boil one full kettle of clean water and pour it out to remove any leftover taste.
Stubborn scale?
Repeat the process once more, or let the solution sit a little longer before rinsing. For a very scaled kettle, a soft cloth can lift anything that is left once the scale has softened.
How often to descale
In hard-water areas, once a month keeps a kettle clean. With softer water, every two to three months is usually enough. When you see a white film starting to form, it is time.