We get rid of scale in an electric kettle. We clean the kettle from scale with citric acid

Electric kettles can be expensive and cheap, with a wide variety of filters, but nothing saves you from the scale that regularly forms on the walls and bottom of the electric appliance.

The formation of problems begins at the most vulnerable place - heating element. Citric acid from scale in the kettle will help get rid of the problem quickly and safely.

Water filters do an excellent job of purifying water from heavy metals and chlorine, but this does not apply to lime, and although the amount of sediment will be less, it will not work out completely.

It turns out that the precipitate obtained during boiling is a poor heat sink. When the heating element, which is made of steel, heats up well, it cannot give off heat to the liquid - adhering particles block the path to it. If there is nowhere to give off heat, the element continues to accumulate it, overheats greatly and eventually simply breaks.

But the process of sedimentation is dangerous not only for economic reasons. Each water has a certain amount of salts. If it is hard, there is a lot of salt. When boiling, they create a salt coating, accumulating on the walls and the heating element, and fall into our cups.

All this enters the kidneys, liver and stomach, creating many problems in the future. That is why you need to know how to remove scale in the kettle citric acid.

Why is descaling a kettle with citric acid convenient and safe?

There are chemical products for removing sediment from an electric kettle, but they are not safe for health. After use, the device is boiled for a long time and persistently, washed, boiled again. But a metal thermal element after the action of salts always remains dotted with cracks, scratches and chips invisible to the eye. In them, the chemical agent can leave its particles.

Cleaning the kettle from scale with citric acid is gentle for him and safe for humans. It is reliably washed out after the first boiling, and does not pose a danger to the body, especially in the negligible amount that may remain after processing an electrical appliance.

In addition, descaling the kettle with citric acid is very cheap, and you can purchase the product at any grocery store, at any time you want to determine for this work.


How to clean the kettle from scale with citric acid

There are several options for cleaning by boiling and without it, with lemon.

Boiling

Remove scale in the kettle with citric acid by boiling. This method is suitable for a large number sediment that is already tightly compressed. The process is divided into the following steps:

  • Before cleaning the kettle from scale with citric acid, it is first necessary to wipe the walls and the heating element from soft deposits. You can do this with a hard rag, but in no case should you use hard, and especially metal, washcloths. After that, rinse well with cold water.
  • Depending on the amount of plaque, use 20-40 gr. funds for one boil. In ordinary store packaging, this is 1-2 things. Cook them.
  • fill the electric kettle clean water 2/3 of the capacity, open the prepared packages and pour into the liquid.
  • Put the appliance to boil. If he is with circuit breaker, a few minutes after switching off, bring to a boil again. If there is no machine, boil water for 2-3 minutes.
  • Leave the kettle on for a few hours. After that, pour out the water, carefully remove the softened sediment (without the help of sharp objects). In case of incomplete cleaning, repeat the procedure.
  • Rinse thoroughly from sediment, pour clean water, boil it and pour it out. Then the device is ready for operation.

No boiling

If the electric kettle is cleaned at least once a month (twice with hard water), you can apply milder measures and remove scale in the kettle with citric acid without boiling. For this it is enough:

  • AT warm water dissolve a packet of citric acid.
  • Fill the container with a solution and leave for 4-5 hours, preferably overnight.
  • Rinse the device from sediment.
  • Pour in clean water and boil. The electric kettle is without sediment and ready for use.


regular lemon

There are small children in the house, and there are doubts about how to wash the kettle from scale with citric acid, while being sure of the safety of the baby? There is a way out that is a little more expensive, but ideal in terms of safety for the body, even for babies. To do this, clean the kettle from scale with citric acid own production. Powder, of course, does not have to be made. It is enough to have an ordinary lemon available:

  • It is cut into thin circles along with the skin.
  • The electric kettle is filled with 2/3 water, chopped rings are lowered into it and all this is put to boil.
  • The softened sediment, together with the remaining lemon, is removed from the container, the device is thoroughly rinsed.

Lemon from scale in a teapot - great idea, although a little more expensive. The method is not only harmless and fast (no final boiling is needed), but also has another interesting property - the boiling container gets a pleasant lemon smell for a while. As for the amount of the product, it must be varied depending on the contamination.


For regular cleaning, half a lemon is enough, but to descale the electric kettle with natural citric acid in advanced cases, you will have to chop 2-3 pieces and clog the floor of the container with mugs.

Descaling the kettle with citric acid is best done frequently. This will significantly extend the life of the electrical appliance, preserving not only its performance, but also your health. No sediment - no sand and kidney stones, no infection and no load on the liver.

Knowing how to clean scale with citric acid in a kettle quickly and carefully, you can always stay healthy for both the appliance and its owner.

Read more about how to clean the electric kettle with citric acid (video)

Arina Piskareva

Laboratory employee of the Department of Bioengineering, Moscow State University

Scale is mainly composed of calcium and magnesium carbonate. When interacting with citric, acetic, orthophosphoric or other acids, sparingly soluble carbonates of alkaline earth metals are converted into easily soluble salts. For example, acetates. Therefore, acidic substances are effective in the fight against scale, and to enhance the reaction they need to be heated.

Soda, when interacting with water, gives molecules of carbonic acid, which, in turn, reacts with insoluble calcium and magnesium carbonates, turning them into soluble hydrocarbons. And they are easily washed off with water and removed with a sponge.

1. How to clean scale with citric acid

  • Suitable for any kettles, coffee machines, irons, washing machines.
  • Proportions: kettles, coffee machines and irons - 10 g for every 100 ml of water; washing machines - 50 g for each kilogram of load.
  • pros: environmental friendliness, safety, availability, pleasant aroma.
  • Minuses: does not cope with old, thick scale.

Fill the kettle with water about ¾ - so that the liquid covers the plaque on the walls and heating elements, but does not splash out when boiling.

Pour citric acid (100 g of powder for every liter of water) into the kettle and boil.

Leave until completely cool. Drain the water, remove the remaining plaque with a sponge and wash thoroughly.

How to descale your coffee machine

For the coffee machine, it is necessary to prepare a solution of citric acid based on the volume of the water tank. For example, if the coffee machine is designed for 2 liters, you will need 200 g of citric acid.

Pour the hot solution into the tank and leave for 60 minutes.

After one hour, start the coffee preparation program without coffee itself. Drain liquid through dispensers.

Then start the coffee machine with water only, without citric acid. As soon as you drain the boiling water, you can use the device. If the tank of the coffee machine is removable, remove the remaining deposits under running water.

After the procedure, rinse the iron reservoir with running water, and wipe the sole with ammonia or nail polish remover.

To remove plaque from the heating elements and the drum, you will need 50 g of acid for every kilogram of load.

Pour ¹⁄₄ (60 g) of citric acid (190 g acid per 5 kg load) into the powder tray directly into the drum. Run the wash at the highest temperature.

2. How to clean scale with table vinegar

  • Suitable for glass and ceramic teapots, stainless steel teapots, irons and washing machines.
  • Proportions: teapots - 100 ml for each liter of water; irons - 1 tablespoon per liter of water; washing machines - 10 ml per kilogram of load.
  • A plus: more aggressive acidic environment removes even a thick layer of scale.
  • Minuses: May harm rubber and plastic parts of appliances, pungent odor.

How to clean the kettle from scale

To clean the kettle, dilute vinegar in water and put on fire. After boiling, let it simmer for a few more minutes. Then drain the water, remove the remaining plaque with a sponge and detergent and boil in a kettle clean water.

Pour warm solution vinegar into the water tank and, holding the iron horizontally, release the steam.

Only boil a kettle of vinegar and release steam from an iron in a well-ventilated area.

How to descale a washing machine

AT washing machine Vinegar (10 ml per kilogram load) pour into a flask for conditioner or liquid powder. Run a wash without laundry at the highest temperature, and then another rinse to make sure you get rid of the specific odor.

Vinegar can damage the rubber bands on the door, so be careful if you decide to pour the substance directly into the drum. This can be done when there are no tanks for liquids in the machine.

3. How to clean scale with soda

  • Suitable for any kettles, coffee machines.
  • Proportions: kettles and coffee machines - 1 tablespoon for every 500 ml of water.
  • pros: accessibility, simplicity.
  • Minuses: does not take all types of plaque, does not cope with old deposits.

The mechanism for cleaning kettles and coffee makers with soda is simple: fill them with water, add soda and boil. At the same time, it is recommended not to remove the usual kettle from the fire for another 20–30 minutes after boiling, and the electric kettle to be turned on several times.

After the procedure, wash the inside of the kettle or coffee machine tank and boil clean water.

If the plaque is very strong, try a more alkaline soda ash instead of baking soda. Or add the same amount of salt to ordinary soda.

4. How to clean scale with soda

  • Suitable for any kettles, coffee machines, irons.
  • Proportions: Vessels are about ¾ full.
  • A plus: effective even with thick deposits.
  • Minus: A colored drink may stain the vessel. Therefore, for cleaning irons and white plastic electric kettles, it is better to take clear soda, including mineral water.

How to descale a kettle or coffee machine

Open the bottle and wait until most carbon dioxide disappear.

Pour soda into a teapot or coffee maker tank, hold for 15-20 minutes, and then boil.

Thanks to phosphoric acid and carbon dioxide, sodas do an excellent job with salt deposits.

Pour soda into the water tank, turn on the appliance, hold the iron upright and release steam. If there is a lot of scale, do this several times.

5. How to clean scale with brine

  • Suitable for any kettles.
  • Proportions: the kettle must be filled to ¾.
  • pros: simplicity, accessibility.
  • Minuses: does not cope with persistent plaque, specific smell.

The brine contains lactic and acetic acids. Fill the kettle with strained cucumber or tomato pickle, boil for 20-30 minutes.

After that, drain the brine with scale and wash the kettle with a soft sponge and detergent.

6. How to clean scale with soda, citric acid and vinegar

  • Suitable for any kettles.
  • Proportions: 1 tablespoon of baking soda, 1 tablespoon of citric acid and a glass of vinegar per liter of water.
  • A plus: breaks even stone salt deposits.
  • Minus: troublesome, strong smell, impact on devices of aggressive components.

Fill the kettle with water, add citric acid and boil. If the kettle is electric, do this 2-3 times. If normal, let the soda-lemon solution simmer for 20-30 minutes.

Drain and refill the kettle with water. Boil it and pour in the vinegar. Leave on for 15-20 minutes.

If after that the scale does not come off by itself, it will become loose. You can easily remove it with a sponge and dishwashing detergent.

At the end, boil clean water in the kettle again, and then drain it.

What to do to prevent scale

  1. Try to pour only filtered water into kettles, coffee machines and irons.
  2. Rinse the device before filling with water.
  3. Do not leave water in the appliance after use. It is better to pour a new one every time.
  4. Get rid of scale at least once a month, even if there is no pronounced plaque on the heating elements and walls. If the device has a self-cleaning function, use it.

Scale always appears on the inner walls of the kettle, regardless of whether it is electric, metal, or coated with a special enamel. Even if you use special water filters, or use only purified water, scale still appears with inside kettle. Its presence reduces the quality of the water that boils in it.

If we are talking about an electrical appliance, then it accumulates directly on the heating element, which leads to a quick breakdown of the equipment. If the container is made of metal, not only scale, but also rust will get into the water.

Today, most of the kettles in use are powered by electricity, so it is important to know how to remove scale in an electric kettle.

Water is one of the most necessary for a person products, without it we will not be able to live even a week, but it can also contain many harmful substances and harmful organisms. To combat the latter, people have long begun to boil water, but this process does not allow you to remove salts and other impurities. And the water that comes from the water supply contains a lot of such substances, and the more of them, the more “hard” the liquid will be.

Salts in excess are harmful to the body, so the fact that they remain on the walls and / or the heating element can be beneficial for a person, but over time they become too much. To in electric kettle scale did not form, filters can be used, but they cannot completely eliminate the salt content in the water.

Negative consequences of scale in the kettle:

  • breaking;
  • water pollution;
  • harm to the body, in particular to the organs of the urinary system.

That is why it is important to know how to descale an electric kettle and not neglect its cleanliness.

Prevention

Certain measures allow, if not completely eliminating the formation of scale on the surface of the heating element, then at least significantly reducing the rate of formation. There are several simple ways to prevent:

  • wash the kettle daily, a thin coating is easy enough to remove using an ordinary sponge, but a thick one will have to be removed with difficulty;
  • use filtered water, you can also buy pre-purified water;
  • drain excess water after each boil, leave the kettle empty at night;
  • notice the need for cleaning in time, the thicker the layer, the more effort will have to be made to clean it.

You can simplify care already at the purchase stage by opting for an electric kettle, in which the heating coil is closed from contact with water, or a disc is used for heating.


Remove limescale from an electric kettle with home remedies

Scale is susceptible to various substances, and the practice of cleaning electric kettles implies both the use special means, and folk recipes. Active substances allow you to dissolve and remove scale, some of them are quite affordable, and are sold even in ordinary grocery stores. These include:

  • vinegar;
  • lemon acid;
  • soda.

Scale can be removed different ways, and the most harmful for technology will be mechanical. You should not try to remove plaque using hard and sharp tools, as this will further damage the device. Damage to the body or heating element will be irreversible, and after their occurrence, all that remains is to get rid of your electric kettle. You should not resort to mechanical method when the layer has become very thick, only Preliminary processing hard (but not metal) inner surface of the washcloth.


citric acid

Of the acceptable descaling agents for an electric kettle, citric acid is one of the mildest. When preparing the composition for processing, it is necessary to dissolve 10 grams of citric acid in a liter of water. It is sold in ordinary grocery stores, usually in 25-gram packs.

To make the calculations easier, it will be enough to pour the contents of one bag into one full kettle. After ready solution will be in an electric kettle, you must turn it on.

Do not leave the device unattended, as soon as the liquid is brought to a boil, it must be turned off, otherwise the boiling water will start to foam and splash out over the top.

After completing this simple process, hot solution must be left inside for 15 minutes. This time will be enough for the acid to dissolve the scale, or reduce its thickness.


After the procedure, the solution is poured out, it cannot be used for other purposes, and the kettle itself is washed so that the remnants of active substances do not get into tea or coffee later. If the layer was too thick, the descaling procedure with citric acid can be repeated.

Under the influence of citric acid, scale is converted into a loose sediment gray color in addition, the liquid will contain small pieces of lime in the form of plates. Alternatively, you can use not the powder in the store, but the lemons themselves.

For efficient processing it will be enough to place 1-2 lemons inside the device, cutting them into circles. The effectiveness of this method is no less high; at the same time, a strong lemon aroma will escape into the room along with the steam.


Vinegar

The second way to remove scale from an electric kettle involves the use of vinegar, popularly called the "grandmother's" method, if only because it has been used for a very long time.

Initially, vinegar was used against scale on copper kettles, but for modern electric kettles it may be quite enough. For the procedure, you need the usual 10% solution, which is in every kitchen.

Mode of application:

  1. An electric kettle is filled two-thirds with water, and the last third must be filled with vinegar.
  2. The resulting mixture must be boiled, and then leave the device and wait until it cools down. During this time, the scale layer should dissolve, or significantly decrease.
  3. After the procedure, it must either be repeated or the kettle thoroughly rinsed several times. hot water so that no vinegar remains on its walls, which can spoil the taste of any drink.

Acetic acid is an effective reagent for removing scale, due to the chemical reaction that it enters into with salts, the latter are decomposed into simple substances. For a conventional electric kettle with a volume of one and a half to two liters, two glasses of vinegar will be required. This method also has a significant drawback - the smell.

After the procedure, a persistent vinegar aroma will reign in the kitchen, which will not seem pleasant to anyone, so you should take care of airing in advance.

Soda

If you need to remove very serious contaminants, the effect of acetic acid can be supplemented with soda. First, a concentrated soda solution is boiled in an electric kettle, and after that we immediately fill the equipment with vinegar and water (1: 2) in such a volume that the active liquid completely covers the heating element. As a result, a very stormy chemical reaction accompanied by the release of carbon dioxide. Bubbles will begin to form, which will destroy the thick layers of scale.

The method of cleaning an electric kettle with soda from scale, in fact, is not independent, it is used so that the particles of soda eat into plaque when boiling water, so that, after reacting violently with acid, mechanical removal is ensured on the surface of the heating element by means of emerging carbon dioxide bubbles . For one liter of water, two tablespoons of soda will be enough.


Other ways

In addition to the three "kitchen" substances, other, rather unusual methods can be used for cleaning:

  • Brine. The brine left after pickled cucumbers or tomatoes can also be used for this purpose, because it contains citric acid. Having boiled the electric kettle with brine, you can also successfully clean it of plaque, the procedure is exactly the same - pour the brine, boil, wait until it cools down, pour it out, and wash the container. Cucumber pickle also able to remove rust.
  • Soda. Enough unexpectedly this way descaling kettles. Coca-Cola, Pepsi-Cola, and other similar drinks also help to cope with scale, since they contain phosphoric acid, which can cope with even a fairly thick layer of scale. It is not necessary to boil water at all, you just need to leave the electric kettle with soda for several hours. It is important to use only high-quality drinks, as they contain stable dyes that do not remain on the walls. If the teapot is white, then the drink used should not have a dye, otherwise the paint will still have to be removed.
  • Oxalic acid. This substance is not so often found on the farm, but it is no less effective than the above-mentioned remedies. If it is not available in its pure form, you can use a fresh bunch of freshly cut sorrel. The method of washing the kettle is standard, however, in the case of using a fresh plant, you need to wait longer due to the reduced acid concentration.

How to remove scale in an electric kettle with household chemicals

Naturally, one can use not only folk remedies, but also special household chemicals. Manufacturers various formulations for household use, they could not ignore such a problem as the formation of scale in an electric kettle, therefore, on the chemical products market, you can always find several products suitable for this purpose. They can be in the form of liquid, powder and tablets.


The manufacturer, of course, can supplement them with their own instructions, however, on average, the method of using chemicals is reduced to 40 minutes of boiling water, in which a given dose of the agent is dissolved.

The compositions may contain different kinds acids (sulfamic, adipic), including those that can be found in your own kitchen.

As a rule, after the first use of special means, the sediment will begin to exfoliate and fall off in pieces from the inner surface. However, it is important to wash the inner container without fail and as thoroughly as possible, and the more active the substance, the more times you need to repeat the washing.

This should not be neglected if citric and acetic acid are used in Food Industry, then other acids can harm the body.

To the use of strong chemicals resorted to only if the pollution in the kettle is too great, and the layer of scale is so thick that it does not lend itself to standard methods.

Sometimes the owner of the appliance makes a choice in their favor, because he wants to achieve the fastest possible effect, however, if the scale layer has increased over the years, and the kettle is still functioning and there is no desire to throw it away, even Antinakipin and other similar products will not cope with it from the first same attempts.

In addition, cleaning agents are an extra harm to your health. It is much better to remember this problem in time and use the “light” types of acids that can be found in the kitchen than to poison the air in the room with chemicals later.

You can prevent the appearance of scale, even if you just regularly wash the inside of the kettle with a relatively soft washcloth and ordinary dishwashing detergent.

But if the kettle still turned out to be dirty, chemistry will be the most effective solution, only powerful active substances can quickly cope with an old and thick layer of plaque.

The water flowing from the taps is not the most best quality. Scale on the walls not only gives an unpleasant aftertaste to brewed drinks, but also increases the heating time of the device, reducing its thermal conductivity.

The same applies to regular enamelled metal teapots. The resulting plaque requires a longer stay of dishes on the stove. As a result, electricity or gas is consumed. Therefore, the question of how to clean the kettle from scale at home remains relevant for many.

It doesn't matter which kettle you use Everyday life- electric or metal. Scale can appear on each of the appliances. And no filters or even boiling artesian water High Quality will not help to avoid this trouble.

For scale - a more terrible threat, since the product can not only begin to fulfill its purpose worse, but also completely fail. And simple appliances can also be so "overgrown" with lime on the inner surface that the use of the strongest cleansers will not help get rid of it.

Therefore, any care must be timely. No need to delay this, postponing the process for later. Otherwise, you risk being left without the device.

For the process of scale formation on each of the kettles, several points are characteristic.

All scale is formed from tap water containing many different salts that settle during boiling on the walls of containers.

Therefore, the question of how to clean the kettle inside from scale worries us much more, because it is much easier and faster.

The rate of scale formation depends on the concentration of salts in tap water and increases in proportion to their number. All newfangled filters can, of course, soften water, but they will not be a panacea for scale.

But not only teapots suffer from scale. It can also harm our body. And, above all, the organs of the urinary system and kidneys.

Citric acid is one of the most effective means in the fight against scale. Its use will not cause difficulties, but it will help to quickly clean the kettle.

Pros - the availability of this tool and its effectiveness. But how to clean the kettle with citric acid? The process is carried out in several successive steps.

  • Calculation of the required amount of "lemon". It is related to the degree of contamination of the device. The more scale, the correspondingly more lemon powder should be taken. The best option will use two or three packs per unit.
  • Fill with water, about 2/3 of the volume of the dish. If the localization of scale falls on the upper walls, then pour water to such an extent that it covers it.
  • Pour the acid into the water and stir until all the crystals are dissolved.
  • If the scale is fresh, then there will be no need to boil the "lemon". You can simply prepare the solution in the above way and leave for several hours. After that, rinse the dishes and boil them with clean water.
  • If the case is more complicated, then the prepared solution should be boiled in a kettle for 10-15 minutes, then pour it out, rinse the product with clean water and boil again.
  • It is better to repeat the procedure for fixing the result a couple of times.

Vinegar is another tool that helps to descale the kettle at home.

To do this, water is poured into the device in the same volume as in the previous method, and vinegar is added at the rate of half a glass of vinegar per 1 liter of water. If there is no vinegar, then vinegar essence will do.

In this case, its amount should be reduced (take 3 teaspoons of essence per liter of water). Boil water for 3-5 minutes, let it cool completely, drain and rinse the kettle with water. Repeat boiling only with clean liquid at least two times.

If the old plaque does not go away the first time, then the process can be repeated. Also, softened plaque is removed by rubbing it with a sponge.

However, vinegar should not be used to clean kettles powered by electricity.

Soda is suitable for enameled and electric kettles. It is affordable, but at the same time a universal tool, very effective in the fight against lime deposits on the walls of teapots.

However, you need to be careful with it, because hard grains can ruin surfaces by scratching them.

Most likely, cleaning the kettle with soda will have to be repeated. Since it is a rather mild agent, one application for a severely damaged surface will not be enough.

You need to fill the kettle halfway with water and pour two teaspoons of soda into it. Bring the water to a boil, then, reducing the flame, boil for 25-35 minutes. Drain the water and rinse the inside of the kettle.

If the kettle is electric with an auto-off mode, then simply leave the water with soda in it until it cools completely after the appliance has boiled.

other methods

It will also help to solve the question of how to descale an electric kettle, ordinary soda. To prevent the inner surface of the appliance from becoming dark color, it is better to use colorless drinks. Sprite is perfect. It must be poured into the kettle and let the product boil. The scale will evaporate after such a process without a trace. The same method will work for a regular metal teapot.

Before you start using soda, you need to let all the air bubbles out of it. You can leave the bottle open or pour the liquid into a spacious dish.

Another effective method removal limescale will be peeling potatoes, pears or apples. They need to be washed, put in a kettle, pour water. Then boil for 5-10 minutes.

In addition to limescale inside the kettle, another unpleasant phenomenon is the appearance of rust. It is associated with an excess of iron contained in tap water and its hardness.

You need to get rid of rusty plaque in a timely manner, because in addition to giving bad taste tea or coffee, it can be harmful to health.

Citric acid and vinegar, which were mentioned above, will help not only to remove scale from the walls of the appliance, but also to remove rust. You need to do the same with them as when removing scale from the inner surface of the kettle.

Get rid of rust will help other available and original means and ways.

  • Washing powder and potatoes. Sprinkle the powder on a moistened surface and rub these places with half a potato. Rinse thoroughly with water.
  • "Coca Cola". Pour the drink into the teapot and leave overnight. In the morning the device will be ready for use.
  • Cucumber pickle. Pour it into the kettle and boil for 5-10 minutes. Drain and rinse the dishes with water until the smell is gone.
  • Spoiled milk. It is also boiled in a kettle.

Prevention measures

To prevent the appearance of scale and rust, it will not be superfluous to observe a few points.

  • After use, leave kettles dry by pouring out all the water. Its residues produce calcium. It is converted into scale and affects the walls of products.
  • Clean kettles at least monthly. The more often the procedure is performed, the less effort will have to be expended in the future. In addition, it will help to maintain the performance of the product for a long time.
  • Boil in the kettle only distilled water or filtered water.
  • Rinse the kettle with a sponge after each use. So it will turn out to remove scale at its initial stage.

There are many tools and methods to help clean the kettle from scale. But their effectiveness will depend on how quickly you get to work.

The longer the kettle will accumulate scale, the more time you will have to spend on washing it. In any case, use the best proven methods, otherwise the risk of damaging the device increases.

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 hardness of the water, the level of which is determined based on the concentration of salts. Before supplying fluid from natural sources into 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 inner surface kettle and cannot be removed with a brush or scraper. The only way get rid of sediment - apply organic or inorganic acid for its dissolution.

In search of answers to questions on how to descale an electric kettle, 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 allow. 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 caustic bad smell. 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

Find out how to remove scale in metal teapot: enameled, stainless steel or aluminium. 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.


Consider how to descale the kettle 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 electrical 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

Deciding how to clean enamel teapot from scale, it is worth considering 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. connect chalk, laundry soap, water and ammonia in proportion 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 facilities. 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" - a liquid for descaling coffee makers, kettles and other appliances. Ingredients: sulfamic and oxalic acid. 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.

Prevention

Measures to prevent scale formation in the kettle:

  • the use of water filters that reduce the concentration of salts;
  • removal of the liquid remaining after boiling from the tank;
  • preventive cleaning once a month using citric acid or soda;
  • the use of electric kettles in which the spiral is closed.

Scale in the kettle reduces its service life, increases energy costs for heating water, worsens the taste of drinks and negatively affects the condition of the kidneys. You can remove it with soda, vinegar and other products containing acids. Cleaning is desirable to be done in advance, when the layer of plaque is minimal. After processing, the kettle should be thoroughly rinsed from residues. chemical substances, heat water in it several times and drain it.

How to clean the kettle from scale at home is shown in the video.

tweet