If your kettle is taking longer than usual to boil water, then you likely have a limescale problem. Do not worry, as it is incredibly easy to fix in just 10 minutes. Limescale is made up of minerals found in hard water that begin to build up when heated, and over time, it will form a crusty stain at the bottom of a kettle. 

Kettles need to be cleaned once a month if you live in a hard water area. Limescale can grow over the heating element, which means it will take more energy to boil water. This can drive up your energy bills and damage your kettle over time, but worst of all, it will give water a bitter aftertaste that will ruin a cup of tea. 

However, cleaning your kettle is very simple, as Julia Hunt, a home improvement expert, has shared that you only need two kitchen cupboard ingredients that “you probably already have at home.”

Julia said: “Lemon juice cuts through limescale and leaves a fresh scent [while] baking soda helps loosen stubborn stains and buildup.” 

When lemon juice and baking soda come into contact with limescale, they create a fizzy reaction, which can also help loosen any stubborn limescale stuck to the kettle. 

Lemon juice contains citric acid, a natural antibacterial substance that can easily dissolve the limescale minerals. 

Baking soda enhances the abrasive effects of lemon juice, so it helps scrub away the now softened limescale, so you do not have to scrub the inside of the kettle. 

How to descale the kettle and get rid of limescale

To begin, simply add some lemon juice to your kettle and pour in enough water so it is filled halfway. 

Turn on the kettle and let it boil. Leave the solution for five minutes and let it sit to give the lemon juice time to break down the limescale. 

Pour away the boiled lemon water, and then fill the kettle halfway with water and boil it again. This time, though, add both lemon juice and a few teaspoons of baking soda. 

It is best to let the lemon juice first dissolve the limescale, as it will be more potent, and then add the baking soda at a second boil to help remove any stubborn bits stuck at the bottom. 

Let it sit for five minutes once again, then pour away the solution and give the kettle a quick rinse with water from the tap.

Give it a light wipe with a clean cloth, and your kettle should now be completely clean without having to scrub it or use a harsher chemical cleaner. 

If you live in a hard water area, like the south and central areas of England, you should clean your kettle once a month to prevent limescale buildup. 

However, if you live in a soft water area like most of northern England, Wales, and Scotland, limescale will likely build up more slowly, so you should descale your kettle every three months.