Most people in the UK wake up and immediately make themselves a cup of their favourite hot beverage, but if your tea or coffee is tasting bitter then it is likely due to limescale. Limescale is a crusty white stain that forms anywhere in the home with water and tends to be quite difficult to get rid of as it binds tightly to surfaces. 

It is a harmless substance that forms when water is heated or begins to evaporate, but it builds up over time and can greatly affect the taste of your morning drink, as well as the appearance of your appliance. If you do not clean your kettle or coffee maker regularly then limescale will form over the heating element so water takes longer to heat up and it can eventually break the appliance. 

However, it takes less than five minutes to clean out your kettles or coffee machines and make sure they stay limescale free. 

Ed O'Meara, an appliance expert from Currys, has shared how you do not need to buy anything to get rid of limescale as the best way to remove it is the white vinegar you use for salads or the lemon juice you use for baking. 

He said: "If you're looking for natural solutions to descale your kettles and coffee machines, look no further than your kitchen! White vinegar and lemon juice are fantastic natural descalers. Both are acidic, which helps break down the calcium carbonate that forms limescale. 

"White vinegar contains acetic acid while lemon juice contain citric acid, which are both gentle and natural acidic substances which can break down limescale. 

"Limescale can be tricky to remove as it hardens over time and will not budge even if you try to scrub it, but it will begin to dissolve and soften if you use a acidic solution."

How to get rid of limescale in kettles and coffee machines

To remove limescale from a kettle, simply fill half with water and half with lemon juice or white vinegar. 

Boil the kettle, then leave it alone to sit for a few minutes as you need to give it time for the limescale to break down. 

Once the kettle is cool, pour out the water and rinse it out with tap water. The limescale should easily fall out and be easy to wipe away. 

To remove limescale from a coffee machine, fill the tank or jug with one part water and one part white vinegar or lemon juice. 

Set the coffee machine to a standard brewing cycle, then halfway through turn the machine off and leave it alone for an hour. 

Fill the tank or jug with clean water and set the brewing cycle to rinse out the machine, and it should be completely clean. 

Your kettle and coffee maker will now be limescale free so you can enjoy a toasty hot beverage without anything spoiling the taste. 

It should be noted that white vinegar has a very pungent taste and it may take a few rinses to get rid it out of your kettle or coffee machine. It tends to be a lot easier to just use lemon juice instead. 

If you live in a hard water area like the south of England you should clean out your kettle or coffee maker once a month so limescale has no chance to build up. 

If you live in a softer water area like northern England, Scotland, Wales or Northern Ireland then cleaning your appliances every three months should be enough.