When limescale builds up in your kettle, it takes longer to boil, which makes it more expensive to run, and can shorten its working life. It’s also unsightly and unappetising if it flakes off and ends up floating in your drinks. Unfortunately, limescale is a fact of life for more than half of all British homes. To help remove it when it returns Lydia Mallinson, Content Marketing Manager at ZWILLING, has shared the “best way”.
Many Uk households are affected by limescale in their home – around 17million, according to Halcyan Water Conditioners’ CEO Samantha Matt.
She said: “Incredibly this can add £500 or more to your annual energy bills as limescale covered heating elements (for example in your kettle, boiler and electric shower) use significantly more energy to heat the water used in your home.
“In fact just 3mm of limescale can consume 25 percent more energy. This means energy bills are much higher than necessary, and so is the carbon footprint of the home.”
At a time when energy prices continue to rise, it’s never been more important to maintain your kettle and ensure it operates as efficiently as possible, reducing the overall cost of your bills.
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The expert suggested boiling the kettle once for vinegar, or for those using a lemon, boil the kettle three times as it might take a bit longer to work.
Allow to cool, then rinse thoroughly several times. Lydia added: “You can also use baking soda with the same method.
“Repeat every month or so and try not to leave water in the kettle after you’ve used it, as standing water encourages the build-up of limescale.”
Alternatively, you can buy kettle cleaners and descalers in hardware stores and online. The expert said: “Many people use descaler balls.
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“These stainless steel balls are placed inside the kettle and stop the kettle from collecting limescale or furring up, as the rolled mesh traps the limescale instead.
“When you already have limescale and need to remove it, try a kettle descaler drop-in bag, said to restore kettles to their best in just 10 minutes.
“Another top trick is to fill the kettle from a filtered water jug instead of straight from the tap. This is a quick and easy solution to keeping limescale at bay.”
If you clean out your kettle regularly and still find there is an issue with limescale, it may be worth investing in a kettle with a limescale filter, or better yet a water softener.
Lydia said: “To prevent limescale coming back, you could invest in a water softener. This will benefit your washing machine and dishwasher too. They work by removing minerals from your water supply, in turn reducing the amount of limescale in your home.”
Samantha also agreed with installing a water softener. She said: “Treating hard water with an eco-friendly water conditioner removes existing limescale from the home and prevents new limescale build-up so you no longer have to descale your kettle, shower heads and other water-bearing appliances, and you don’t need to spend money on nasty cleaning chemicals or products.
“The Halcyan Water Conditioner is effective for 30 years so this amounts to significant savings on energy consumption and bills over the lifespan of the product.
“Best of all, it takes up no additional space in the home, uses no electricity, salts or chemicals, and can be fitted by a plumber in under an hour. It’s a truly passive, fit-and-forget solution.”