best way to descale a kettle?

boredjellybean

hi there
can anyone help my kettle is revolting & spilling everywhere plus I know it can't be economical to have it all scaled up, can anyone give me some good CHEAP tips on how to descale, can I use distilled vinegar & if so how? ? ?
Many thanks

dementedfeline

Grab a gallon of white vinegar from farmshop/Chinese supermarket etc for about £3. Fill kettle half and half with this and water, boil, leave to cool, rinse and repeat until scale gone. Don't forget to do a clean water boil and discard before you actually go on to tea-making at the end!

Also, use the white vinegar instead of conditioner in the washingmachine - no, the clothes don't come out smelling of chippy.

boredjellybean

thanks I'll try that

Willowpop

dementedfeline wrote: »

Grab a gallon of white vinegar from farmshop/Chinese supermarket etc for about £3. Fill kettle half and half with this and water, boil, leave to cool, rinse and repeat until scale gone. Don't forget to do a clean water boil and discard before you actually go on to tea-making at the end!

Also, use the white vinegar instead of conditioner in the washingmachine - no, the clothes don't come out smelling of chippy.

Yep, this..except I use neat vinegar. Works a treat. Will have to try the 50/50 thing.

savemoney

For long term you can get stainless steel scourer that prevent kettle going in first place

Like these, they do work just need to run these under tap every few weeks

http://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/product/B0001IWUCC

Cheaper in long run and kitchen doesn't stink of vinegar

hardpressed

I use neat value brown vinegar,just enough to cover the limescale at the bottom , boil it let it cool down then strain the vinegar back into a bottle and keep it to reuse. Remember to label the bottle 'kettle vinegar' so you don't put it on your chips! Keep an eye on it while it's boiling as it can overflow.

theoretica

I prefer lemon juice to vinegar. It works at least as well and tastes better if any traces are left behind.

geri1965_2

I use Tesco Value vinegar and leave it overnight.

janb5

geri1965 wrote: »

I use Tesco Value vinegar and leave it overnight.

So do I- none of this boiling up of vinegar- I bought some cheap funnels to reuse the vinagar afterwards and like a prvious poster ensure it isnt used on food! Kettle comes up a treat!

vl2588

I also use cheapest brown vinegar and just leave overnight. The smell doesn't bother me and it's soon gone.

saro7nmo

Descaling kettles or limescale in general, is mainly by dissolving it with acid. Vinegar contains acetic acid but is pretty weak but loses acidity fast and often taints boiled water for some time. Although tablets work too they're often expensive and you don't get many. There's large, powder versions you can get in bulk and use it constantly for fraction of cost price. As limescale dissolves it neutralises descaling products (it's calcium carbonate and slightly alkaline). ANSWER - If you use a descaler, then discard it after a bit (it's neutralised), and THEN add more - descaling starts up again..Might not be cheap method using tablets, but powdered version's are cheap now, and makes it worth it. If you see limescale in bottom of kettle after trying to descale it, it doesn't mean it can't be removed - it's just the descaler has lost acidity. Just repeat the process... Hope that helps y'alll .. !