Limescale builds up over time, and you want to know how to descale a kettle with vinegar. Well, vinegar is a go-to solution for descaling your kettle due to its strong acetic acid.
You can descale a kettle with vinegar. Mix half vinegar and water, bring the mixture to a boil, and allow it to sit overnight. Pour out the solution from your kettle and rinse thoroughly to remove the vinegar taste.
After a while of boiling and storing water in your kettle, calcium, magnesium and other mineral deposits will build up. This changes the flavor of your brewed tea or boiled water for other foods.
To get rid of the metallic taste, you have to descale or clean your kettle periodically. How often you descale a kettle with vinegar depends on the water hardness and your water storing culture.
Does Vinegar Remove Limescale in Kettles?
Vinegar can remove limescale in your kettle, it contains acetic acid which dissolves the scales to give your electric kettle refreshed performance. Moreover, vinegar is an affordable kettle descaler. You only have to soak half mixture of vinegar and water to clean your kettle overnight.
What is Limescale in Your Kettle?
Limescale is calcium carbonate, a milky white and hard deposit that clogs your kettle filament. It can form when you heat your kettle until water evaporates and solidifies. Limescale in kettle appears as flakes and is unappetizing as it floats on your water. It also makes your boiled water taste slightly metallic.
Merely scrubbing your kettle does not remove limescale, you need an acidic solution like vinegar to dissolve it inside your kettle.
How to Descale a Kettle with Vinegar
Before you begin cleaning your water kettle, disconnect it from the electrical outlet. Allow the kettle to cool completely if you just finished boiling water with it.
Below are the steps to descale a kettle with vinegar:
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Fill the kettle with water and vinegar
The measurement of water will depend on your kettle. However, you typically need half water and vinegar mixture.
First, fill the kettle with white vinegar up to the 0.25 L mark. If yours has no mark, fill the kettle with vinegar halfway. Add water up to the 0.75 L mark. If yours has no measurement mark, add the same amount of water as the vinegar.
According to the KitchenAid, you should fill your kettle with 1 part white vinegar and 3 parts water.
You want the mixture to fill halfway up the kettle. Do not fill the kettle with the vinegar-water mixture to prevent it from spilling at the boiling stage.
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Bring it to boil
Connect your water kettle and allow it to heat to boil. When the vinegar solution now distilled is boiled, turn off the kettle and disconnect it from the power source. Allow the boiled water to sit overnight or at least 30 minutes.
It is preferable to allow the vinegar solution to sit in the kettle overnight to properly descale it.
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Pour out the solution
After the vinegar solution becomes cool, pour it out. Scrub the kettle to get rid of residual limescale. Rinse it with cool water and pour it out.
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Boil ordinary water in your kettle
Next, fill your kettle halfway up with ordinary water. Â Bring it to a boil. It takes up to 3 minutes for the water to boil depending on your kettle.
This will get rid of the vinegar taste from your kettle immediately so that it does not change your tea flavor or any food you prepare using your boiled water.
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Rinse the kettle thoroughly
Pour out the water and rinse your kettle thoroughly for the final time. You can repeat the rinsing up to 4-5 times to be sure the scales and vinegar taste are completely dissolved and removed.
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Clean the water filter
You should use this moment to clean your water filter. The kettle water filter could also have limescale, so you want to descale it too.
Remove the filter from your water kettle. You may have to refer to your product manual to know how to eject the water filter.
Rinse the water filter in warm water. You can use your running water if there is no provision for warm water.
If calcium deposits do not immediately go out of the filter, allow it to sit overnight in your white vinegar-water solution.
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Clean the outside of your kettle
The final step is to clean the exterior of the water kettle. Prevent any water drop from getting to the heating element. Use a damp cloth for the cleaning.
Do not use any scouring agent or abrasives to clean the outside of the water kettle.
What to Do When Descaling Kettle with Vinegar
- Clean often. Cleaning your kettle often will get rid of water minerals. Nonetheless, you still have to descale your kettle once or twice a month.
- Do not abandon the exterior. When cleaning the inside of your kettle, do the same for the exterior. Use a damp cloth to wipe down the body. Ensure not to wet the heating element. This can cause electric shocks when you connect the kettle or even damage the kettle.
- Before cleaning. Before cleaning your kettle, allow it to cool inside out. Do not forget to disconnect it from the wall socket.
Read Also: Can coke clean a burnt pan?
FAQs
How much vinegar do you use to descale a kettle?
You need 1 part vinegar to descale a kettle. Mix it with 1-3 part water to total about 500ml. Bring your vinegar solution or descaler to boil, allow it to cool, and dissolve water minerals overnight before pouring it out.
How long do you leave vinegar in kettle to descale?
Bring your vinegar solution to a boil and allow it for up to 30 minutes or overnight to dissolve and descale your kettle.
Final Thoughts
Vinegar is a good solution for descaling your kettle. You could always clean your kettle regularly to reduce the buildup speed of minerals like calcium and magnesium.
Do not store water in your kettle, especially if you will not use it for a long time.
After descaling, do not forget to wipe both interior and exterior of the kettle with a damp cloth. Make sure to dry the heating element but it is best to keep it from being wet to avoid risking electric shocks. You can also remove your kettle limescale with lemon, a more acidic solution.
