How to descale a kettle naturally (no chemicals, no fuss)
- Lucinda Smalley
- Jun 2, 2025
- 6 min read
Updated: 2 days ago
Let’s be honest — there’s nothing that puts you off a fresh cuppa quicker than limescale floating in your mug, or that scummy layer on the surface. If your kettle’s looking a bit crusty, sounding louder than usual, or taking ages to boil, chances are it’s time for a descale.
Good news: there are quick and easy ways to do it — and you don’t need harsh chemicals to get the job done. In hard water areas, where limescale can build up in days, a natural, low-cost method is a great choice.
Whether you want maximum power or something that smells a little fresher, here are three natural methods to get your kettle sparkling again.
If you just want the quickest, least-smelly fix, skip straight to the citric acid method below.
White vinegar
If your kettle has serious limescale build-up, white vinegar is your best friend. It works by actually breaking down the limescale, and if you love the smell of vinegar (you either love it or hate it right?!) this is the solution for you.
How to use white vinegar to descale your kettle
You'll want to buy a bottle of white vinegar from your supermarket. Look out for 'distilled malt vinegar', it usually comes in a bottle around 560ml and costs between 50p and £1.
Fill your kettle halfway with a mix of equal parts white vinegar and water. Bring it to the boil, then switch it off and let it sit for 30 minutes — or longer if your kettle’s badly scaled.
Once it’s done, pour it out, unplug and give the inside a gentle scrub with a washing wand or cloth and then a good rinse. Boil plain water once or twice afterwards to clear any lingering smell or taste. And just like that — job done.
Lemon juice
If your kettle has light scaling and you’d rather your kitchen didn't smell like a chip shop, lemon juice is a gentler but still effective option.
How to use lemon juice to descale your kettle
Fill your kettle with water and add the juice of two lemons (or bottled lemon juice works just as well). Bring it to the boil, leave it to sit for 30–60 minutes, then pour out, unplug, and give the inside a gentle scrub with a washing wand or cloth. Rinse well and boil plain water once to clear out any bits.
It’s not as powerful as vinegar, but it smells great and works a treat on light limescale. So next time you find shrivelled up lemons in your fruit bowl, don’t throw them away — they're just as good to use to descale your kettle, so even less waste.
Citric acid (my go-to)
I’ve saved the best until last. Citric acid is my go-to for kettle descaling — it works just as well as vinegar (often better), but without the smell. Win-win.
How to use citric acid to descale your kettle
Citric acid comes in powder or granule form and you can pick it up easily at Amazon ↗.
Fill your kettle halfway with water and add 1–2 tablespoons of citric acid. Bring it to the boil, then leave it to sit for 15–20 minutes. Pour it out, rinse thoroughly, then boil fresh water once and discard before making your next drink.
Simple, effective, and no lingering smell.
Want to check out my results using this method? Do it here How to descale your kettle - and the best natural product to use.
How often should you descale your kettle?
This depends on how hard your water is and how often you use your kettle. As a general rule, once or twice a month is a good shout in hard water areas.
Ross Milne, co-owner of Poole-based plumbing company Plumberly, says one of his customers descales their kettle every other week without fail: “Coming from Glasgow, which has soft water, I was surprised they did it that often — it seemed excessive,” he told us. “But when you see how fast limescale builds up in some parts of the South, it makes sense. Their kettle’s spotless — and they say it boils faster too.”
If you’re in a hard water area and use your kettle daily, aim to descale every 2–4 weeks to keep it efficient and limescale-free.
Why it’s worth descaling your kettle regularly
Descaling your kettle isn’t just about looks (or avoiding flakes in your tea). Limescale acts like insulation on the heating element, which means your kettle has to work harder and longer to boil. Over time that uses more electricity, slows boiling, and puts extra strain on the kettle itself — shortening its lifespan.
Keeping limescale under control helps your kettle boil faster, last longer, and makes hot drinks taste better too. A quick, regular descale is one of those small jobs that pays off quietly long-term.
What about preventing limescale build-up in kettles?
Regular descaling is a great habit — but if you’re looking for longer-term, low-effort ways to keep limescale away, these ideas are worth trying:
Use filtered water
Using filtered water to fill your kettle can reduce the minerals that cause limescale in the first place. It won’t remove everything, but in very hard water areas it can make a noticeable difference. You’ll also get better-tasting tea and coffee as a bonus.
Jug filters are the easiest place to start, or you can upgrade to an on-tap or under-sink filter if you want to treat your water at source. Learn more about the best filters for hard water.
Most water filters aren’t designed to fully remove limescale. Their job is to improve drinking water quality by reducing things like chlorine, sediment and microplastics.
In practice, that means filtered water still counts as hard water — but many people find limescale builds up more slowly. Kettles tend to stay cleaner for longer, flakes are less obvious, and descaling doesn’t need doing as often. It’s not a total fix, but it’s a decent improvement for many hard water homes.
Choose a kettle designed for hard water
Some models of kettle are designed specifically with hard water in mind. The Russell Hobbs BRITA Filter Purity Glass kettle is a good example. It filters the water as you fill it, and many people in hard water areas say it noticeably improves the taste of tea and slows down how quickly limescale builds up inside the kettle.
It won’t eliminate limescale completely — but for regular tea drinkers it can make a genuine day-to-day difference and reduce how often you need to descale.
Use a limescale collector ball
Limescale collector balls sit inside your kettle and attract loose mineral particles before they stick to the element. They don’t remove existing limescale, but they can slow how quickly it forms.
They’re cheap, reusable, chemical-free and easy to pick up on Amazon↗ — best used alongside filtered water and regular descaling, rather than on their own.
For more info and habits to help keep kettle limescale at bay, check out How to stop limescale in your kettle (5 things that actually work)
FAQs: descaling kettles in hard water areas
How often should you descale a kettle in a hard water area?
In hard water areas, descaling your kettle every 2–4 weeks is usually enough. Using filtered water can extend the time between descaling, as limescale builds up more slowly.
What’s the best natural way to descale a kettle?
Citric acid is one of the most effective natural options. It reacts directly with limescale and dissolves it without strong smells or harsh chemicals. White vinegar and lemon juice also work, but citric acid tends to be quicker, cleaner and easier to live with day to day.
Why does limescale come back so quickly after descaling?
In hard water areas, descaling is a reset, not a permanent fix. As soon as you boil fresh water, new minerals are deposited again. That’s why descaling alone never lasts, and why habits like using filtered water and descaling little and often make a much bigger difference.
Is it safe to drink water with limescale in it?
Yes. Limescale is made from naturally occurring minerals like calcium and magnesium, which are safe to consume. It’s more of a taste and appliance issue than a health concern.
✨ Limescale lowdown ✨
Limescale builds up when hard water is heated — and kettles are prime targets.
For heavy buildup, either go for white vinegar — it’s strong and works well (just brace for the smell). Or citric acid, which is more effective and has no smell.
For a gentler, fresher clean, lemon juice does the trick — ideal for lighter scale.
Always rinse thoroughly, and boil fresh water once or twice before your next brew.
Using filtered water, a kettle designed for hard water, or a descaler ball can help slow down how quickly limescale builds up.
Author bio: Lucinda Smalley is the founder of Hard Water Home, a UK-based consumer site helping households in hard water areas understand the challenges and solutions more easily — and make smarter choices for their health and homes. Based in Poole, she also co-runs an award-winning plumbing company, giving her first-hand insight into how water quality affects everything from appliances to skin and hair. When she’s not writing, she’s happiest at the beach with her family and a good cup of coffee (minus the floaty bits!). More about us ➡
