How to descale a kettle (without chemicals or fuss)
- ross milne
- Jun 2
- 4 min read
Updated: Jun 25
Let’s be honest — there’s nothing that puts you off a fresh cuppa quicker than limescale floating in your mug. 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. Whether you want maximum power or something that smells a little fresher, here are two natural methods to get you sorted.
White vinegar
If your kettle has serious limescale build-up, white vinegar is your best friend. It cuts through the crust quickly, 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 in a state.
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 not stink out the kitchen, 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.
How often should you descale your kettle?
That depends on your water and how often you use your kettle — but as a general rule, once or twice a month is a good shout in hard water areas.
Ross, at Poole-based plumbing company Plumberly, says he’s got one customer who descales their kettle every other week without fail: “Coming from Glasgow I was surprised they did it that often — it seemed like a lot,” 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 your kettle every 2–4 weeks to keep it running efficiently and the flakes away.
What about preventing limescale build-up in kettles?
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 a limescale collector ball
These small stainless steel mesh balls sit inside your kettle and attract minerals before they stick to the element. They're cheap, reusable, and a great non-chemical solution — perfect if you’d rather not be descaling all the time.
You can grab one here from Amazon ➡
Get a kettle designed for hard water
Whaaaaaat?! Yep. Some kettles come with built-in limescale filters and concealed elements that are easier to clean and more resistant to build-up.
Check out these great options:
Russell Hobbs kettle with removable washable anti-scale filter
Russell Hobbs and Brita filter kettle
Try jug filtered water
Using water that’s been through a filter jug can reduce the minerals that cause limescale in the first place. It won’t remove everything, but it can make a noticeable difference if you’re in a very hard water area. Plus, you’ll get the bonus of cleaner-tasting water.
Try a classic BRITA
Amazon’s own brand bestseller
Install a tap or under sink water filter
If you’re ready to level up your drinking water, a tap or under-sink filter is a great way to improve water quality at the source.
Most of these filters won’t fully remove limescale — because they’re designed to target nasties like microplastics and chlorine, while keeping hold of healthy minerals like the calcium and magnesium that cause limescale (yes hard water is actually good for you! Read more here).
However filters like the Water2 filter can reduce limescale by about 10% — not everything, but a step in the right direction and many people report a reduction in their level of limescale build up.
✨ Limescale lowdown ✨
Limescale builds up when hard water is heated — and kettles are prime targets.
For heavy buildup, go for white vinegar. It’s strong, fast, and effective (just brace for the 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.
Kettles with anti-scale features can help as well as, filter jugs and tap and under sink filters
