5 natural ways to remove limescale

Limescale. It clings to your kettle, it lurks in your loo, and it’s probably blocking up your showerhead right now. But don’t worry — you don’t need a cupboard full of chemicals or a massive budget to fight back. In fact, some of the best limescale-busting tools could already be in your kitchen.

Here’s five natural ways to remove limescale on kettles, toilets, and shower heads — for pennies.

White vinegar  

If you’ve got stubborn, crusty scale, white vinegar is your first line of defence. It’s cheap, acidic enough to dissolve build up, and you can use it almost anywhere. It’s not the most fragrant option, but it gets results.

How to use it: 

Kettle: Fill halfway with a 50/50 mix of vinegar and water. Boil it, then switch off and let it sit for 30 minutes before rinsing thoroughly. 

Cost: ~£0.20 (based on 250ml)

Toilet: Pour a bottle of white vinegar (around 500ml) around the bowl and under the rim. Leave overnight and scrub in the morning. 

Cost: ~£0.50

Shower head: Fill a sandwich bag with vinegar, secure it over the shower head, and leave overnight. 

Cost: ~£0.20–£0.30 depending on amount used

Lemon juice  

Prefer a more fragrant solution? Lemon juice is perfect for lighter limescale and smells much better than vinegar. It contains citric acid, which gently breaks down mineral deposits.

How to use it: 

Kettle: Squeeze the juice of two lemons into the kettle (or you can use 90ml of bottled lemon juice), Fill with water and 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.

Cost: ~£0.60 (2 lemons at ~£0.30 each)

Toilet: If you have light scale, lemon juice might work for you — just pour it around the bowl, let it sit for 30 minutes, and scrub. 

Cost: ~£0.60 (or less if using bottled lemon juice)

Shower head: Cut a lemon in half and rub directly onto the shower head holes. Leave for 10 minutes, then rinse. 

Cost: ~£0.15 per lemon half

Citric acid powder – the secret weapon 

Citric acid is the unsung hero of natural cleaning — a powerful, multipurpose powder that deserves a spot in every cupboard. Made from lemons, it has all the limescale-busting power of vinegar but without the smell. And unlike lemon juice, it’s super concentrated, so a little really does go a long way. It’s brilliant for kettles, shower heads, taps, washing machines, dishwashers — basically anything that needs descaling. It’s food-safe, odourless, and dissolves quickly in water.

One of the best-known options is Dri-Pak Citric Acid, which costs around £2.25 from B&Q (it's worth doing click and collect to save on delivery fees).

How to use it: 

Kettle: Half-fill the kettle with water and boil. Unplug. Be safe and - wait until the hot steam has gone and the temperature has cooled, add about a third of a box, then leave for 15 minutes. Give the inside a gentle scrub with a washing wand or cloth. Rinse well and boil plain water once to clear out any bits. Wipe up any spills straight away. 

Cost: ~£0.84 per clean

Shower head: Dissolve ⅓ of the pack in warm water in a basin and soak detachable parts for 30–60 minutes. Give a gentle scrub with a washing wand or cloth. Rinse well.

Cost: ~£0.84

Toilet: Dissolve a whole 250g pack into half a bucket of hot water. Carefully pour the solution into the toilet and leave overnight. Scrub with a toilet brush and flush away the scale. 

Cost: ~£2.25

Bicarbonate of soda + vinegar

This one’s great for a deep clean in places you can’t reach, like inside toilet pipes or down the plughole. It’s a foaming reaction that lifts grime and leaves everything fresher.

How to use it: 

Toilet: Add ½ cup of bicarbonate (around 75g), followed by 250ml of white vinegar. Let it fizz and soak for 20 minutes before scrubbing. 

Cost: ~£0.45 (£0.15 for bicarb, £0.30 for vinegar)

Drains: Use the same combo down plugholes to clear build up and odours. Flush with boiling water after. 

Cost: ~£0.45

Grout and taps: Make a paste with bicarb and water, apply to limescale areas, then spray with vinegar to activate. Scrub gently. 

Cost: ~£0.20

Pumice toilet cleaner (yes, they exist!)

When regular cleaners just aren’t cutting it, a pumice stone can work wonders on stubborn toilet limescale. You can now get pumice tools with handles, designed specifically for loos — making the job a lot easier (and a bit less icky).

How to use it:

Pop on some gloves, wet the stone, and gently scrub the limescale — not the ceramic itself. Stick to ceramic surfaces only (avoid plastic or coated parts), and flush away any residue when you’re done.

With extra long handles this 2 x Pumice Stone for Toilet Cleaning is ideal

Amazon £9.99 ➡

Cost: Around £5 upfront and reusable, so it pays for itself after a few scrubs.

Tired of scrubbing? Prevention is the cure.

Descaling regularly is all well and good — but if you’re fed up with repeat limescale battles, it might be time to stop it at the source.

A shower filter can help protect your skin and hair, a tap filter can make your drinks taste better, and a whole-home water softener can tackle hard water throughout the house.

Less build-up, less scrubbing, and way more peace of mind.

✨ Limescale Lowdown ✨

• These five natural ingredients work hard, smell better, and won’t cost the earth — literally or financially. 

• With less than a quid and a bit of patience, you can tackle even stubborn limescale without touching a chemical bottle. 

• Want less scrubbing long-term? Prevention’s your pal.