Battling a build-up of limescale in your kettle can be a nightmare, especially if you live in an area with hard water that can make the white chalky substance even more prominent. And while you might be tempted to break out the trusty white vinegar or squeeze some lemons into the appliance to help shift the limescale, one expert has claimed you should be using something else entirely.
The cleaning and appliance expert told Express.co.uk that although using natural cleaning ingredients will give you some results when used correctly, the best thing to use is a dedicated descaler - as the instructions are easy to follow and you won't risk ruining future cups of tea with the taste of vinegar.
According to the expert from appliance brand Russell Hobbs, you should also aim to descale your kettle once a month if you live in a hard water area, while people with soft water won't need to do it quite as often as they won't experience the same levels of build-up.
Descaling your kettle to remove as much limescale as possible is an important process, as a kettle full of limescale won't work as efficiently as a clean one - which could impact your energy bills as the kettle will take longer to boil.
The expert said: "The best way to ensure that your kettle is working efficiently is to descale your kettle on a regular basis - if it's full of limescale, it uses more energy to boil the same amount of water - and to only boil the amount of water that you need.
"We recommend descaling kettles once per month if you live in a hard water area like London, though people in soft water areas may need to do it less regularly as they won’t experience the same kind of build-up."
The Russell Hobbs expert recommended using the brand's own descaler that is "designed to be used with Russell Hobbs kettles"; you can pick that up from the company's website for £2.99.
However, you can also purchase Oust All Purpose Descaler from Asda for £1.60.
Speaking about descaling a kettle, the expert added: "Removing limescale is a great way of cleaning your kettle, and Russell Hobbs has a descaler which is designed to be used with the Russell Hobbs kettles. We also have the Brita kettles which can help stop limescale build-up and are particularly useful for those living in hard water areas."
And when asked about cleaning experts who suggest using lemon or white vinegar to dissolve limescale, they explained: "Yes, those methods work (with cold water, not heating up) however at Russell Hobbs we've always directed people to the descaler as the instructions are specific so keeps us protected from any claims of harm."
In order to reduce limescale build-up in the first place, the expert suggested filtering your water before putting it in your kettle - although you will still need to descale your kettle regularly to keep it working at its best.
They added: "As well as reducing energy efficiency, limescale will make your kettle noisier as the rougher surface increases the bubble popping that you hear during boiling, not to mention the taste, so descaling is a great all-around thing to keep on top of!"
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