Cleaning an electric kettle from scale at home. How to clean an electric kettle from dirt How to clean an electric kettle from scale

The water coming out of the taps may not be the best best quality. Scale on the walls not only gives an unpleasant taste to brewed drinks, but also increases the heating time of the device, reducing its thermal conductivity.

The same applies to regular enameled metal teapots. The resulting deposit requires the dishes to remain on the stove for a longer time. As a result, electricity or gas is consumed. Therefore, the question of how to descale a kettle at home remains relevant for many.

It doesn't matter what kind of kettle you use. everyday life– electric or metal. Scale may appear on each of the appliances. And no filters or even boiling artesian water high quality will not help to avoid this trouble.

For scale, it is a more terrible threat, since the product can not only begin to perform its purpose worse, but also completely fail. AND simple devices They can also be so “overgrown” with lime on the inner surface that the use of the strongest cleaning agents will not help get rid of it.

Therefore, any care must be timely. There is no need to delay this, postponing the process until later. Otherwise, you risk being left without a device.

The process of scale formation on each of the teapots is characterized by several points.

All scale is formed from tap water, which contains many different salts that settle on the walls of containers during boiling.

Therefore, the question of how to clean the inside of a kettle from scale worries us much more, because it is much easier and faster.

The rate of scale formation depends on the concentration of salts in tap water and increases in proportion to their amount. All newfangled filters can, of course, soften water, but they will not be a panacea for scale.

But not only teapots suffer from scale. It can also harm our body. And, above all, to the organs of the urinary system and kidneys.

Citric acid is one of the most effective means in the fight against scale. Its use will not cause any difficulties, but will help you quickly clean the kettle.

The advantages are the availability of this product and its effectiveness. But how to clean a kettle with citric acid? The process is carried out in several successive steps.

Count required quantity"Lemons" It is related to the degree of contamination of the device. The more scale there is, the correspondingly more lemon powder you need to take. The best option There will be the use of two or three packs per unit.
Fill up with water, approximately 2/3 of the container's volume. If the scale is localized on the upper walls, then add water to such an extent that it covers it.
Pour the acid into the water and stir until all the crystals dissolve.
If the scale is fresh, then there will be no need to boil the lemon juice. You can simply prepare the solution using the above method and leave it for several hours. After this, rinse the dishes and boil them clean water.
If the case is more complex, then the prepared solution should be boiled in a kettle for 10-15 minutes, then pour it out, rinse the product with clean water and boil again.
It is better to repeat the procedure a couple of times to consolidate the result.

Another remedy that helps descale a kettle at home is vinegar.

To do this, water is poured into the device in the same volume as in the previous method, and vinegar is added at the rate of half a glass of vinegar per 1 liter of water. If you don’t have vinegar, then vinegar essence will do.

In this case, its amount should be reduced (take 3 teaspoons of essence per liter of water). Boil the water for 3-5 minutes, let it cool completely, drain and rinse the kettle with water. Repeat boiling only with clean liquid at least twice.

If the old plaque does not go away the first time, the process can be repeated. Also, softened plaque can be removed by rubbing it with a sponge.

However, vinegar cannot be used to clean electric kettles.

Soda is suitable for enamel and electric kettles. It is an affordable, but at the same time universal remedy, very effective in the fight against limescale deposits on the walls of teapots.

However, you need to be careful with it, since hard grains can damage the surfaces by scratching them.

Most likely, you will have to repeat cleaning the kettle with soda. Since it is a fairly mild product, one application for a heavily damaged surface will not be enough.

You need to fill the kettle halfway with water and pour two teaspoons of soda into it. Let the water boil, then, reducing the flame, boil for 25-35 minutes. Drain the water and rinse the inside of the kettle.

If the kettle is electric with an auto-shut-off mode, then simply after the appliance has finished boiling, leave the water and soda in it until it cools completely.

Other ways

It will also help solve the question of how to clean electric kettle from scale, regular soda. To inner surface I didn’t buy the device dark color, it is better to use colorless drinks. Sprite is ideal. You need to pour it into the kettle and let the product boil. The scale will evaporate after this process without a trace. The same method will work for a regular metal kettle.

Before you start using the soda, you need to let all the air bubbles out of it. You can leave the bottle open or pour the liquid into a spacious container.

Another effective method for removing limescale is peeling potatoes, pears or apples. They need to be washed, put in a kettle, and filled with water. Then boil for 5-10 minutes.

In addition to limescale deposits inside the kettle, another unpleasant phenomenon is the appearance of rust. It is associated with excess iron contained in tap water and its hardness.

Get rid of rusty coating It is necessary in a timely manner, because in addition to giving an unpleasant taste to tea or coffee, it can be harmful to health.

The citric acid and vinegar mentioned above will help not only remove scale from the walls of the appliance, but also remove rust. You need to do the same with them as when removing scale from the inner surface of the kettle.

Other affordable and original means and methods will help you get rid of rust.

Washing powder and potatoes. Sprinkle the powder over a moistened surface and rub these areas with half the potatoes. Rinse thoroughly with water.
"Coca-Cola." Pour the drink into the kettle and leave overnight. In the morning the device will be ready for use.
Cucumber pickle. Pour it into the kettle and boil for 5-10 minutes. Drain and rinse dishes with water until the smell goes away.
Sour milk. It is also boiled in a kettle.

Prevention measures

To prevent the appearance of scale and rust, it will not be superfluous to observe several points.

After use, leave the kettles dry, pouring out all the water. Its remains produce calcium. It turns into scale and affects the walls of the products.
Clean kettles at least monthly. The more often the procedure is performed, the less effort will have to be expended in the future. In addition, this will help maintain the functionality of the product for a long time.
Boil only distilled water or purified water using a filter in a kettle.
Rinse the kettle with a sponge after each use. This way you can remove scale at its initial stage.

There are many means and methods to help clean a kettle from scale. But their effectiveness will depend on how quickly you get to work.

The longer the kettle accumulates scale, the more time it will take to wash it. In any case, it is better to use proven methods, otherwise the risk of damaging the device increases.

Olga Nikitina

Reading time: 5 minutes

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Any housewife knows that no filter can save an electric kettle from scale. And if a thin layer of scale does not cause significant harm, then over time the device will, at best, stop working effectively, and at worst, it will break down completely. Scale with rust inside ordinary teapots - metal or enameled - also does not bring joy.

Is it possible to get rid of this problem, and how to carry out global cleaning of the kettle at home?

Vinegar(method for a metal kettle). Fast and high-quality cleaning dishes without harm to health and the use of “chemicals”. Food vinegar dilute with water (100ml/1l), pour the solution into a bowl, put on fire (small) and wait for it to boil. As soon as the kettle boils, you should lift the lid and check how the process of scale is peeling off from the walls of the kettle. If the peeling is not complete, leave the kettle on the fire for another 15 minutes. Next, wash the kettle well, removing all remaining vinegar and deposits. It is advisable to ventilate the room after cleaning.

Citric acid (method for a plastic electric kettle and ordinary kettles). It is not recommended to use vinegar for an electric kettle (otherwise the kettle can simply be thrown away), but citric acid is an excellent cleaning aid. Dilute 1-2 packets of acid (1-2 tsp) in a liter of water, pour the solution into a kettle and boil. The plastic of the kettle will be “renewed”, and the plaque will disappear without a trace, easily peeling off after the acid. All that remains is to rinse the kettle and boil the water “idle” once. Note: it is better not to bring the kettle to a state where it requires harsh cleaning, since citric acid is also a rather serious remedy for household appliances. Ideal option– regular cleaning of the kettle with citric acid without boiling. Just dilute the acid in water, pour it into a kettle and leave for several hours.

Soda! Do you like Fanta, Cola or Sprite? You will be interested to know that these drinks (taking into account their “thermonuclear” composition) ideally clean rust and scale from dishes, and even carburetors from burning. How? After the “magic bubbles” disappear (there should be no gases - first let the soda stand in open form), simply pour the soda into the kettle (to the middle of the kettle) and bring to a boil. Afterwards, wash the kettle. The method is not suitable for an electric kettle. It is recommended to use Sprite, as Cola and Fanta can leave their own tint on the dishes.

Impact method (not for electric kettles). Suitable for the most neglected condition of the kettle. Pour water into the kettle, add a spoonful of baking soda (tablespoon), boil the solution, and drain the water. Next, add water again, but with citric acid (1 tbsp per kettle). Boil for about half an hour over low heat. Drain again, add fresh water, add vinegar (1/2 cup), boil again for 30 minutes. Even if the scale does not come off on its own after such a shock cleaning, it will definitely become loose and can be removed with a simple sponge. Hard brushes and metal sponges are not recommended for all types of kettles.

Soda(for metal and enamel teapots). Fill the kettle with water, add 1 tbsp of soda to the water, bring to a boil, then leave on low heat for 30 minutes. Next, we wash the kettle, refill it with water and boil it “idle” to remove any remaining soda.

Brine. Yes, yes, you can clean the kettle with regular tomato or cucumber brine. The citric acid contained in the brine will also help remove scale. The scheme is the same: pour brine, boil the kettle, cool, wash. Cucumber pickle perfectly removes rust from iron salts in a kettle.

Cleaning.“Grandma’s” method of descaling. Suitable for light scale deposits in enameled and metal teapots. Rinse well potato peelings, remove the sand from them, put them in a kettle, fill them with water and boil. After boiling, leave the cleaning in the bowl for an hour or two, and then wash the kettle thoroughly. And apple or pear peelings will help to cope with a light coating of white “salt” scale.

Regardless of the cleaning method, do not forget to thoroughly wash the kettle after the procedure and boil the water empty (1-2 times) so that the remaining product does not get into your tea. If the residues after peeling with apple peelings do not cause harm to health, then the residues of vinegar or soda can cause serious poisoning. Be careful!

An electric kettle is practically indispensable household appliance. With its help, you can boil water for making tea or coffee quickly and easily. There is no need to monitor it; after boiling, it will turn off on its own and will not waste electricity. But even the most modern electric kettle requires care and regular cleaning.

Causes of scale

The electric kettle seems to be a device that requires absolutely no maintenance. But if you don’t pay enough attention to the technology, over time it may begin to work less efficiently or even break down.

Most common cause failure is caused by the accumulation of excessive deposits. They cover the walls and heating element, reducing the rate of heating of the water.

Scale in an electric kettle is salts and compounds contained in water and precipitated when heated. It is impossible to completely get rid of this phenomenon. But a set of care measures will allow using various means as little as possible.

It is important to understand that deposits on the bottom of the kettle are not only a cosmetic problem. They significantly reduce the rate of heating and, if ingested, can cause the formation of sand in the kidneys or aggravate an existing disease.

Routine care

Proper daily care of the electric kettle will allow global cleaning to be carried out very rarely. To keep salt deposits to a minimum, it is important to follow the following instructions:

The container should be cleaned regularly, preferably every evening. Simply drain the water and wash the inner surface with a sponge.
Do not boil water more than necessary. Salts from the liquid remaining after heating in the kettle will thicken the layer.
Use purified water. This will protect your equipment and is healthier.

To ensure that maintenance is not too labor-intensive and that your household appliance lasts as long as possible, it is important not only to know how to remove scale from an electric kettle, but also to do it regularly. Thin layer deposits are much easier to deal with and you don’t have to use them to remove them. special means.

Almost any acid-containing products effectively remove deposits. To clean electric kettles you can use both industrial compounds, and improvised means.

Special means

Ready-made compounds that can be purchased in the store in the household chemicals department help fight scale on the walls and heating elements of electric kettles. It’s quite easy to recognize them; the manufacturer puts an image of the equipment on the packaging, the name usually corresponds to: “Anti-scale” and the like.

They should be used in strict accordance with the manufacturer's instructions, do not exceed the dosage and exposure time.

Usually the scheme is simple: the product needs to be dissolved in water in a certain proportion, poured into a kettle, boiled and left for a while. After this, wash the equipment and use it as usual.

Industrial products contain several types of acids and auxiliary substances that successfully combat salt deposits. It is important to know how to clean an electric kettle so as not to harm the health of your family. You can also use improvised means that are found in every home.

Citric acid

It is an integral component of special products. It can be used to clean equipment quickly and efficiently. And what’s especially nice is that such care will not be expensive at all.

For one treatment you will need 1 sachet of acid containing 25 g of the substance.

You should proceed according to the following scheme:

Fill a kettle full of water and add the contents of 1 sachet.
Bring the water to a boil and turn off the appliance. Be careful; when boiling, the solution may begin to foam.
Leave for 30 minutes to act. Then drain the composition.

The impact is based chemical reaction converting citric acid to acetic acid.

After cleaning, thoroughly wash the equipment and boil it in it. clean water. This will help get rid of the smell. If necessary, repeat all manipulations.

Food vinegar

Food vinegar, which is found in every kitchen, is acetic acid diluted to a safe concentration. With its help you can clean the kettle quickly and effectively.

Pour a vinegar solution into the kettle (1 part 9% vinegar to 2 parts water). Bring the mixture to a boil and turn off the device. Leave until completely cool. After drain active composition and thoroughly wash the container using a moderately hard sponge.

The acid will soften the scale and make it easy to remove.

After cleaning, the equipment should be thoroughly washed and clean water boiled several times. This will help get rid of the specific smell of the acidic composition.

Baking soda

Soda is a fairly active substance that can remove even a large layer of scale. It is worth turning to it if a softer influence does not bear fruit.

Pour water into the kettle and add a tablespoon of soda to it. Boil and leave the composition to act for several hours. The alkaline solution will soften the deposits and they can be removed with a sponge.

If this action is not enough, you can repeat the procedure or add citric acid to the water instead of soda at the rate of 1 sachet per 1.5 liters of water. Boil the solution and leave for an hour.

After this, traditionally clean the surface with a sponge.

Carbonated drinks

Most carbonated drinks contain citric acid. This is what will help you deal with scale in the kettle. The method of removing deposits using drinks is passed on by word of mouth and is considered effective, but it also has its own characteristics:

You should choose colorless drinks. Dyes, especially bright ones, can leave stains that are more difficult to clean than salt deposits.
Before use, partially remove gas from the liquid. Otherwise, during the boiling process, the drink will foam, flooding everything around.
The drink should be poured into a kettle, boiled and left to act. Literally in an hour the scale will begin to come off in layers and can be removed mechanically.

Before cleaning an electric kettle, it is important to warn all family members about this. Liquids and compositions used for such work are colorless and can be confused with ordinary water. A few sips of citric acid solution will not cause significant harm, but negative emotions are guaranteed.

So that the electric kettle remains an indispensable assistant, it should be cleaned regularly, avoiding the formation of a significant layer of scale. It is enough to boil the acid composition once every few weeks, and the heating elements of the equipment will shine clean.

Over time, the spiral of the electric kettle and its entire internal surface become covered with a hard coating. It interferes with the full operation of the device and gives the water a not very pleasant taste. Therefore, you should not wait until the deposits begin to fall off and eventually end up in your cup of tea. It is better to find out in advance how to descale the appliance. Moreover, regular prevention of education limescale is always more effective than fighting an existing problem.

Folk remedies for fighting scale

Since scale easily dissolves in an acidic environment, citric or lemon juice is most often used to remove it. acetic acid. Sometimes baking soda, lemon, or even potato and apple peelings are used.

The main methods for descaling an electric kettle:

Pour water inside and add half a glass of vinegar. Boil the solution and let it cool naturally. It is advisable to leave it for two hours or even overnight. Pour out the water and vinegar and rinse the electrical appliance thoroughly with running water.
Instead of vinegar, you can use citric acid at the rate of 1 tablespoon per one and a half liters of water. Bring the solution to a boil and leave for 20-25 minutes. After cooling completely, wash the surfaces with a soft dish sponge.
Baking soda will also help clean. To do this, add 5 teaspoons of soda to a liter of water and boil the solution.
If you don’t have any of the above in your home, you can descale an electrical appliance using lemon. Just add a few peeled pieces to the water and bring it to a boil.
Some housewives use washed potato or apple peelings to remove scale. Only in this case you will have to boil the kettle several times, since this product is not as strong as acids.
Since cucumber or tomato brine contains vinegar, you can use them to clean scale.
Finally, the last, the most modern way removal is based on the use of sweet, colorless soda. Buy a bottle of this water, shake it thoroughly to remove the gas, and pour it into the electric kettle. In this case, it is enough to fill it halfway. Bring the water to a boil and let it cool. The acids contained in soda will clean the electrical appliance from scale. Just do not use cola, Fanta and other drinks with dyes, otherwise they will stain the inner walls, and you are unlikely to be able to wash them.

For the most stubborn hard deposits, it is better to use several methods at once. For example, first clean with citric acid and then with vinegar. Or vinegar and baking soda etc. Such combined products, if they do not clean it completely, will make the deposit loose, which will make it easy to wash it with a regular dish sponge.

Household chemicals to combat scale

Stores sell special descaling products. Each of them is accompanied by detailed instructions. They will help clean the electric kettle much faster. However, after using them, it is necessary not only to rinse it well with water, but also to bring it to a boil several times and drain the clean water. Otherwise, acid residues may end up in tea or coffee.

Cleaning Rules

When using any descaling products, we recommend adhering to the following rules:

First of all, warn your family that you are cleaning an electrical appliance. For example, stick a note to it or move it out of reach. Better yet, do it when no one is home. Otherwise, someone will definitely pour themselves coffee with acid when they are asleep.
After using any product, rinse the kettle several times and boil it two or three times. plain water, each time draining it into the sink to get rid of all harmful substances.
You should not use abrasive products: metal sponges, dry powders, etc. They may remove plaque, but they will also ruin the electrical appliance.
Make sure that there is not too much deposits on the walls. It is more difficult to remove a thick layer than a thin one, and with such careless treatment the equipment will fail prematurely.
If possible, use only filtered water. As a last resort, get into the habit of standing it before use and disinfecting it with a piece of silicon. This way you will not only extend the life of your pet, but also take care of your own health.

Never neglect timely cleaning! Then he will definitely thank you with fragrant morning coffee or your favorite sweet tea for breakfast.

Daily complex relationships with the kettle become a real problem for many housewives, but all this stems from ignorance. Now we will formulate the most simple rules effective cleaning scale from electric kettles, air humidifiers, pots and pressure cookers.

For starters, it’s better to sum up scientific basis for advice. After all, in the current technological age there is no way without this, otherwise you will be afraid for an expensive double boiler or, as well as an ultra-sensitive and expensive electric kettle.

What is scale and how is it formed?

Scale is metal salts that settle on the walls, heating coils or heating elements of electrical appliances. These salts are formed as a result of the fusion of carbon dioxide with calcium or magnesium (there are other options). In fact, this is where we can finish explaining the nature of the appearance of scale inside an electric kettle, and move on to fighting it.

Instructions for descaling an electric kettle

Immediately forget about sponges, metal floats, sandpaper and other sharp objects, as any excessive friction can cause scratches that are detrimental to your skin. metal surfaces. Of course, if your electric kettle has plastic walls, then you will not see rust on them, but you may damage the heating element.

In addition, metal exposure requires a lot of time and strong hands, but the effectiveness of such “manipulations” in any case leaves much to be desired.

One way or another, you can overcome the hated plaque quite easily, and you practically won’t need money or time.

There are two methods for descaling an electric kettle:

a solution of water with acetic acid;
a solution of water with citric acid.

Do not underestimate the availability and simplicity of these ingredients, because such recipes have been successfully used for several decades. Even specialists from Philips and Tefal recommend using these acids for cleaning.

The cleaning itself is performed as follows:

Fill the electric kettle approximately 75% with water, turn it on and wait for the water to boil;
The remaining quarter of the container should be supplemented with a 6-9% vinegar solution, then leave the kettle overnight (about 8 hours);
In the morning, you need to pour the solution out of the electric kettle and rinse the tank several times;
After this, you need to boil a full kettle of plain water several times, pouring out the boiling water each time. This way, the remaining vinegar and its odors will go away;
If the scale has become thoroughly ingrained, it is necessary to repeat the cycle.

Exactly the same manipulations must be done with citric acid, but the electric kettle must be immediately filled to capacity with water. Instead of 25% vinegar, you need to add a few tablespoons of citric acid to the water, and then perform the cycle described above. To speed up the process, you can boil the acid solution several times. Undesirable means for cleaning teapots include household chemicals, designed to get rid of scale (this is expensive and dangerous), Coca-Cola, Sprite, potato peelings, brine and other “delicacies”. Naturally, you can try yourself in the role of some kind of “myth buster”, but when doing such things, be prepared to buy a new kettle.

Now you know how to remove scale from an electric kettle. Good luck!

For reference, all the limescale from the kettle ends up in your coffee and tea, further interfering with it. normal operation heating element. It also causes it to increase your energy bills. But now, knowing how to descale an electric kettle, it will be much easier for you to deal with this unpleasant problem.