How to descale a kettle with vinegar, citric acid or lemon

2 min read · 6 steps · Updated 3 October 2026

The white or brownish crust inside a kettle is limescale, the minerals that hard tap water leaves behind when it boils. It is harmless to drink, but it makes the kettle slower, louder and less efficient, and flakes end up in the tea. A mild acid dissolves it without scrubbing.

In a hard water area, plan to descale about once a month.

Step by step

1. Method 1: white vinegar

   Mix equal parts of white vinegar and tap water and fill the kettle three-quarters full. Boil it, switch off and let it cool completely. Pour the mixture away.

   Done

2. Rinse out the vinegar

   Rinse the kettle several times. For stubborn patches, use a long-handled soft brush. Then fill it with clean water, boil and pour away. Do this two or three times until the smell has gone.

   Done

3. Method 2: citric acid

   Fill the kettle half full with water and boil it. Switch off and unplug. Add one to two tablespoons of citric acid powder, which fizzes, and leave it for 15 to 20 minutes. Pour away and rinse twice. Citric acid has no smell, which makes it the more pleasant choice.

   Done

4. Method 3: lemon juice

   Fill the kettle with half lemon juice and half water and bring it to the boil. Leave it for about 30 minutes, let it cool, pour away and rinse well.

   Done

5. Method 4: descaler from the shop

   Descaling sachets and liquids work in about ten minutes. Follow the instructions on the pack, wear gloves with the liquid kind, and rinse thoroughly afterwards.

   Done

6. Boil once more before you drink

   Whichever method you used, boil a kettle of fresh water and pour it away before you make the next cup.

   Done

Good to know

Never mix descalers with each other or with bleach, and do not leave an acid mixture in the kettle overnight, as it can attack the metal and the seals.

Check the manual first if your kettle has a special coating or a built-in filter. Take the filter in the spout out and soak it in the same solution.

To slow the build-up, empty the kettle after use instead of leaving water standing in it, and use filtered water if your tap water is very hard.

The same citric acid solution cleans a limescaled shower head or tap aerator: soak the part for half an hour and rinse.

A scaled-up kettle uses more electricity. More savings: how to lower your energy bill.

In short: Half vinegar, half water, boil, cool, rinse, boil fresh water two or three times. Or one to two tablespoons of citric acid in hot water for 15 to 20 minutes. Repeat monthly in hard water areas.