The cleaning expert says descaling your kettle with household items will make it as good as new

Cleaning experts have shared the household items you can use to descale your kettle and keep it looking new – without sacrificing expensive products

If you live in a hard water area, chances are you’ve encountered scale at some point.

The product is the result of the dissolved limescale that is present in hard water and you will often see it build up on your faucets and in your kettle if left untreated.

Limescale isn’t bad for drinking, but the deposits can clog appliances like the kettle, reducing their performance and lifespan if left for too long – so it’s important to clean your kettle regularly.

And while you could spend on descaling products to get the job done, cleaning experts have claimed you can use some common household items to solve the problem much cheaper, The Sun reports.

Get the news you want straight to your inbox. Sign up for a Mirror newsletter here.

lemon juice

If you don’t already have lemons or bottles of lemon juice to cook with, you can buy bottles for just 60p for a 250ml bottle at Sainsbury’s or 65p for the same size at Morrisons.

According to experts, you can remove limescale residue from your kettle with lemon juice – and it’s really easy.

First fill the kettle halfway with lemon juice before filling it up with water. Then bring the mixture to a boil and leave for half an hour.

After the lime scale has separated from the sides of your kettle, pour out the lemon juice and water and rinse the kettle thoroughly before using it as usual.

Distilled white vinegar

White vinegar is a fan favorite among cleaning gurus as the product seems to work wonders when it comes to getting a variety of surfaces sparkling again – kettles included.

All you have to do is fill your kettle half full with water and fill the other half with vinegar.

Boil the kettle and pour out the liquid before filling with water and boiling again to remove any vinegary taste from your kettle that would otherwise ruin your next cup of tea.

Experts say this step may need to be repeated more than once to rid your kettle of all limescale, and if you have sensitive skin it’s recommended that you wear gloves as the vinegar can be an irritant.

baking soda

Another household cleaning staple, bicarb can be used to remove small amounts of scale from your kettle but isn’t suited to the big jobs that require something heavier.

Similar to the other methods, you need to start by filling your kettle with water before adding a full tablespoon of baking soda to the liquid.

Then boil the kettle and let the mixture sit for an hour before pouring out and rinsing.

And as with the vinegar method, be sure to boil with just water again to remove any bicarb residue that might make your next cup taste bizarre.

Do you have a story to sell? contact us under yourmirror@trinitymirror.com .