How often should you descale your kettle?

Without our trusty water heating droid, Den Of Geek’s early mornings would be even trickier than they tend to be already. In a world where friends come and go, Eric the Kettle has been a constant companion, ever since the sad and tragic demise of his predecessor, Bridget.

But one of the reasons that Eric has lasted a good five years and counting is maintenance. Granted, we could just go to our local supermarket that we won’t name lest you think this is an advertorial, and replace Eric once he starts to get old. But we’re attached to the little fella.

So: how often does Eric, and his kin, need descaling?

Firstly, it depends on the softness or hardness of the water in your area. The best indicator is a simple visual inspection. As a rule of thumb, if water in your area tends to be hard, then you need to be checking once a month or two. Every few months if water tends to be softer.

It’s easy to observe the build up of limescale on the inside of your kettle, and it’s easy to treat.

Whilst you can buy posh stuff to do the job, you’re as well using some white vinegar. Fill the kettle up to around three quarters, with a roughly equal mix of vinegar and water. Boil it as usual, and then let the kettle sit for 20 minutes (if your manufacturer warns you against vinegar, then try squeezing a lemon into the water instead).

Rinse the kettle out a few times to remove the traces of the vinegar, wipe the insides clean and let it dry. You should be good to go. Do note, Eric sometimes likes to hold on to that magical vinegar aroma, so often we have to boil up some fresh water a few times to keep the cad under control.

Many thanks to the excellent Top Cleaning Secrets for their help in keeping Eric on the straight and narrow.