If you have poured yourself a cup of tea only for it to taste flat and have white flakes floating in the brew then your kettle likely has a limescale problem. Limescale is harmless and is simply the result of minerals leftover from water evaporation, but it can form at the bottom of kettles as a tough crusty stain that is difficult to remove without scrubbing at it for ages.

However, the cleaning experts at Green Tulip have shared that the best way to get rid of limescale is a cheap eco-friendly item. They said: “Looking for a natural and effective way to descale your kettle? Rather than purchase a chemical-based descaling product, you can make your own simple descaler using citric acid. “

How does citric acid clean a kettle? 

Citric acid is naturally found in citrus fruits such as lemons and will react to the alkaline minerals in limescale to break them down to loosen the stain on kettles.

You can use fresh lemon juice to descale a kettle but a more potent crystallised version of citric acid can be found in the cleaning of most supermarkets. At Tesco and ASDA, you can buy citric acid for £1.75 while at Sainsbury's it is £2.0p. 

The expert said: “Compared to harsher descaling agents, citric acid offers several advantages. It's gentler on the kettle's materials, including plastic and aluminium, and poses less risk of damage. 

“Additionally, it breaks down quickly and is considered safe for food contact, leaving no harmful residues after proper rinsing.”

How to clean a kettle and remove limescale stains

All you need to do is fill a kettle halfway with water and add two tablespoons of citric acid into the kettle as well. 

Turn on the kettle and let it boil. Once the water has boiled, turn off the kettle and let the citric solution sit for about 10 minutes to give it time to break down the limescale. 

Once the time is up, pour the water out of the kettle and use a soft cloth to wipe the inside of the kettle. The limescale should come away easily and take only a few seconds to clean. 

Rinse the kettle will clean water to remove any traces of citric acid and you should have a sparkling clean kettle. 

This is an easy and gentle way to clean your kettle without using a harsher chemical descaler so you do not spoil your cup of tea.