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Woman shares super simple hack for removing residue from your kettle: 'Desperately need to do this!'

"This is a sign to clean my kettle."

"This is a sign to clean my kettle."

Photo Credit: iStock

The tea drinkers out there will be familiar with scaling residue that can build up in a kettle over time. TikTok user Mia (@matchawithmia) has just the fix. 

The scoop

Mia demonstrated the fix in a video captioned: "No more hard water residue in your kettle."

@matchawithmia No more hard water residue in your kettle 💚🍵 #kettle #electrickettle #matcha #matchatea #matchalover #matchalove #matchajapan #japan #tokyo #matchalovers #matchatok #homecafe #homebarista #matcharecipe #matchablossom #matchatools #cleantok #cleantiktok #kitchenhacks ♬ daylight sped up - Amelia🦋

Simply mix half a cup of baking soda with half a cup of water, then boil it in the kettle for about half an hour. Once it's done, the inside of your kettle should look as good as new! 

How it's working

Scaling is caused by calcium buildup from the water being used in the kettle. That said, the intensity of scaling will depend a lot on the quality of the water you're using. "Hard" water has absorbed minerals from the ground and is the culprit behind limescale accumulation in teapots, pipes, and elsewhere. As water boils and evaporates, it leaves minerals that were dissolved in the water behind. 

Not to worry — limescale is perfectly safe, even though it is unsightly and can affect the taste of your next hot beverage. In a worst-case scenario, scaling can damage your kettle, but only if you let it get out of hand. 

So, what happens when limescale meets baking soda?

Limescale is mostly made of calcium carbonate, while baking soda is sodium bicarbonate. Since they're both carbonates, they're slightly basic on the pH scale and don't react chemically to each other. However, the mineral structure of baking soda gives it a gentle abrasive action that helps dislodge buildups of all kinds, including limescale.  

Baking soda is super versatile. We've seen it work wonders in many cases. We love natural and effective cleaning solutions like these! In fact, we have a whole guide on green cleaning solutions that can help with any household mess. Be sure to check it out if you've had enough harmful chemicals around your home. 

What people are saying

"Desperately need to do this!" one TikToker said.

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"I use vinegar! No need to boil for 30 minutes," one user suggested, though Mia wasn't a fan of the odor that vinegar leaves behind. That said, since vinegar is acidic, it has a strong chemical reaction to basic limescale and may help clean your kettle more easily. 

"This is a sign to clean my kettle lol," another commenter said. 

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