How to descale a kettle, an iron and a shower head

In areas with hard water, limescale builds up in everything that heats or sprays water. A kettle with scale heats more slowly and uses more energy. An iron spits white flakes. A shower head sprays in every direction. The good news: limescale dissolves easily.

What you need

• white vinegar or citric acid,
• water,
• a bowl or a plastic bag and a rubber band,
• a soft brush or an old toothbrush,
• a microfiber cloth.

The kettle

1. Fill the kettle halfway with equal parts water and vinegar, or with water and two tablespoons of citric acid.
2. Bring it to the boil, then switch it off.
3. Let it stand for an hour.
4. Pour it out and rinse the kettle well.
5. Boil a full kettle of clean water and pour it away, to remove any taste.

The Veldhoek electric kettles have a flat base instead of a coil, so you can wipe the last bits away with a cloth. Rinse the filter in the spout too.

The steam iron

The Veldhoek steam iron 2400 watt has an anti-scale rod that catches lime. Take it out once a month and rinse it under the tap. For a deeper clean, let it soak for an hour in a glass of vinegar, then rinse it.

When the soleplate has white marks, unplug the iron and let it cool. Wipe the soleplate with a cloth dipped in a little vinegar. Never scrub a ceramic soleplate with anything rough.

Using distilled water in the iron prevents scale.

The shower head

The Golfslag water-saving shower head has soft rubber nozzles. Often, rubbing them with your thumb is enough to break off the scale. For a deeper clean:

1. Unscrew the shower head from the hose.
2. Let it soak in a bowl of vinegar for an hour. Or fill a plastic bag with vinegar, put it over the head, and close it with a rubber band.
3. Brush the nozzles with an old toothbrush.
4. Rinse it and screw it back on. Let the water run for a minute.

The steam mop

Use distilled water in the Veldhoek steam mop in areas with hard water. That keeps scale from building up inside.

Prevent it

• Don’t leave water standing in the kettle.
• Empty the iron after use.
• Pull a shower squeegee over the glass after every shower.
• Descale every month in an area with hard water, every three months with soft water.

Never use vinegar on natural stone, like marble. It damages the surface.