Descalers are typically used to prolong the life of various surfaces, appliances, and machinery. The most common use for a descaler is to remove limescale, rust, mud, and various metal oxides (iron, copper, etc) from equipment, enabling the machinery to function at an optimal level.
But there is a solution to the problem. Descaler is a limescale remover that effectively gets to work removing troubling limescale and bringing your kitchen appliances and surfaces back to their original best.
The best way to get rid of stubborn limescale deposits is by soaking the affected area in lemon juice or white vinegar. Some fixtures may be harder to clean than others, so we've put together a step-by-step guide to help you achieve scale-free taps, showerheads and plugholes.
As we mentioned earlier, vinegar is one of the best natural descalers in your kitchen. Vinegar is very acidic that combats the limescale of your coffee appliance after regular brewing. Mix vinegar with warm water in a 1:1 ratio and run the brew cycle several times for cleaning.
White vinegar
The mild acid can dissolve limescale and disinfect. All you need to do is pour a generous amount of white vinegar down your toilet bowl, let it soak in overnight, then scrub with a brush. Then flush to rinse, and voilà, your toilet is back to its former whiteness!
HG limescale remover concentrate is the ideal strong limescale remover for removing stubborn limescale. This heavy duty limescale remover also removes rust and urine stains as well as verdigris.
White wine vinegar is often championed as a great household product that gets rid of limescale. And while it is good for dissolving limescale in kettles, for example, when it comes to your surfaces, you should use a specially formulated cleaning product, such as Viakal Limescale Remover.
Some articles likely mention using common household vinegar to descale, which unfortunately does not turn out to be very effective. Vinegar is very weak and mild acid which is not effective to remove limescale or rust. Plus, you run the risk of leaving a vinegar taste in your machine.
Baking soda is another very popular home remedy used for descaling coffee machines. Just like vinegar, it is widely used throughout the home. To clean your coffee machine using baking soda, dissolve 1/4 of a cup in 1 litre of water, pour it into the tank, and then follow the same steps as in the previous methods.
Baking soda is a tried-and-true cleaner and works well for descaling light deposits in the bottom of your electric kettle. Use it this way: Scoop 1 to 2 teaspoons of baking soda into the kettle, then add water to at least the halfway mark. Boil, turn the kettle off and let the mixture sit for 20 minutes.
Lemon juice and vinegar are both acidic, meaning that they can break down the calcium carbonate that limescale is made from. Here's how you can use these green cleaners to your advantage. It's worth noting that we're talking about distilled white vinegar here, not malt vinegar.
#1 White Vinegar
White vinegar is the best CLR substitute. It's great for the environment and it's super effective at breaking down rust and limescale.
Viakal Classic Limescale Remover Spray is your number one against limescale ally: it quickly eliminates limescale and hard water marks, together with the dirt and bacteria trapped inside of them.
Both vinegar and lemon juice will do a great job of removing any limescale deposits and freshening up your machines' innards at the same time.
TM 11 is one of the strongest Acid Descalers available and although safe to use, as with most strong chemicals TM 11 requires caution when using, handling and storing.
Acids used
Notable descaling agents include acetic acid, citric acid, glycolic acid, formic acid, lactic acid, phosphoric acid, sulfamic acid and hydrochloric acid. The calcium salts are soluble and thus washed away during dissolution or solvation.
Citric acid is derived from citrus fruit, so the compound is safe, natural, and an ideal eco-friendly descaler. Citric acid has a lower PH level than vinegar, so you won't have to contend with lingering odors as you do with vinegar.
Limescale can be easily dissolved using a mild acid solution, such as diluted white vinegar. For example, when descaling a kettle, simply fill the kettle with equal parts vinegar and water and leave for an hour before boiling and then letting stand for another 20 minutes.
Baking soda is a natural deodorizer and a fine abrasive, which makes it excellent at scrubbing as well as absorbing odours. As a mild acid, vinegar is able to dissolve mineral deposits, dirt, grease, and grime.
Final Verdict. The best overall hard water stain remover is CLR Brilliant Bath Foaming Action Cleaner.
In areas such as bathrooms and kitchens where limescale is easily accumulated on sanitary fittings, Hydrogen Peroxide can act as a cleaning agent that sweeps the surface clean and disinfects the surface thoroughly for any after-effects.