How do I descale a stainless steel electric kettle?

Vinegar or citric acid both work on stainless when diluted and not left for hours. Citric acid is gentler on the nose and just as effective. Mix either 1 part white vinegar to 2 parts water or 1 tablespoon citric acid per 500 ml water.

Pour the solution in, bring it to a boil, then let it sit 15 to 20 minutes. Swirl, pour it out, and gently wipe inside with a soft bottle brush or non‑scratch sponge. Pop out the spout filter and soak it in the same solution, then rinse well. Rinse the kettle 2 or 3 times and boil a full kettle of fresh water once, then discard, to clear any smell. Do not leave acid in the kettle overnight and avoid abrasives or bleach.

How often depends on your water. With hard water, descale every 2 to 4 weeks if you use it daily. If the scale returns quickly, do it weekly. Empty the kettle after each use and use filtered water if you can to slow buildup.

If your current kettle is fiddly to clean, the COMFEE' 100% makes descaling easier thanks to a wide‑open lid and a 100 percent stainless interior that avoids plastic touching hot water. It is a bit bulkier because of the double wall, but it stays cool and is easy to keep scale‑free.

Stainless is fine with mild acid when you do it briefly.

Dissolve one tablespoon citric acid in half a liter of water or mix one part vinegar with two parts water bring to a boil, rest fifteen minutes, pour out, wipe, rinse, then boil plain water once and discard.

Do not leave it soaking overnight and avoid abrasive pads.

Done.

With hard water aim for every few weeks, more often if you see flakes.

I run kettles all day for tea service and scale wrecks flavor and heat transfer — Citric acid is my pick because it is scent free. One tablespoon in about half a liter of water for a small kettle or scale up to cover the element boil, then sit twenty minutes. Wipe the interior, soak the spout mesh in the same bath, rinse a few times, then boil and dump once. Smell free.

At the shop we descale weekly and at home I can stretch it to every two to four weeks. Never use bleach and never let acid sit overnight, a quick bath does the job.

Scale is calcium carbonate so a weak acid clears it, and stainless steel tolerates brief use but not strong or long soaks. Descale with diluted vinegar or a little citric acid, bring to a boil and let sit 15 to 20 minutes, then dump, wipe, rinse, boil fresh water once and discard, neutralize any odor with a pinch of baking soda, never use bleach, and in hard water do this every couple of weeks.

Citric acid or white vinegar will descale stainless without harm if you dilute and keep the contact time short and i mix one cup vinegar with two cups water or dissolve one tablespoon citric acid in half a liter bring it to a boil, then switch off and let it sit about twenty minutes. Swirl, pour it out, and wipe the interior with a soft bottle brush or a non scratch sponge. Rinse two or three times, then boil a full kettle of plain water once and discard. Works great.

With hard water I do this every two to four weeks if I use the kettle daily. If the chalk comes back fast, weekly is fine. Avoid bleach and abrasives and do not leave acid in there overnight.

That off taste is usually the minerals leaching from scale, so a good descale will help right away so yeah... use either diluted white vinegar one part to two parts water or citric acid at a tablespoon per half liter. Boil, rest twenty minutes, wipe gently, rinse a few times, then boil fresh water and toss it. If the deposit is stubborn, repeat the cycle rather than letting acid sit for hours, it is kinder to the metal. Tastes better immediately.

To slow the buildup empty the kettle after each use and leave the lid open so it dries, and if you have a filter use it, it really does help with chalky water. I do mine every two to four weeks, sometimes weekly during summer when we boil constantly.

I live with very hard water and stainless kettles hold up fine with weak acids. tbh Start with a mix of one part white vinegar to two parts water or use citric acid at about a tablespoon per half liter. Heat to a boil, kill the power, and let it soak for fifteen to twenty minutes. Pop out the little mesh spout filter if you have one and drop it into a cup of the same solution while you wait. Afterward dump the solution, give the inside a gentle wipe, then rinse a few times and do one plain water boil and discard.

I tried vinegar first then switched to citric acid because the smell bugged me, same result. Do not soak for hours and skip any scouring pads because they will scratch. Easy.

Fresh lemon juice works if you do not want vinegar in the house smell. Squeeze enough to make a few tablespoons and top up with water to cover the scale, bring to a boil and let it sit fifteen to twenty minutes. The scale will soften and wipe off easily and... no scrubbing needed most times. Rinse well and do one plain boil and dump.

How often depends on how crusty your tap water is. For heavy scale do it every week until it calms down, otherwise every month keeps things tasting clean.