The quest to conquer limescale has burdened many UK residents with the task of descaling their homes.
Potent chemicals cleaners come with concerns about safety, while white vinegar does the job but leaves a peculiar taste and smell.
However, a recent Reddit thread revealed an unexpected alternative that not only streamlines the descaling process but reportedly “makes tea taste better” too.
On the tea forum, user Magikitti shared their delight with a newfound method that sidesteps the harsh traditional cleaners, reports the Express.
They said: “Brit here, in an area where we have very hard water and my kettle is in a constant state of scale so much so I should be calling it a dragon (you know because it emits hot steam and has scales?).”
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They continued: “Anyway I hate descaling it as the products I use are harsh, dangerous and take a while to work.”
Elaborating on their alternative, they remarked: “I recently swapped to citric acid as a way to descale other water related things in the house and found I could descale the kettle much faster and more often. It’s food grade citric acid I don’t need to worry about poisoning myself.
“If you have hard water, I’d recommend giving it a try. My tea has tasted better because of it.”
Cleaning connoisseur Nancy Emery, an esteemed pro at Tap Warehouse, agreed noting that citric acid – abundant in lemon juice – is a great choice for tackling obstinate limescale build-ups on taps.
Lemons are hailed as a cleaning marvel, capable of sprucing up everything from shower glass to kettles and microwaves.
Nancy recommended: “To get rid of limescale on your taps, you’ll need to make a 75 to 25 solution of lemon juice and water.”
“All you need to do is use a soft sponge and gently wipe the solution, leaving it on the tap to dissolve the limescale deposits for two minutes. Once the time is up, rinse thoroughly with water.”
Nancy also issued a warning, saying: “For special finishes such as brushed brass, matte black or chrome, it’s especially important to avoid using harsh chemicals such as vinegar when cleaning. Lemons are quite acidic, so make sure you don’t let the lemon juice solution sit for longer than two minutes.”