May 23rd, 2022 by Sarah Miles

Have you ever noticed the scaly bits in kettles, or the water tasting a bit off in your cup of tea? Maybe the shower pressure has dropped to a feeble dribble, or there is chalky white residue around your taps. And perhaps the iron is leaving powdery marks on your clean clothes? If any of these things ring true, it sounds like you have an issue with limescale build-up.

Don’t worry, it’s very common, especially if you live in a hard water area, and will affect any appliance or fitting that uses water.

Why limescale builds up on appliances

Limescale is a deposit that builds up from the minerals in the water. There is more calcium carbonate in hard water, so it develops faster in these areas. When the water evaporates, it leaves behind the residue which attaches itself to working parts, in particular heating elements.

How limescale affects appliances

The result of limescale build-up can include:

• Appliances having to work harder as the limescale builds up around heating elements and working components
• Appliances ultimately failing due to the above
• Scale being ingested through water from kettles and coffee machines
• Water from these appliances not tasting nice and/or having a scummy film across the surface
• Pipes becoming clogged resulting in showers and taps losing pressure

How to remove limescale

The good news is that limescale can be removed but it will cause cumulative damage (eg the longer an appliance has to work harder, the more pressure it puts on motors and parts) so the more proactive you are, the better.

It’s actually very easy to eradicate limescale, you just need a descaling product. A descaler contains active ingredients such as Formic Acid that fizzes on contact and breaks the limescale down, leaving appliances clear. A multi-purpose descaler can be used on a variety of appliances and plumbing fittings so this is usually the most cost-effective product to buy.

The benefits of descaling

The benefits of descaling your appliances are many-fold: they will last longer as they’re not having to work extra hard due to being clogged up. The water pressure will improve on showers and taps. Water from kettles and coffee machines will be cleaner and clearer, and taste much nicer. And no longer will you have to rewash clothes because the iron has left marks on your clothes. Items like taps and showerheads will also look much cleaner once the chalky marks have been removed.

Keep retreating

The key to getting the best results is to treat appliances regularly as part of your general cleaning regime, rather than waiting until there are signs of build-up. This will help you keep limescale at bay and avoid all the consequences outlined above. While a large build-up can be removed, some of the damage to parts and motors may have already been incurred. As the product does most of the work for you anyway, it’s really the best course of action.