Natural cola: The surprising secret to a lime scale-free kettle

Lime scale in the kettle can ruin afternoon tea. Fortunately, this problem can be easily prevented. Before you reach for vinegar or store-bought descaling mixes, consider another product that may be more effective. Moreover, it's very likely that you already have it in your refrigerator.

Experts agree that the natural process of limescale formation in the kettle does not pose a health risk. Unfortunately, it negatively affects the quality of hot beverages, and floating bits of deposit in tea can disgust our guests. We often use citric acid or vinegar to cleverly remove the dirt. These methods are effective and proven, but one more surpasses these two.

Before you start descaling the kettle, you probably wonder if you could have somehow prevented this problem. To answer this question, we need to understand the basics of this unsightly deposit's formation, which involves basic chemical knowledge. Water contains calcium and magnesium ions. During heating, they precipitate into carbonates and settle on the kettle's walls. The effect is particularly noticeable when using so-called hard water with a high concentration of these minerals. Unfortunately, we have no control over this.

As it turns out, yet another product is perfect for removing deposits in the kettle. It is a popular carbonated drink, cola. The carbonic acid in it can deal with even the most stubborn limescale. Pour a cup of the drink into the kettle, add water, and boil it. Then, leave the kettle for just a few minutes and rinse it thoroughly. Cola will make the kettle look like new. This is at least one of its benefits! The excess of the already-opened cola can be used, among other things, for marinade.