READ NEXT: Our favourite rapid-boil, quiet and smart kettles How to remove limescale from your kettle It will improve the performance and lengthen the life of your coffee machine or shower head for your benefit. It works in just 8 minutes, making your home ready and sparkling again. Features and Benefits

Heat iron until hot to the touch and unplug. Empty 1 sachet in a jug and pour into iron's water chamber. Top up with water and set to steam. Leave for 8 minutes for solution to drain through steam holes. Half fill water reservoir and add the content of 1 sachet. Leave for 8 minutes and filter solution through. Rinse thoroughly with water.At that point, it’s time to take action. Cleaning limescale is something we should all do, especially if you live in a ‘hard water’ area. And, while it isn’t difficult, it does take a bit of time, particularly if you haven’t done it regularly. It may also involve the use of chemicals and hot water, so it’s advisable to take all necessary precautions to protect your skin and eyes from scalds, burns, and unwanted splashes before getting started. It’s also important to warn any other household members that the kettle is out of action until you’ve finished and thoroughly rinsed it through – you don’t want them making a chemical-laden cup of tea.

READ NEXT: Our favourite water filter jugs for improving the taste of your tap water What is limescale? When limescale builds up in your kettle, it takes longer to boil, which makes it more expensive to run, and can shorten its working life. It’s also unsightly and unappetising if it flakes off and ends up floating in your drinks. Unfortunately, limescale is a fact of life for more than half of all British homes. Scottish Highlands & Islands postcodes: AB, FK, HS, IV, KA, KW, PA, PH, ZE, LL58-LL78, IM, TR, PO30-41

Read on to learn how to descale your kettle using dedicated products or natural remedies

There are several ways to remove limescale from a kettle and, depending on the level of limescale present and the model of kettle you’re working with, finding which works best may require a little trial and error. How to remove limescale using lemon You may also need to replace a limescale-caked kettle sooner than you intended. According to several sources, including kitchen appliance designer Kutchina, “the average lifespan of a good quality electric kettle is 4 years to 5 years maximum”. If you’re putting yours under strain by forcing it to work longer and harder, those figures might prove optimistic. How does limescale build up in a kettle?