Brasil Stainless Steel Tea Kettle

Squeeze half a lemon into 1 cup (240 mL) of water. Cut a medium-sized lemon in half and juice it into a bowl. Then, add in your water and stir it together so the solution is thoroughly combined.

Alternatively, cut the lemon into small slices and toss them all in the water.

If you don't have a lemon, you can use 1⁄4 cup (59 ml) of store-bought lemon juice instead.

Check the manufacturer's instructions for your particular kettle to make sure it's safe to add lemon juice or pieces of lemon inside.

Boil the lemon and water solution in your kettle. Pour the solution into your kettle to fill it halfway. Turn on the stove to high heat or plug in an electric kettle to heat up the lemon water. Let the solution come to a rolling boil for about a minute.

Turn off the kettle and leave the solution to sit for an hour. Unplug your kettle or remove it from heat and set it aside on a cool surface to soak. You'll break apart more limescale if you leave the solution in your kettle for an hour, but at least 30 minutes is okay if you're pressed for time.

Rinse and wipe residue out of the kettle. Check that the kettle is cool to the touch before handling it. Then, just rinse the kettle in your sink to remove any lemon water and limescale residue before continuing. Give the kettle about 4–5 rinses to completely clean it out. Rub the inside with a damp cleaning cloth to break apart any stubborn limescale.

Heat plain water in your kettle to remove residual limescale and lemon flavors. Fill your kettle halfway with water and bring it to a boil. Remove your kettle from heat and pour out the water when you're finished.

Add water and 1 tablespoon (14.4 g) of baking soda to your kettle. Fill your kettle about halfway full with water to cover the limescale on the surface. Scoop your baking soda into the kettle and stir it until it completely dissolves in the water.

Heat the kettle until the water boils for 1 minute. Turn your kettle on if it's electric; otherwise, put it over high heat on your stove. Wait until the water comes to a rolling boil, and leave it over heat for about a minute.

Remove the kettle from heat and let it sit for 30 minutes. Unplug your kettle or take it off the burner so it has a chance to cool down. As the baking soda sits in your kettle, it will loosen the limescale so it rinses out easily.

Rinse the baking soda solution and limescale out of your kettle. When the kettle feels cool to the touch, pour the baking soda solution down your sink drain. Run clean, cool water from your faucet through your kettle to get rid of any residual baking soda or limescale deposits that are still stuck inside.

Scrub stubborn limescale with a baking soda paste and toothbrush. For severe limescale buildup, mix baking soda with a little bit of water until it forms a thick paste. Dip the bristles of an old toothbrush in the paste and scrub it onto the limescale until it comes off. Then, just rinse the solution out with clean water.