Where to descale in the kitchen
In addition to using your DIY descaling solution for small appliance maintenance, you can use it to remove the chalky film from the bottom of your tea kettle and water bottles.
And remember that white buildup around the base of your faucet? You can descale that away, too. For fairly fresh mineral deposits, simply pour a little of your homemade solution directly onto the problem area (or soak a paper towel with it and lay it on top), let it sit for a few minutes, then wipe it away with a microfiber towel. If you’re dealing with more of a stalagmite situation, you might need to use more solution, more time, and more elbow grease, but I promise I will budge eventually. Just be sure to wear dish gloves, because while citric acid is food safe, it can irritate sensitive skin, especially when mixed with water.
If the base of your faucet has buildup, there’s a very good chance the other end does too. If it’s easy to remove the sprayer head or aerator, you can soak them in your DIY solution. Mine doesn’t detach easily, so I soak the sprayer head of my pull-down faucet by clamping the hose when it’s fully extended, then submerging it in a bowl of descaling solution in the sink. If none of those options work for you, fill a sandwich bag about halfway with the solution and affix it to the sink with a rubber band or twist ties and let it soak for a few hours or overnight; you’ll be amazed at what ends up in the bottom of that bag! You can use this same technique to descale the spout of a refrigerator water dispenser.
If you find descaling as satisfying as I do (and it is so satisfying), you’ll soon be seeking out new spots to clean. Next stop: the dishwasher.
