Does your water boiler look like ours? 😅

No filter necessary!

It's called scale buildup and it happens to the best of us.

If you're like me and need a cup of tea when you wake up to "set things in motion", so to speak, another cup before you go to bed to wind down, and a couple more cups throughout the day for good measure, then chances are you have one of these water boilers.

And I'm willing to bet that you've put off cleaning it at one point or another as well. Same. Here.

If you have one of these boilers at home, you know how it goes: after a few months of use, your hot water starts to taste funny, and you might even see mysterious specks materialize in your cup, seasoning your Earl Grey. 

Clearly, it's time to roll up your sleeves and get to cleaning.

But who has the time? And will it even work? 

We can't solve the time problem for you completely, but we can recommend something that might help you get that seemingly unattainable scale-free boiler of your dreams. 

After much procrastination and having run out of things to do at home, we tried the Zojirushi Citric Acid Cleaner, per our boiler manufacturer's recommendation, and we can't stopped talking about the results. 

So, why does scale build up in your electric kettle?

Every time you boil water, particularly water with high mineral content or "hard water", a white chalky and sometimes papery mineral residue called limescale is left behind wherever the water stands and eventually evaporates — on the inner walls and bottom of your electric kettle. 

When scale occurs, it's super important to address as soon as you can because it gets harder to clean the longer you have it. 

And it might even shorten your boiler's lifespan as the built up deposits can cause the motor unit to burn every time you dispense water. 

Tips on minimizing boiler scale buildup

Frequent cleaning every 2-3 months is suggested. (If you're in quarantine, just think of it as a new way to mark time.)

Some even advise disposing and refreshing your boiler water every day to prevent scale buildup and avoid unwanted odors. 

But, that's a waste of water!

I know right? Our tip, if that's the route you want to go, is to save the hot water you have left at the end of the day and soak your kitchen towels and sponges in it for fifteen minutes to sanitize them and eliminate any smells. Clean boiler, clean kitchen rags. 

Okay, so now you know why your boiler looks like that. Here's how you clean it! 

@hiyuzuofficial

Does your water boiler look like this? 😅 using ##Zoijurushi Cleaner ##quarantinethings ##kitchenhacks ##hacksandtips ##cleaninghacks ##satisfyingcleans

♬ She Share Story (for Vlog) - 山口夕依

Step 1. Dissolve the citric acid cleaner in a cup of warm water.
Step 2. Unplug and empty your water boiler. Once cool, pour the solution inside.
Step 3. Fill the pot with water and activate cleaning mode (refer to your boiler's manual).
Step 4. When the process is complete, empty the boiler and rinse as instructed.

 

TA-DA! A clean boiler.

Oddly satisfying, isn't it? Now I can't wait to clean it again in a few months.

Are you cleaning your boiler? Share your before and after pictures with us!