# Descaling the Ridgeline kettle

**Limescale damage is not covered by the one-year Ridgeline warranty.** Descaling is maintenance, not a
defect, and it is the single thing that determines whether the kettle lasts one year or ten.

## How often

| Water | Interval |
| --- | --- |
| Hard water (above 150 ppm) | Every month |
| Moderate | Every 2 months |
| Soft water (most of the Pacific Northwest) | Every 3 months |

Do it sooner if you can see white flakes in the bottom, if the kettle takes noticeably longer to reach
temperature, or if the water tastes chalky.

## What you need

- White vinegar, or citric acid powder
- Water
- 40 minutes, mostly unattended

## Procedure

1. **Empty and unplug** the kettle. Let it cool completely.
2. **Fill to 500 ml with a 1:1 mix** of white vinegar and water. With citric acid, use 1 tablespoon in
   500 ml of water instead.
3. **Heat to 60 °C** and let it stop. Do not boil — boiling vinegar is unpleasant and no more effective.
4. **Leave it to sit for 30 minutes.** This is where the work happens.
5. **Pour it out.** Do not pour it through the spout if there is heavy scale; scale fragments can lodge in
   the gooseneck. Pour it out of the top.
6. **Rinse three times** with fresh water, filling to at least 500 ml each time.
7. **Boil a full kettle of clean water and discard it.** This clears the last of the smell.
8. **Wipe the element and the base contacts dry** before plugging it back in.

## Heavy scale

If one cycle does not clear it, repeat rather than increasing the concentration. Do not use a wire brush,
an abrasive pad, or a bleach-based cleaner — all three will damage the element coating, and that damage is
also not covered.

## What not to do

- **Never submerge the kettle base.** The base carries mains power. Wipe it with a damp cloth only.
- **Never put the kettle or base in a dishwasher.**
- Do not descale while the kettle is plugged in.

## Prevention

- Empty the kettle when you are done rather than leaving water standing overnight.
- Use filtered water. A pitcher filter reduces scale substantially.
- See [Water for brewing](water-for-brewing.md).

## Related

- [Ridgeline kettle user manual](../library/ridgeline-kettle-user-manual.md)
- [Kettle not heating](../troubleshooting/kettle-not-heating.md)
- [Warranty](../policies/warranty.md)