Here at My Little Green Grocer we try to offer a refillable option, and our Citric Acid is one of them.
Our Citric Acid comes in a glass bottle for you to reuse again and again.
Refill pouches are sold individually to keep your bottle topped up and ready for anything.
Citric Acid can be used as a substitute
for white vinegar. It's also better for the environment as it's using less
plastic and you're not paying for the water that makes up 94-96% of the volume.
Much of the UK has some degree of hard water
and it is very hard in the east and south east of England.
The white deposits that build up on kettle
elements are perhaps the most recognisable signs of limescale. They can also be
found on taps, showerheads and even in toilet bowls and the grout between
tiles. There are also limescale deposits that can't be seen - such as in coffee
machines, washing machines, steam irons and the heating elements of sterilisers
for babies' bottles.
To protect your appliances, descale them
regularly to prevent build-up. The harder your water, the more regularly this
will need to be done. Once limescale has built up to severe
levels, the appliance can break down altogether.
For kettles, simply pour some
citric acid into the kettle - about a tablespoon full and add about an
inch worth of water, so that the element or base plate is covered with water.
Switch on the kettle and as it heats up, you will see the limescale fizzing as
it reacts with the acid. You can turn the kettle off before it reaches the
boil. If the fizzing stops and there is limescale remaining, then repeat the
process until all limescale is removed. Usually it will be gone 1st attempt.
Discard the water, rinse out the kettle a couple of times. Watch this video on descaling a kettle.
Top Tips
TOILET BOWLS
The brown deposits you may see
in toilet bowls (no jokes please!) are also limescale, but coloured by other
deposits within the water such as iron. Follow these steps to remove the
unsightly stains:
- Pour a bucket of
hot water down the toilet. Wait for it to drain, then pour in another
bucket of hot water.
Alternatively, plunge the bowl with a toilet brush until most of the water
has gone and then pour in a bucket of hot water - Add half a
packet of citric acid; the hot water should help activate the reaction
between the alkaline limescale and the citric acid; you may even see it
fizzing
- Leave for at
least an hour or preferably overnight
- Repeat the
process if necessary or use a stiff toilet brush to remove the loosened
limescale.
- For routine
cleaning, simply sprinkle Soda Crystals into the bowl and scrub with a stiff
toilet brush. Avoid the use of most store bought toilet cleaners that are
harmful to aquatic life. Alternatively, make your own 'toilet fizzies'.
CLOUDY GLASSES
If your drinks glasses are
cloudy, the chances are that it's caused by hard water mineral deposits. Simply
make a hot solution of citric acid and leave them to soak for 10 mins before
washing as normal. If the problem isn't resolved, it's likely that the surface
has been 'etched' over time and generally not salvageable.
SHOWERHEADS
The holes can easily become
blocked resulting in poor water flow. If the showerhead can be removed, soak it
in a bowl of hot water with citric acid. Leave for 10 mins then wipe with a
cloth and force water through the holes to clear out any remaining limescale.
If the head can't be removed, pour the hot solution into a plastic bag and
secure with an elastic band and follow the same instructions.
