It’s a household task that many of us, to our shame, have probably gone years without remembering to do.

But according to home cleaning experts, you actually need to clean limescale out of your kettle once a month.

That’s because limescale, which is the build-up of magnesium and calcium deposits from your water, can actually damage the lifespan of your kettle if left to accumulate on its own.

But you don’t need anything fancy or expensive to de-scale your kettle. 

In fact, according to kitchen experts, you can banish limescale from your kettle with a single lemon.

According to Better Homes and Gardens, manufacturers actually recommend cleaning your kettle once a month.

They explain: “Limescale are mineral deposits made up of calcium and magnesium. These deposits are leftover when hard water is boiled away. Limescale looks like small white or off-white coloured stains inside your kettle.

“It forms when heated or even just left standing in your kettle. If you live in a hard water area, then getting limescale is quite common, and almost unavoidable.

“Some manufacturers actually recommend you clean your kettle around once a month if you use it daily. Others advise that you descale the inside of it any time limescale is visible.”

But it’s extremely easy to get rid. Simply take a lemon, slice it into rounds, and put the slices in your kettle.

Then, fill the kettle with cold water to cover all the affected limescale areas and boil it.

Leave it for half an hour, boil again, then rinse with clean cold water, and the limescale will be gone.