descale
verb
de·scale
(ˌ)dē-ˈskāl 
descaled; descaling; descales
1
: to remove a coating, layer, or incrustation from : to free from scale (see scale entry 3 sense 3)
To descale the kettle, fill it with equal parts water and vinegar and let it soak for an hour before making sure it's been properly rinsed out.—
Sarra Gray
Sarra Gray2
: to remove scales (see scale entry 3 sense 1a) from
You can, of course, ask the fishmonger to gut and descale the fish for you.—Hugh Fearnley-Whittingstall
Hugh Fearnley-WhittingstallExamples of descale in a Sentence
Recent Examples on the Web
How to descale your electric kettle with citric acid
Step 1: To descale a tea kettle (electric or not), simply fill it with clean water.
—Emily Farris, Bon Appétit, 25 Mar. 2025
The simplest no-fuss solution is to invest in a Keurig descaling solution and maintenance kit, available on Amazon.
—Kelly Dawson, Architectural Digest, 28 Mar. 2025
High-performing laundry detergents that contain citrates (sodium salt chemicals that serve as water softeners), cleaning and descaling agents, and pH regulators will give the best cleaning results.
—Mary Marlowe Leverette, Southern Living, 22 Jan. 2025
This kit, $95 from Amazon, is designed to clean and descale most Tankless Water Heaters.
—Nora Colomer, Fox News, 4 Nov. 2024
Does the manual offer tips or instructions for descaling the kettle after a certain number of uses?
—Emily Farris, Bon Appétit, 11 Oct. 2024
Plus, the self-cleaning mode saves you the hassle of having to descale the machine on a regular basis.
—Hannah Rice, Rolling Stone, 2 Oct. 2024
That’s why de-concentration does not imply descaling or fragmentation.
—Marco Quiroz-Gutierrez, Fortune, 2 July 2024
Reviewers noted that this machine needs a bit more maintenance (GE recommends cleaning once per week and descaling every three weeks).
—Rennie Dyball, Peoplemag, 11 June 2024
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Emily Farris, Bon Appétit, 25 Mar. 2025
The simplest no-fuss solution is to invest in a Keurig descaling solution and maintenance kit, available on Amazon.
—Kelly Dawson, Architectural Digest, 28 Mar. 2025
High-performing laundry detergents that contain citrates (sodium salt chemicals that serve as water softeners), cleaning and descaling agents, and pH regulators will give the best cleaning results.
—Mary Marlowe Leverette, Southern Living, 22 Jan. 2025
This kit, $95 from Amazon, is designed to clean and descale most Tankless Water Heaters.
—Nora Colomer, Fox News, 4 Nov. 2024
Does the manual offer tips or instructions for descaling the kettle after a certain number of uses?
—Emily Farris, Bon Appétit, 11 Oct. 2024
Plus, the self-cleaning mode saves you the hassle of having to descale the machine on a regular basis.
—Hannah Rice, Rolling Stone, 2 Oct. 2024
That’s why de-concentration does not imply descaling or fragmentation.
—Marco Quiroz-Gutierrez, Fortune, 2 July 2024
Reviewers noted that this machine needs a bit more maintenance (GE recommends cleaning once per week and descaling every three weeks).
—Rennie Dyball, Peoplemag, 11 June 2024
Cite this Entry
“Descale.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/descale. Accessed 29 May. 2025.
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