What is limescale and where does it come from?

Limestone (in chemical terms, calcium carbonate) was formed 600 million years ago from deposits composed of marine organisms. In nature, these deposits have led to the formation of limestone mountains, dripstone caves and coral reefs. Hard water is formed when rainwater seeps through these calciferous rock strata and is enriched with calcium carbonate.

How does limescale enter our homes?

Hard water enters our households as tap water. When hard water is heated or allowed to evaporate, limescale forms on the corresponding surfaces.

Hard water is important for humans

The minerals in hard water are not harmful to our bodies. On the contrary, they may even be healthy for us as humans because of their calcium and magnesium content. The former helps us build bones and teeth, for example, while the latter plays an essential role in muscles.

Why is descaling necessary in the home?

Although the minerals in hard water are important for the human body, they can lead to the formation of limescale, which is harmful to surfaces and appliances in the home.

When it evaporates or is heated up, hard water leaves an unsightly limescale residue on surfaces.

Limescale can lead to poor heat transfer capacity in appliances, thereby increasing their energy consumption. Internal tests show that just a one-millimeter layer of limescale increases power consumption by 8%.

Limescale residue can become a hygiene problem because it can lead to the development of bacteria.

Limescale can damage ducts and valves in appliances such as coffee machines or washing machines and therefore shorten their service lives.

Quality coffee thanks to descaling

It is particularly important to descale coffee machines. Limescale reduces the brewing temperature, preventing the optimum release of aromas from the coffee beans. This has an adverse effect on the flavor of the coffee.

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durgol or home remedies? What works better?

Unlike professional, appliance-friendly descalers, home remedies such as vinegar and citric acid cannot thoroughly remove limescale deposits even if left to act for a long time. Above all, durgol products descale faster and more efficiently than home remedies. Dissolving about 80 grams of limescale requires one liter of durgol express and takes about two hours. Dissolving the same quantity using home remedies such as vinegar requires 15 liters of vinegar and takes about 48 hours. durgol’s powerful descaling effect means that it can be used in exceptionally economical and environmentally friendly quantities. Moreover, there are other disadvantages to descaling with home remedies:

Particularly in the case of home appliances, vinegar attacks the seals by dissolving softening agents out of the plastics. This causes the seals to become brittle and leads to the emergence of defects. Moreover, following descaling, vinegar leaves an unpleasant odor and flavor that can collect in the materials.

Citric acid reacts unfavorably with limescale. In the case of very heavy deposits, the citric acid surrounds and seals the limescale like a protective coating. This results in insoluble deposits inside the appliances, which even descalers can no longer remove. Over time, these deposits block the ducts and valves of home appliances such as coffee machines or washing machines, reducing their service lives.