descale

verb

de·​scale (ˌ)dē-ˈskāl 

descaled; descaling; descales

transitive verb

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

2

: 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

Examples of descale in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

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

Surveys and investment plans make clear that few MNCs are leaving, or even descaling their China engagement. —Kenneth Dewoskin, Fortune, 15 May 2024

Magnetic water softeners also descale via their electromagnetic coils that filter out minerals. —Brittany Vanderbill, Better Homes & Gardens, 28 July 2023

Word History

Etymology

de- + scale entry 3

First Known Use

1875, in the meaning defined at sense 2