Domestic cleaning brand Oust has launched a nationwide campaign to help British consumers combat the rise of hard water in homes across the UK.
New research, which surveyed 2000 consumers in October 2019, revealed that one in three Brits stated that limescale residue on household goods has worsened over the past 12 months. The Descale the Nation initiative will offer consumers free Limescale Busting Kits this winter to gain insight on the prevalence of the issue.
As limescale build-up peaks during the winter months, the kits will not only come complete with easy-to-use water testing swabs but also consumers will receive a free sample of All Purpose Descaler to help descale appliances. The kits, which will be available from 27 November 2019 to the end of February 2020, will enable Brits to record hard water levels in their area and share the findings with Oust.
The move is a direct response to research which found Brits spent an estimated £25.8m over the past five years replacing appliances damaged by limescale. Descale the Nation aims to help combat the limescale surge that comes with the colder winter months due to the increased use of heated water in homes.
The nationwide survey also unveiled that around 338,000 kilos of limescale is consumed by Brits every year, while almost a third (30%) have never descaled an appliance. With hard water proving detrimental to water reliant appliances, the study found that goods such as kettles, irons, and even washing machines are among the worst affected and prone to permanent damage over the winter.
Rowland Furse, in-house limescale expert at Oust, commented: “Oust has launched the Descale the Nation initiative in response to hard water potentially getting worse across Britain. We are hoping the readings submitted by consumers will provide more transparency to check if hard water is spreading.
“It’s interesting that almost a third of consumers have never descaled an appliance. The overarching purpose of the campaign is to raise awareness of the causes of limescale and to inform Brits on the preventative steps they can take to save money on replacing damaged goods.”
