Descaling a shower head. Limescale on your shower head? Need to clean it? No worries! With cleaning vinegar, you can easily remove it – quickly, cheaply, and environmentally friendly. This blog post explains how to get your shower head (and even faucets) looking like new again.
Why use cleaning vinegar?
Vinegar is a natural acid that dissolves limescale without harsh chemicals. It's safe for both your plumbing and the environment.
What do you need?
- White cleaning vinegar
- Plastic bag
- Elastic or string
- Old toothbrush
- Water
Step-by-step plan
1. Bag of vinegar
Fill a plastic bag with enough vinegar to completely submerge the shower head.
2. Attach the bag
Hang the bag around the shower head and secure it with an elastic band. Don't feel like taking it apart? No problem – this also works with the shower head mounted on the wall.
3. Let it soak
Let the shower head soak for at least an hour. For stubborn limescale, leave it overnight.
4. Rinse and scrub
Remove the bag, rinse with water and use a toothbrush to loosen any limescale.
5. Let it run for a while
Let the shower run for a minute to rinse away any vinegar and limescale residue.
Descale and disassemble shower head or tap
Step-by-step guide
Step 1: Remove the hand shower
- Unscrew the shower head from the shower hose.
- This can often be done by hand, but if necessary use a cloth and water pump pliers (carefully to avoid scratches).
Tip: Don't forget to save the rubber ring (seal) in case it comes loose and reinstall it after descaling.
Step 2: Soak the shower head in cleaning vinegar
- Fill a bowl or container with warm cleaning vinegar.
- Place the shower head in and make sure the spray holes are completely covered.
- Let it soak for at least 1 hour – for heavy limescale, preferably 3 to 6 hours or even overnight.
Alternative: Is the shower head still attached? Fill a plastic bag with vinegar, hang it over the shower head, and secure it with a rubber band. Leave it hanging there.
Step 3: Brush and clean the spray holes
- Remove the shower head from the vinegar.
- Use an old toothbrush to scrub the outside and holes.
- Then use a needle or skewer to carefully poke the lime out of the clogged holes.
Be careful: don't poke too deep or hard to avoid damaging the holes.
Step 4: Rinse well
- Rinse the shower head or rain shower head thoroughly with warm water.
- Hold it under the tap for a moment or rinse it with the shower hose to rinse away any loosened limescale.
Step 5: Screw the shower head back on
- Screw the shower head or hand shower back onto the hose.
- Make sure the rubber ring fits properly to prevent leakage.
- Tighten firmly (by hand, usually no tools are needed).
Additional tips to prevent limescale
- Rinse the shower head briefly with cold water after each use.
- Dry it or hang it upside down so that no water remains in it.
- Descale every 1–2 months, especially with hard water.
Bonus Tip: Also works for sink taps
This method also works for faucets and aerators (tap strainers). Soak them in a small bowl of vinegar.
How often?
For hard water: once a month. For soft water, once every 2–3 months is sufficient.
Summary
Descaling with vinegar is:
- Simple
- Fast
- Cheap
- Environmentally friendly
Your bathroom stays fresh and limescale-free – without any chemical mess.
Tip: You can easily descale a stainless steel tap with a wad of baking paper and half a lemon!
