Shower head blocked with limescale — how to clean it
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Limescale builds up in shower heads in hard water areas — roughly the Midlands, South East, and East of England. You will notice jets spraying sideways or at odd angles, or a significant drop in overall flow.
The easiest method: fill a plastic bag with undiluted white vinegar (or a proprietary descaler solution). Submerge the shower head in the bag and secure it with an elastic band around the arm. Leave overnight — or at least 4 hours for moderate scale.
If the head is removable (unscrew anti-clockwise at the swivel joint), remove it and soak it directly in a bowl of white vinegar. This allows better coverage of internal channels.
After soaking, use an old toothbrush to scrub the face plate and individual nozzles. Many modern shower heads have rubber nozzles — simply flex these with your fingers to break off softened scale.
Rinse thoroughly and reattach. Run the shower for 30 seconds to flush any loosened scale from the internal channels before stepping in.
In very hard water areas, consider fitting a inline shower filter (£15–£40) which reduces scale build-up on the head and also softens the water for hair and skin. Repeat cleaning every 2–3 months.
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