Descale a showerhead in a bag
A freezer bag, an elastic band and some vinegar. No dismantling, and the spray pattern comes back.
- Difficulty
- Easy
- Time
- 70 minutes
Warning
- Harmful / irritantBecause this uses White vinegar
A showerhead that sprays sideways or has gone weak is almost never broken. The holes are partly blocked with limescale, and soaking is the only way to reach inside them.
Steps
Step 1 of 4
Fill a freezer bag with enough cleaning vinegar to cover the face of the showerhead — usually 200–300 ml.
Step 2 of 4
Slip the bag over the head and hold it in place with an elastic band or a hair tie. Check the holes are actually submerged before you walk away.
Step 3 of 4
Wait 60 minutes
An hour for a normal build-up. Overnight if it has been years, though not on a plated or coloured finish.
Caution
Not for brushed gold, bronze or other coated finishes — a long acid soak can strip the coating. Test for fifteen minutes first, or use a much weaker solution.
Step 4 of 4
Take the bag off, run the shower hot for a minute to flush the loosened scale out, and rub any remaining specks off the nozzles with a thumb.
- Rubber nozzles clear with a thumb in seconds once they have soaked. That is what they are made of rubber for.
Safe on / Never use on
Safe on
- Chrome
- Rubber
- Plastic