How to effectively clean limescale from a shower head?

Anyone who has a bathtub or shower stall in their home will sooner or later be faced with the question: how to clean the shower head from limescale? Today we will look at the most effective methods that have proven themselves in practice.

Many people have a lot of questions: where to start, what is needed for this, how to disassemble the shower head and what chemicals to choose? Some people do it easier by replacing faulty plumbing fixtures with new ones. However, in this case you will have to spend money, and what is the point of buying a new shower head if you can fix the old one?

Step one - disassembly

How to disassemble a shower head without damaging it? To do this, we should prepare in advance the tool that will be useful to us:

screwdriver;
knife;
gas key.

These tools are quite enough for disassembly. So, first of all, you need to disconnect the watering can from the flexible hose. To do this, you will have to unscrew the special washer that connects the hose to the watering can. It is unlikely that you will be able to do this with your bare hands, because over time, salts and other deposits will accumulate in the threaded joint. A gas wrench is suitable for this.

Advice

It is important not to overdo it in this matter, since the metal in these connections is quite thin, it can be easily damaged if pressed hard with a gas wrench. You need to act carefully.

After you have successfully disconnected the hose, you can begin to directly disassemble the watering can itself. Armed with a knife, pay attention to the central plug, which is located in the middle of the mesh of the watering can. It needs to be lightly picked up with a knife and removed. Under the plug you will find a special screw. It serves to hold the mesh.

Try to unscrew it with a screwdriver and disconnect the mesh from the overall structure.

Advice

Most likely, the screw will be covered with deposits and scale. Before you start unscrewing it with a screwdriver, you need to clear the slot of scale. To do this, you can use any sharp and thin object, such as a knife.

Once you have unscrewed the screw, you can carefully detach the mesh from the rest of the body of the watering can. Here you need to be very careful, since limescale has probably firmly connected the mesh to the gasket. If you apply sudden force, you can damage the gasket or the mesh itself.

Smoothly move the mesh away from the gasket, observing any visible damage. If necessary, lightly scrape with a knife in areas of heavy scale.

Now in front of you are all the components of the watering can in disassembled form:

the basis;
mesh;
pad.

All these parts need to be descaled, which is what we will do next.

Cleaning the watering can from hard limescale deposits

You can do it in two ways - simple and more complex. You probably have a natural question: why resort to a more complex method? It’s simple - this option will allow you to better clean the watering can from dirt. We will look at both cleaning options, you can choose the one you like best.

How to clean limescale from a shower head without resorting to using strong chemicals, which can simply damage your plumbing. Of course, there is a way out. Regular table vinegar is suitable for this. It is able to effectively cope with limescale without damaging the surface of the watering can.

So, the first method is the simplest; in most cases it is suitable when your shower head cannot be disassembled. Yes, this also happens, because the design of the shower may not be dismountable.

For cleaning you will need:

9% table vinegar;
small plastic bag;
tape or tape.

Take a bottle of regular table vinegar and a plastic bag.

Important!

Before starting the procedure, make sure the package is intact. To do this, just fill it with water and hold it suspended for about a minute. If you do not notice any leakage, then it can be used.

In the question of how to clean a shower head from limescale, there is one nuance - the amount of vinegar used. If there is too little of it, then you will not be able to achieve an acceptable result.

The amount of vinegar depends on the diameter of the mesh. The most common diameter is 60 mm. 300 g of liquid will be enough. Place the body of the watering can on a holder that is attached to the wall. Make sure that the entire structure is held tightly. Then pour vinegar into a plastic bag and place it on a watering can.

Important!

Make sure that the entire mesh and the larger half of the watering can are completely immersed in the solution. If necessary, add vinegar to the bag.

The next step is to secure the bag to the holder using electrical tape or tape.

We leave the structure for the whole night.The next morning you will be pleasantly surprised: the mesh will be completely free of limescale.

More efficient way

How to clean a shower head from scale so that it literally shines? It's very easy to do. You will need a whole pack of citric acid per 50 g of water. Prepare a convenient container in which you will clean. A small saucepan or jar is suitable for this.

We unscrew the watering can from the hose and disassemble it according to the principle described above. Carefully remove the mesh, simultaneously removing scale with a sharp object. Do this very carefully to avoid damaging the gasket. After all components of the watering can have been disassembled, it is necessary to bring the water in the kettle to a boil.

Place the parts in an empty jar, pour out the contents of a sachet of citric acid and pour boiling water over it all. For a moment you will see the process of the so-called “quenching”, bubbles will be released. This reacts hot water with acid. It is at this moment that the scale begins to actively break down.

Leave the container for about 20 minutes until the liquid cools slightly. Have a spare toothbrush ready to tackle shower cleaning.

Advice

Use a stiff bristled brush to achieve the best end result.

After softening the plaque, we begin to clean the components of the watering can with a toothbrush. Don't put in too much effort; everything can be cleaned easily. When the cleaning process is complete, rinse the parts of the watering can under warm running water and assemble all the components together.

We assure you that after this procedure you will not distinguish your shower from a new one.

So, now you know how to clean a shower head from limescale yourself.As you've probably seen, this is quite easy to do. By the way, a product called “Antiscale”, which can be purchased at any hardware store, is also ideal for cleaning.