How to remove limescale from a shower head

1 hour of waiting, 5 minutes of work. Costs a few cents.

Try this first (costs nothing extra): pour white vinegar into a plastic bag until it covers the nozzles. Tie or tape the bag to the shower arm so the head is submerged. Leave it for an hour.

Do it

1. Fill a bag or a small bowl with white vinegar.
2. Put the shower head in it, so every nozzle is covered. For a fixed head, tie the bag on with a rubber band.
3. Leave for an hour. Thick scale may need a few hours, but not overnight on delicate finishes.
4. Remove the bag, rub the nozzles with an old toothbrush, and wipe the face.
5. Run the water for a minute with the head pointed away from you to flush.

Use one product at a time. Do not add bleach or another cleaner to the bag, and do not follow a vinegar soak with a different product without rinsing. Poison centres warn that some combinations release harmful gases. Open a window.

If that does not work

• Check the finish. Brass, gold, nickel and some coated finishes can be damaged by acid. If the maker warns about it, check the care guide first and shorten the soak.
• Try citric acid. Dissolve a tablespoon of food-grade citric acid powder in warm water. It has no smell.
• Take it off and soak it. If you can unscrew the head, a bowl is easier than a bag.
• Poke clear the holes. Use a toothpick, not a metal pin that can scratch.

If your water is very hard, you may have to repeat this every month or two.

Fix it, replace it or live with it

• Fix it: weak, uneven or sideways spray, and white crust.
• Replace it: cracked plastic, corroded metal or a head that is still clogged after two soaks. Replacement heads are cheap.
• Live with it: light white haze on the outside that does not affect the flow. Wipe it with a cloth.

The same method works on taps. For a kettle, see how to descale a kettle. To pick between vinegar and powder, see vinegar vs citric acid for limescale.