Water is not always perfectly clean, even if it comes from a well. It contains metal compounds that eventually settle on the surface of the shower head, the smallest grains of sand and pebbles that cannot pass through the holes in the shower head. All this forms a plaque.
Immediately the pollution is not noticeable, but gradually the water begins to flow more slowly or ceases to flow at all. The streams change direction and are sprayed in all directions. Then many owners wonder how to clean a shower head and how to make it as safe as possible for plumbing.
Types of pollution
The most common cause of malfunctioning shower heads is limescale. Unfortunately, it strikes even the most modern and expensive shower heads, which are not always easy to clean. Small particles gradually accumulate around the holes; over time, the trickles change the trajectory or cease to function at all.
The problem of scale formation is no less popular. If you often use hot water, then you simply can not avoid it. Scale affects any material. But there is good news - the scum is easily removed from any surface.
How to clean
As a rule, manufacturers indicate cleaning and maintenance information on the packaging. But this is not always convenient. Firstly, the funds may not be in the store or the price of such cleaners is too high. Therefore, folk remedies that have been tested for years come to the rescue.
Everyone has grandparents who have at least once in their life encountered limescale. It is worth asking how they could clean the shower head from limescale. And the most popular remedies will be vinegar, soda and citric acid. Read about how to clean a shower head with these tools.
Vinegar
The easiest way to remove any impurities, whether it be scum or limescale, is done by vinegar. The recipe is simple: pour vinegar diluted in water in a 4: 1 ratio into a container and immerse a clogged watering can there. It is important to leave the shower head in solution for at least 6 hours.
Very often you can hear a life hack, which will help reduce time. The advice is that the solution should be boiled. This is not the best advice, since when heated, vinegar can corrode the outer cover of the shower head and damage other parts of it.
Vinegar and soda
Folk remedies are not limited only to the use of vinegar. Proven over the years, the recipe for cleaning lime scale from any surface involves the use of soda and vinegar. Due to the fact that soda reacts with vinegar, limescale splits into small particles and is simply washed off with water. This is the simplest and indispensable recipe for quick cleaning of a shower head at home.
You need to mix half a glass of soda with a glass of vinegar. In the first seconds you can see how the composition begins to foam. In this solution, it is worth lowering the shower head for 2-3 hours. This time is enough to destroy the limescale. To make the result faster, you can lower the watering can into a container with soda, and only then add vinegar.
Lemon acid
This product from the grandmothers arsenal ideally removes traces of scale. Moreover, it can cope even with severe pollution. Citric acid should be used with hot water. For the procedure for cleaning the shower head, half of the bag will be enough. The exposure time of the solution is 20-25 minutes. After pulling the watering can out of the solution, you need to brush all the parts and details. After that, everything should be rinsed well with cool water, allowed to dry thoroughly.
Another small life hack that can be heard from friends or acquaintances is the use of a plastic bag to clean the watering can in the shower. The method is very funny. Its essence is that the watering can will not need to be immersed in a container with a solution, it will be replaced by a bag that is worn directly on the watering can. The solution inside affects the entire area of the shower head. It is important to carefully secure the bag so that it does not fall. This method can be used not only for citric acid, but also for other solutions.
How to disassemble a shower head
Recipes for cleaning a shower head is good. You can clean a clogged shower head without disassembling. But if you monitor the condition of the watering can and regularly carry out cleansing procedures, you may not have to disassemble it. In exceptional cases, it is still necessary to disassemble. Disassemble is very neat, since the parts are made of plastic.
To disassemble you will need:
- regular or Phillips screwdriver;
- pliers;
- adjustable wrench;
Before starting to disassemble the watering can itself, you need to disconnect it from the hose. Use an adjustable wrench to do this. Next, you need to remove the jet divider. In most modern models, it is fastened with a self-tapping screw or a bolt. Unscrew it is carefully anticlockwise. At this stage, the disassembly process can be considered completed, then only carefully disconnect all parts from each other.
Prevention
Of course, the degree of clogging and its frequency depends on the material from which the watering can is made, as well as how the prevention proceeds. Most often, accessories made of cheap materials are subjected to strong limescale. In this case, the main role is the responsibility of the manufacturer.
But no one will guarantee that limescale does not appear at all. In order to minimize the risk of plaque, it is worthwhile to regularly carry out preventive measures.
Citric acid will perfectly cope with this task. This tool is from the category of "cheap and cheerful." With this tool you can clean the upper watering can of the shower.
It would also be nice to purchase a tool that will help clean the watering can in the shower. Most often, these are soft creamy compositions that contain abrasive particles that are absolutely safe for all parts of a shower head.
Whatever model of shower head you choose, remember that cheap materials are not capable of long-term operation even with careful care and prevention. Buying goods is from responsible and well-known manufacturers. This will help you save not only money, but also nerve cells.