Anyone who lives in a region with local tap water that contains lime knows the problem: after just a few months of use, the bathroom fittings are heavily calcified and, in the worst case, even clogged. The limescale deposits are unsightly, but can also cause damage. They are also a contact point for bacteria. Three good reasons why you should regularly descale your tap and shower head.
Descale the shower head: Remove limescale deposits with the following home remedies
If you want to descale the shower head, you don't have to invest in expensive cleaning products right away. The limescale deposits can usually be removed quickly and easilyremove with home remedies. For this purpose you can use white wine vinegar, vinegar essence and baking soda or baking soda. The effects of beer and cola are controversial. Some cleaning enthusiasts swear by it, but for others the trick didn't work. In any case, you should first test the effect of the home remedy on an invisible area.
Clean the shower head without unscrewing it
Descale the shower head with citric acid
If the shower heads are heavily calcified, you can also use a citric acid solution. Read the shower head manufacturer's recommendations as well as the dosage instructions on the citric acid packaging. Unless otherwise specified, you can dissolve 1 tablespoon of lemon powder in 500 ml of cold water. It is very important that you only use cold water, otherwise the lemon powder canleave stains, which can no longer be removed afterwards.
Apply the solution to the shower head with a soft sponge. You can also soak a cloth in the solution and then place it on the shower head. Leave the solution to work for about half an hour and then rinse the bathroom faucet with water. To be on the safe side, you can first test the effect of citric acid in an invisible area.
Descale the inside of the shower head with baking soda
If you can unscrew the shower head, you can also thoroughly clean the inside. For this purpose, pour 1 liter of water into a deep bowl. Dissolve 1 teaspoon in 500 ml of water and pour the baking soda solution into the bowl. Then carefully insert the shower head and let the home remedy work for one to two hours. Then take out the shower head and wipe it with a damp cloth. Then rinse them thoroughly under running water so that the limescale deposits are dissolved inside.
Can you descale the shower head in the dishwasher?
Most shower heads can be descaled in the dishwasher. Place the shower head in the dishwasher basket and start the normal program (60 minutes, at 60 degrees Celsius). The hot water combined with the dishwasher tablets will quickly remove the deposits.
Clean shower head with nubs
To clean a shower head with studs, you need 50 ml of vinegar, 800 ml of lukewarm water, an old toothbrush and toothpicks. Proceed as follows:
- First, pour the water and vinegar into a deep bowl or other suitable container.
- Then unscrew the shower head and carefully place it on the bottom of the vessel. Let the vinegar sit for about 40 minutes.
- Then remove all visible limescale deposits with the toothbrush.
- If the holes are heavily calcified and closed, you can remove the limescale from the nozzles with a toothpick.
Special case: descale the rain shower
In contrast to other shower heads, the rain shower is firmly mounted on the bathroom ceiling and therefore cannot simply be screwed in and screwed back on. Of course, this poses a special challenge when it comes to cleaning. However, there are several tricks you can use to quickly get your shower free of limescale.
Descaling the shower head: Fill the bag with vinegar or vinegar essence solution
Pour 500 ml of warm water and 6 tablespoons of vinegar or 3 tablespoons of vinegar essence into a freezer bag. Dip the showerhead into the solution and attach the bag of hair ties to the showerhead handle. Leave the vinegar essence to work for 40 minutes. Then fill 5 liters of cold water, preferably descaled, into a watering can and rinse the shower thoroughly.
Preventing limescale in the bathroom: How to keep the shower head clean
Admittedly, removing limescale from the shower head is not an easy task. If you want to save yourself the tedious work, then you should clean the shower head regularly and wipe it dry after each use. A good preventive measure is to put 1 liter of water and 100 ml of vinegar in a clean spray bottle and spray the shower head with it twice a month. Let the solution sit for about 40 minutes and then wipe it off.
Clean and descale the shower hose
If possible, you should also clean the inside of the shower hose. If this can simply be unscrewed, then dissolve a packet of baking soda in 200 ml of water and fill the solution into the hose. Then carefully add 1 teaspoon of vinegar to the hose. Remove the foam, let the home remedy work for about 20 minutes and then rinse the hose.
You can replace the old shower head with a new shower head with a limescale filter. The investment is definitely worth it, because the shower filter can not only filter limescale, but also heavy metals and chlorine from the tap water. In most cases, these shower heads are also removable, which makes them...Cleaning then of course becomes much easier.
