“Vinegar is the number one natural cleaning product, making it a simple and affordable way to descale your shower head.
“However, malt vinegar isn’t particularly effective and brown vinegar may stain, so white distilled vinegar is best.”
For those who have a dual shower, you might want to clean both shower heads at the same time to keep on top of limescale, even if you use one more regularly than the other.
To clean a handheld shower using white vinegar, start by removing the shower head from the hose – be careful not to lose the rubber washer when you do, as this stops water from leaking at the joint.
Put the shower head in a bucket or plastic container and cover it with white vinegar. Leave it to soak in the vinegar for at least 30 minutes, preferably around an hour.
Take the shower head out of the vinegar and rinse it with water. Remove any remaining limescale with an old toothbrush, paying particular attention to the nozzle.
Rinse again with water and polish with a soft cloth before reattaching the hose and turning on the shower to flush out any remaining limescale.
To clean and descale fixed shower heads, take a plastic bag that is big enough to fit over your shower head and half-fill it with vinegar.
Place it over the head until it is completely submerged in the vinegar, using string or an elastic band to tie it in place. Leave it for the same amount of time before turning on the shower to flush out any deposits left inside the shower head.
Kerry recommends descaling shower heads around “once a month”. This is to remove limescale and bacteria.
She warned: “If left untreated, limescale can cause blockages and lower water pressure. You might want to clean and descale your shower head more frequently if you live in an area with hard water.”
