Shower head encrusted with limescale and mold? Clean it by using simple home remedies

"It's a bit dirty, but it still works...sort of." This mindset, when applied to showerheads (and even faucets), might lead one to become a bit lax about doing household chores. However, by continuously postponing cleaning chores, we may eventually find that affected items (like showerheads and faucets) being to fail.

Limescale and mold are certainly unwanted "guests" in showers and around faucets. That's why it's crucial to remember to clean and maintain these items effectively. Here are some ways to do this without too much hassle:

Laundry soda to clean the shower head

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Laundry soda (sodium carbonate) is not only useful for washing clothes and various other fabrics; it also works as a descaler. Given this, we can use it to eliminate limescale deposits that form in the showerhead.

Cleaning the showerhead extends its lifespan since, just like in faucets, limescale can corrode and deform the fixtures, hindering a good flow of water.

To use sodium carbonate, you can follow two different methods depending on whether your showerhead can be detached or is fixed to the wall.

• Removable showerhead: Detach it and place it in a ceramic or glass bowl. Fill it with hot water to cover the entire showerhead, then add two or three tablespoons of laundry soda, stirring to dissolve it. Soak the showerhead for a few hours or, even better, overnight. The next day, take an old toothbrush, rinse the showerhead under running water, and scrub to remove any remaining deposits. Dry it with a cloth, and it's ready to be reinstalled.
• Fixed showerhead: To ensure that the sodium carbonate stays in contact long enough, fill a sturdy plastic bag to about the halfway mark with water (not hot, but slightly warm) and laundry soda. Place the bag over the showerhead, immersing it in the mixture, and then seal the bag around the neck of the showerhead. You can use tape or elastic bands for this. Leave overnight, then scrub with a toothbrush or sponge while allowing some water to flow as you do so.

Other remedies to make the shower head look like new again

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When the showerhead is affected by mold or more stubborn limescale deposits, it's better to use white vinegar or hydrogen peroxide to clean it. The methods are the same, but use larger quantities of vinegar (in equal parts with water); hydrogen peroxide can be used either undiluted or slightly diluted with regular water.

The soaking times depend on the condition of the showerhead itself: two or three hours may be sufficient, but you can leave it overnight.

The more frequently we remember to clean these items, the less time and effort it will take to clean them when we do!