Low water pressure in a showerhead can make your life hard. Especially if the low water pressure is because of a build-up of scale on the outside. Not only is it unsightly, it can make your showers near impossible. Before you go out and buy a new showerhead, though, read this quick tip. It's possible that all your showerhead needs is some TLC to get it looking, and showering, like new. The best part of this quick DIY tip is that it only takes about 10 minutes of prep work, and $2, and works overnight while you're sleeping.
Why is my shower's water pressure not as strong as it used to be?
There are a few reasons why your showerhead isn’t flowing as much. If you live in Arizona, Texas, Nevada or Utah, the reason is most likely scale brought on by hard water. If you’re not sure what hard water is, you can read an in-depth post about Hard Water vs. Soft Water. Essentially, hard water has minerals such as calcium and magnesium within it. When heated, hard water releases those minerals and they stick to things, like showerheads, and turn into scale. Scale looks a bit like corrosion, but instead of eating away at a piece of metal or pipe, it builds up as a hard layer.
If you live in a hard water state such as Arizona, Texas, Nevada or Utah, as the water for your shower heats, and the calcium and magnesium atoms are released, the inside and outside of the showerhead can become covered in hard water scale. A lot of people assume that with this build-up of scale, they have no choice but to buy a new showerhead because no amount of scrubbing can make headway on most scale. Not so with this quick overnight de-scaling trick!
Descale Your Showerhead Overnight
Here is what you’ll need:
- White Vinegar
- Old Toothbrush
- Ziplock Baggie
1. Pour Vinegar into Plastic Bag
Make sure the vinegar in the baggie is going to cover the entire showerhead.
2. Place Showerhead in Baggie
Completely submerge the showerhead in the vinegar.
3. Secure Vinegar Filled Bag with Rubber Band
4. Let Showerhead Sit Overnight
After removing the showerhead from the vinegar, you can see the showerhead is clean and looks brand new. In this picture, you can see the difference between the part of the showerhead that soaked, and the part that didn't. If all of the scale hasn’t come off with this DIY tip, you can re-soak it for another eight hours, and that should do the trick!
Having a home warranty can help out if you have hard water. Hard water can cause parts and home appliances to break down faster than if you have soft water. Plus, if you have a water softener, a home warranty plan can cover that as well. If your shower has failed, and you have a home warranty, call Landmark Home Warranty. We will send a contractor out to your home to repair or replace your plumbing problems for a flat rate service call fee. For more information about what a home warranty covers, you can look at our home warranty plans page, or request a personalized home warranty quote today.