Limescale in the shower head: removing it and preventing it
Morning shower: half the nozzles give nothing, three jets spray sideways across the shower curtain. The shower head is scaled up – a constant topic in hard-water areas. A few simple steps get it under control.
Why does the shower head scale up?
After showering, water stays in the fine nozzles. It evaporates and the dissolved limescale stays behind – layer by layer, until the opening is blocked. The harder the water, the faster this happens. How hard your water is, you can read in our guide Anti-limescale shower filters.
Quick help: silicone nubs
Many shower plates have soft silicone nubs. Simply rub over the nubs with a finger or soft cloth while the water is running – the limescale crumbles out. For the Smarald® wellness shower there is the silicone nub shower plate with anti-limescale function as a retrofit.
Thorough descaling
For ordinary shower heads without a filter, a bath in vinegar or citric acid solution helps. But only if your shower head manufacturer allows it, and no longer than necessary: acid can attack chrome and seals. Afterwards rinse thoroughly with clean water.
Careful with filter showers: filter cartridges and mineral fillings must never go into vinegar or acid. With a filter shower, take off only the shower plate and clean it as described in the instructions for your model.
Keeping limescale away
- Wipe the nozzles briefly after showering and hang the shower so that remaining water can drain.
- Stainless steel membrane: the stainless steel membrane for the wellness shower helps keep the spray holes from clogging.
- Reduce limescale beforehand: an anti-limescale shower filter between the tap and the hose reduces limescale in the shower water before it reaches the shower head.
The most common mistakes
- Poking the nozzles with a needle or knife. This widens the openings and the spray becomes uneven.
- Abrasive cleaners on chrome. They leave scratches where new limescale sticks particularly well.
- Putting the whole filter shower head in vinegar. That ruins the filter filling.
In short: rub the nubs, descale the shower plate if needed (if the manufacturer allows it), never put filter parts in acid. And ideally catch the limescale before it reaches the shower head.