If you’re seeing buildup on the shower head, odds are it’s happening in your pipes too.
That’s exactly it. People underestimate how fast mineral gunk can clog things up. Swapping shower heads only masks the problem for a bit. A filter or softener might save you a bigger repair bill later.
Swapping shower heads only masks the problem for a bit.
Yeah, I’ve seen that too. People just keep buying new shower heads thinking it’ll fix the spray, but if the pipes are full of scale, it’s just a matter of time before things get worse. Sometimes you can clean out the head with vinegar, but if the water’s super hard, a softener really does help. Learned that the hard way at my last place—ended up with barely any water pressure at all.
Sometimes you can clean out the head with vinegar, but if the water’s super hard, a softener really does help.
Totally agree on the vinegar trick—works wonders for a while, but yeah, hard water just keeps coming back for more. I tried one of those “eco” shower heads that claimed to resist buildup... lasted maybe two months before it started spraying sideways like a busted garden hose. Ended up getting a filter and it’s helped, but honestly, I’m always a little paranoid about what’s lurking in the pipes. Hard water is no joke.
Been there with the sideways spray—nothing like a surprise cold jet to the face first thing in the morning. Here’s my usual fix: unscrew the shower head, soak it in vinegar overnight, then poke out any stubborn bits with a toothpick or needle. If that doesn’t do it, sometimes the rubber washers inside get gunked up too. Filters help, but if your water’s really hard, a softener’s the only long-term fix I’ve seen actually work. Those “eco” heads are hit or miss... some just clog faster, honestly.
Had to laugh at the “sideways spray”—that’s exactly how mine acted last winter, and nothing wakes you up faster than an ice-cold jet to the ear. Vinegar soak is a solid move, but I’d throw in a couple extra steps for stubborn cases. After soaking, I usually run the head under hot water and flex those little rubber nozzles (if your model has them). Sometimes it’s not just mineral buildup, but tiny bits of grit or even teflon tape from old plumbing jobs.
One thing I see a lot: folks forget to check the actual pipe arm. If you’ve got old galvanized pipes, rust flakes can clog things up right where the shower head screws on. I’ll wrap a towel around the arm, give it a gentle tap, and flush some water through before reattaching the head.
Couldn’t agree more about those “eco” heads—some are great, but others seem to clog if you even look at them funny. If you’re in a hard water area and none of this sticks, might be worth swapping for a model with bigger jets or fewer features. Sometimes simple is best...
