Yeah, those “universal” fittings are anything but universal in my experience. Plumber’s tape is a lifesaver, but sometimes you still end up chasing leaks around the threads no matter how careful you are. If your shower’s spraying sideways, I’d bet there’s a chunk of mineral buildup or maybe a cracked washer hiding in there.
I’ve had luck taking the head off and just running water through it backwards—sometimes knocks loose whatever’s clogging the holes. If you spot any warped plastic or a split gasket, just swap it out. The little rubber washers that come with these things are hit-or-miss... I usually keep a pack of decent ones on hand because the ones in the box are junk half the time.
And yeah, poking out the holes with a pin or even a paperclip works way better than soaking for hours. Just be gentle if it’s plastic—you don’t want to make the holes bigger and end up with a mist instead of a spray. Sometimes the quick fixes are all you need to get things back under control.
Universal fittings are the bane of my existence, honestly. Every time I see “fits all standard connections,” I just know I’m in for a fight. You nailed it about the washers too—those cheap rubber ones might as well be made out of licorice for how long they last. I’ve got a whole drawer of random sizes now, just from swapping them out over the years.
Funny thing, I once had a customer whose shower head was spraying sideways so hard it was soaking the bathroom window. Turned out, there was a tiny pebble lodged in one of the holes—no idea how it got there, but it took forever to find. Ended up using a toothpick and a lot of patience. Sometimes it’s the weirdest little things causing chaos.
I agree, running water backwards through the head can work wonders. I’ve even used an old toothbrush to scrub around the holes before poking them out. Just have to be careful not to rough up the plastic, especially on the cheaper models. And plumber’s tape... yeah, it’s great until you’re wrapping it for the third time and still spotting drips. At that point, I usually just start over and check if the threads are dinged up or if there’s some old tape gunk stuck in there.
It’s easy to get frustrated with these little fixes, but honestly, most of the time it’s something simple. You’re on the right track poking out the holes and checking for buildup. Even if it takes a couple tries, you’ll get it sorted. Sometimes I think these showers just want to remind us who’s really in charge...
Sometimes it’s the weirdest little things causing chaos.
That’s the truth. I once spent an afternoon convinced my shower was haunted, only to find a wad of old plumber’s tape jammed in the threads. Ended up switching to hemp tape—less plastic waste and honestly, it seals better for me. If you’re dealing with rogue sprays, I’ve had luck soaking the head in vinegar overnight, then poking out each nozzle with a bamboo skewer. It’s tedious, but it beats replacing the whole thing. Those “universal” washers never seem to fit quite right either... I keep a stash of silicone ones now and haven’t looked back.
Ever had the shower arm itself leak a bit, like right where it meets the wall? I’ve seen that cause weird spray patterns too, not just the head. Did you have to use any sealant on the threads, or just the tape? I always wonder if I’m overdoing it with both.
I’ve run into that exact issue more times than I can count. The spot where the shower arm threads into the wall fitting (usually a drop-ear elbow) is notorious for sneaky leaks that’ll send water spraying in weird directions, especially if the threads aren’t sealed up right.
For most residential setups, pipe thread tape—Teflon tape—is usually enough. I wrap it around the threads about 3-4 times, making sure it’s snug and covers evenly. Some folks go wild with the tape, but too much can actually make it hard to thread in all the way or even crack plastic fittings if you’re not careful. I’ve seen people double up with both tape and pipe dope (thread sealant), but honestly, unless you’re dealing with really old or corroded threads, that’s overkill for a shower arm. The tape alone should do the trick as long as the threads are clean and not damaged.
If you’re still getting leaks after taping it up properly, check for cracks in the arm itself or gunked-up threads inside the wall fitting. Sometimes mineral buildup or old plumber’s putty can mess with the seal. I’ve had to pull out arms that looked fine from the outside but were pitted or split just enough to let water sneak through.
One thing I wouldn’t recommend is using silicone caulk or anything like that on the threads themselves—it doesn’t hold up under pressure and just makes a mess if you ever need to swap out parts later.
Long story short: stick with Teflon tape, don’t overdo it, and make sure everything’s clean before threading it back in. If you’re still seeing weird spray patterns after fixing any leaks at the wall, then it’s probably time to take a closer look at the shower head itself—sometimes debris or scale inside will send water shooting everywhere except where you want it.
