"Also, does anyone know if soaking it overnight can damage certain finishes or coatings on showerheads?"
It definitely can, especially if your showerhead has a special eco-friendly coating or finish. I've seen tenants accidentally ruin brushed nickel and matte black finishes by leaving them soaking too long in vinegar—it's acidic enough to eat away at some coatings. Instead, try wrapping the head in a vinegar-soaked cloth for just an hour or two, then rinse thoroughly. This usually fixes the spray issues without risking damage or leaving that lingering smell behind...
Good advice above.
"I've seen tenants accidentally ruin brushed nickel and matte black finishes by leaving them soaking too long in vinegar"
Yeah, learned that one the hard way myself... Thought overnight would be better, ended up with a weird discoloration on my matte black showerhead. Thankfully, it wasn't too noticeable after rinsing thoroughly, but definitely wouldn't risk it again. Shorter soak or cloth-wrap method is safer and usually enough to clear out the spray issues. Good luck sorting yours out!
Shorter soak or cloth-wrap method is safer and usually enough to clear out the spray issues.
Been there myself, unfortunately. Thought vinegar was the magic fix for everything until my brushed nickel faucet ended up looking like it had a weird sunburn. Now I stick to quick soaks or just wrap a vinegar-soaked cloth around it briefly—lesson learned, haha.
"Thought vinegar was the magic fix for everything until my brushed nickel faucet ended up looking like it had a weird sunburn."
Haha, I've had that same "sunburned faucet" moment... didn't realize vinegar could be so harsh until it was too late. Quick cloth wraps seem to do the trick without causing damage—definitely safer than soaking overnight. I'm curious though, has anyone tried diluted vinegar instead? Wondering if that might be gentler on finishes but still effective enough to clear out the spray issues. Might experiment next time mine decides to rebel again. Glad I'm not alone in learning this the hard way, lol.
I've tried diluted vinegar before, and it actually works pretty well. I usually go for about a 50/50 mix with water, let it soak for just 15-20 minutes, and then give it a gentle scrub with a soft toothbrush. Haven't had any finish issues since I started doing it this way. Honestly, full-strength vinegar seems unnecessarily harsh—diluting it saves your fixtures and still gets the job done. Give it a shot next time your shower decides to misbehave...might spare you another faucet sunburn, haha.
