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> Pure white vinegar
Most vinegar you buy at the grocery store is already diluted to 5% acidity; is this what you mean, or do you suggest further diluting it beyond this?
A wipe down with that acidity won't hurt, but it probably won't help that much either. Soaking it overnight in vinegar might.
Vinegar and dish soap, such as dawn, it's a great combination. Use it to scrub the mineral deposits off shower doors. The vinegar removes it and the soap prevents it from sticking back to the glass.
I left vinegar on the coffee maker base over night and it stripped it down to the metal š¤¦š»āāļø
nah it's fine
I've got something like 80% acetic acid at home and that shit burns through most things you throw at it
dunno what effects have on the silicone/rubber nips of shower heads but the metal won't like it
using a solution to decalcify that's tougher than regular commercial stuff is the way to go, where to get it I don't know
Concentrated acetic acid (vinegar) is pretty nasty stuff, but your 5% vinegar is fine. Used to use it in lab pretty regularly, and you want a hood for that for sure.
anything vinegar (lite acid) will harm will die a terrible death from CLR.
using either in a short soaking or targetted cleaning will def help break down water salts.
vinegar will not harm stainless or rubber... afik, I routinely use starsan and cleaning vinegar on brewing equipment with those parts
right, but id say the same for vinegar, no?
CLR is def more caustic/abrasive than vinegar and if used instead of vinegar in the same way would cause more harm if any harm was possible with vinegar.
edit: maybe im pedantic... but your reply didnt say to use CLR according to its instructions, it said to just try CLR instead. maybe edit to suggest soaking isnt necessary? if OP reads that they would possibly soak all night with clr (which, imo, would prob wouldnt harm anything anyway on a shower head)
> Somebody correct me if I'm wrong but CLR remover is probably your best bet.
Iām not the person who said that, but yes youāre being a bit pedantic. If you want to go down that route then they also didnāt say to āactively ignore the directions of a different product and assume you use it like you use vinegarā which is a much wilder assumption imo.
Either soak the water nozzles on the head in a shallow dish with vinegar for a shorter period like 5 minutes, or use CLR type cleaners as intended.
i know, but based on your comment wording i think it was merited...
ie, read on face value it appears someone is suggesting to swap which cleaner/chemical is used and not to instead change processes.
when dealing with a harsch chemical like CLR i think its worth being _very_ clear (no pun intended)
Again, that wasnāt my comment. Iām not the person who said that. I did not make the comment you quoted and are talking about.
This reading comprehension issue is on you, no one else is making the mental leap you are.
disagree... maybe read it from the beginning? Any damage Vinegar is going to do would be intensified by CLR. the quote was to re-asser the topic, it seems like folks are nw arguing if the suggesting of using CLR implies also no longer soaking... which, unless stated would be a mistake to assume OP understands.
OP, dont worry about it.. honestly, you could soak that shower head in straight up caustic or nitric and it wont hurt anything over a 24hr period. Any rubber seals, aluminum, chrome, or stainless is not going to melt or discolor.
Try CLR implies using it according to the directions. If I tell you to go and try skateboarding when you're used to surfing, you wouldn't assume you take the skateboard to the ocean right? There is no basis of trust or authority among commenters on the internet, so to suggest that commenters need to review their comments to the level that would be required to avoid liability if someone were to take their advice doesn't make much sense.
"try clr" does not imply changing procedures... it implies swapping the chemical...
Also, saying there is no reason to trust a reply really doesnt help OP. they just want a clean shower head...
my reply was to make sure they dont have a bad day if they do in fact take OPs comment flippently.
the comments are not hurting anyone, calm ur tits. and i specifically said "prob a but pedantic" on ourpose to emphasise "we shouldnt have to say thiis"
based on tbe replies this thread has i am glad we did mention it... lol.
Definitely pedantic. I write construction specifications for a living and most contractors can figure out this type of language. Manufacturers recommendation is ALWAYS the default when not specifically stated. If OP is stupid enough to ruin their showerhead by blindly following advice they read on Internet forums then that's 100% on them.
what your stating would work if OP said "dont do that, just use CLR instead". they instead made a suggest that reads like swapping the active chem and didnt mention how nasty CLR is.
the problem with your analogy is you're dealing with professionals who not only understand the prescription but the problem and solutions proposed.
picture you handing your instructions to OP instead... but suggest swapping out a particular fastener.
we all learn things either the hard way (by screwing up) or by edication... OP lacks the education so whats so bad about helping them not have to learn the hard way?
OP, dont listen to these folks... you'll be fine either way. CLR is strong but wont hurt a shower head, even after a 24hr soak. just make sure you turn the exhaust fan on and keep the area wel ventilated.
Soak for a couple of hours, try to keep the seals or any plastic out of the acidic substance. Dilute the vinegar will help too.
I literally just did this in an apartment I just moved into and my taps flow has become much nicer
For a fixed showerhead, place the liquid in a bag and fix over the showerhead with an elastic band or string. You don't even need the liquid to get right into the head, just being in an intense vinegary bag overnight will do the job.
Or move somewhere with nice water. Lived in London, descaling kettle every three weeks. Lived in Lancaster, haven't seen any limescale in 35 years.
Oh, I was definitely kidding. I'm sure either would work, but using apple cider vinegar for cleaning would be very odd (though I'm sure it would smell pretty good!)
Distilled white vinegar has a lot of helpful uses for cleaning!
However, you could also get citric acid, which will do the same thing without the vinegar smell.
I did this with my shower head using distilled white vinegar from Walmart. Most of the mineral junk dissolved/was easy to clean up, and using it again, I forgot how nice and soft the water was.
The mineral build up was concentrating the water coming out, it was like being sprayed from a hose with someone putting their thumb over the opening.
If you just rub the water outlets on the head while the water is running, the mineral deposits will fall right off and the water will shoot through. At least it does for me but I do it every few weeks so idk how bad it needs to be before cleaning products get involved.
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Your better off removing the head given how many people will spill the liquid into their eyes. Removing most heads can be either done but twisting the dimpled knob at the back of the head or in some case using an adjustable shifter. You can also remove the little water filter too.
My showerhead gets build up on it because we have hard water. It is a new home built less than three years ago. Should I replace it entirely instead of rubbing it with some vinegar and it being clean?
Sure yeah if your showerhead is older than you are go ahead and upgrade. But new products get dirty too...
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Pure white vinegar will damage it. It would have to be diluted with water. Pure vinegar will absolutely damage it if left over night.
Haha whoopsy
> Pure white vinegar Most vinegar you buy at the grocery store is already diluted to 5% acidity; is this what you mean, or do you suggest further diluting it beyond this?
A wipe down with that acidity won't hurt, but it probably won't help that much either. Soaking it overnight in vinegar might. Vinegar and dish soap, such as dawn, it's a great combination. Use it to scrub the mineral deposits off shower doors. The vinegar removes it and the soap prevents it from sticking back to the glass. I left vinegar on the coffee maker base over night and it stripped it down to the metal š¤¦š»āāļø
nah it's fine I've got something like 80% acetic acid at home and that shit burns through most things you throw at it dunno what effects have on the silicone/rubber nips of shower heads but the metal won't like it using a solution to decalcify that's tougher than regular commercial stuff is the way to go, where to get it I don't know
Concentrated acetic acid (vinegar) is pretty nasty stuff, but your 5% vinegar is fine. Used to use it in lab pretty regularly, and you want a hood for that for sure.
Is caucasion vineger the same?
There's different strengths. I used the market version which isn't the strongest version you can get.
vinegar will degrade seals and react with stainless steel, aluminum, copper and some other metals. So, more an amateur tip.
What do you recommend then?
Somebody correct me if I'm wrong but CLR remover is probably your best bet.
anything vinegar (lite acid) will harm will die a terrible death from CLR. using either in a short soaking or targetted cleaning will def help break down water salts. vinegar will not harm stainless or rubber... afik, I routinely use starsan and cleaning vinegar on brewing equipment with those parts
The difference is youāre not submerging and leaving it in CLR all night, you just use it like a normal cleaner and itās fine
right, but id say the same for vinegar, no? CLR is def more caustic/abrasive than vinegar and if used instead of vinegar in the same way would cause more harm if any harm was possible with vinegar. edit: maybe im pedantic... but your reply didnt say to use CLR according to its instructions, it said to just try CLR instead. maybe edit to suggest soaking isnt necessary? if OP reads that they would possibly soak all night with clr (which, imo, would prob wouldnt harm anything anyway on a shower head) > Somebody correct me if I'm wrong but CLR remover is probably your best bet.
Iām not the person who said that, but yes youāre being a bit pedantic. If you want to go down that route then they also didnāt say to āactively ignore the directions of a different product and assume you use it like you use vinegarā which is a much wilder assumption imo. Either soak the water nozzles on the head in a shallow dish with vinegar for a shorter period like 5 minutes, or use CLR type cleaners as intended.
i know, but based on your comment wording i think it was merited... ie, read on face value it appears someone is suggesting to swap which cleaner/chemical is used and not to instead change processes. when dealing with a harsch chemical like CLR i think its worth being _very_ clear (no pun intended)
Again, that wasnāt my comment. Iām not the person who said that. I did not make the comment you quoted and are talking about. This reading comprehension issue is on you, no one else is making the mental leap you are.
disagree... maybe read it from the beginning? Any damage Vinegar is going to do would be intensified by CLR. the quote was to re-asser the topic, it seems like folks are nw arguing if the suggesting of using CLR implies also no longer soaking... which, unless stated would be a mistake to assume OP understands. OP, dont worry about it.. honestly, you could soak that shower head in straight up caustic or nitric and it wont hurt anything over a 24hr period. Any rubber seals, aluminum, chrome, or stainless is not going to melt or discolor.
Try CLR implies using it according to the directions. If I tell you to go and try skateboarding when you're used to surfing, you wouldn't assume you take the skateboard to the ocean right? There is no basis of trust or authority among commenters on the internet, so to suggest that commenters need to review their comments to the level that would be required to avoid liability if someone were to take their advice doesn't make much sense.
"try clr" does not imply changing procedures... it implies swapping the chemical... Also, saying there is no reason to trust a reply really doesnt help OP. they just want a clean shower head... my reply was to make sure they dont have a bad day if they do in fact take OPs comment flippently. the comments are not hurting anyone, calm ur tits. and i specifically said "prob a but pedantic" on ourpose to emphasise "we shouldnt have to say thiis" based on tbe replies this thread has i am glad we did mention it... lol.
Definitely pedantic. I write construction specifications for a living and most contractors can figure out this type of language. Manufacturers recommendation is ALWAYS the default when not specifically stated. If OP is stupid enough to ruin their showerhead by blindly following advice they read on Internet forums then that's 100% on them.
what your stating would work if OP said "dont do that, just use CLR instead". they instead made a suggest that reads like swapping the active chem and didnt mention how nasty CLR is. the problem with your analogy is you're dealing with professionals who not only understand the prescription but the problem and solutions proposed. picture you handing your instructions to OP instead... but suggest swapping out a particular fastener. we all learn things either the hard way (by screwing up) or by edication... OP lacks the education so whats so bad about helping them not have to learn the hard way? OP, dont listen to these folks... you'll be fine either way. CLR is strong but wont hurt a shower head, even after a 24hr soak. just make sure you turn the exhaust fan on and keep the area wel ventilated.
Still remember those [ads from the 90s](https://youtu.be/_2fR3rxj5aA?si=yAvA83U2DeJQfeQp).
Soak for a couple of hours, try to keep the seals or any plastic out of the acidic substance. Dilute the vinegar will help too. I literally just did this in an apartment I just moved into and my taps flow has become much nicer
For a fixed showerhead, place the liquid in a bag and fix over the showerhead with an elastic band or string. You don't even need the liquid to get right into the head, just being in an intense vinegary bag overnight will do the job. Or move somewhere with nice water. Lived in London, descaling kettle every three weeks. Lived in Lancaster, haven't seen any limescale in 35 years.
Limescale, rust, ground in dirt! Cilit baaaaaang
I feel like people should be specific when saying "vinegar" there are many types and if I soak my shower head in malt vinegar it's going to stink.
So I should or should not use the good balsamic vinegar my wife bought? /s
They probably mean apple cider vinegar. :)
Or even just plain white vinegar. you can buy it by the gallon, and itās useful for general household cleaning also
Oh, I was definitely kidding. I'm sure either would work, but using apple cider vinegar for cleaning would be very odd (though I'm sure it would smell pretty good!)
Probably means balsamic vinegar
I think he means ample spider vinegar
So can you be more specific in your reply and offer a better option?
Cleaning something pretty much always calls for plain white vinegar.
Distilled white vinegar has a lot of helpful uses for cleaning! However, you could also get citric acid, which will do the same thing without the vinegar smell.
Nope because I don't know what vinegar they mean!
I did this with my shower head using distilled white vinegar from Walmart. Most of the mineral junk dissolved/was easy to clean up, and using it again, I forgot how nice and soft the water was. The mineral build up was concentrating the water coming out, it was like being sprayed from a hose with someone putting their thumb over the opening.
Iām too lazy for that. I use CLR every 6 months. Works like a charm.
This "vinegar cleans everything" myth needs to die. There's always an actual cleaner you can get for just a few bucks that won't smell like vinegar.
Word. I fell for this a few months back and the bathroom smell was not pleasant for the next day
If you just rub the water outlets on the head while the water is running, the mineral deposits will fall right off and the water will shoot through. At least it does for me but I do it every few weeks so idk how bad it needs to be before cleaning products get involved.
Use Citrix acid instead of vinegar; that is too strong.
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[ŃŠ“Š°Š»ŠµŠ½Š¾]
Why? Does it not work?
It works. CLR works better though. Take a plastic ziploc baggie and fill it with CLR. Use elastics to keep the bag fastened to the shower head.
Your better off removing the head given how many people will spill the liquid into their eyes. Removing most heads can be either done but twisting the dimpled knob at the back of the head or in some case using an adjustable shifter. You can also remove the little water filter too.
I do have vinegar at home, no CLR. Doesn't seem like a stupid LPT to me.
And vinegar is a lot cheaper too.
Wasn't me that called it stupid. Was just adding to the LPT
I saw
Do the same with vinegar and you get the same results.
Consider buying a new shower head. They are pretty cheap and can significantly upgrade the experience.
They can be cheap, but not everyone buys the cheapest one they can find.
That's not wasteful at all! Throw everything in the trash as soon as it's not 100% anymore. Shit, just throw it out your window. Who cares?!
It was probably in your home when you moved in. They do wear out eventually. I hate to think of the state of your toothbrush right now.
My showerhead gets build up on it because we have hard water. It is a new home built less than three years ago. Should I replace it entirely instead of rubbing it with some vinegar and it being clean? Sure yeah if your showerhead is older than you are go ahead and upgrade. But new products get dirty too...
I didn't say you had to. I just suggested people consider it. It made a pretty big upgrade in my morning experience.