How to remove limescale from a shower head

By Saadat Rafiq · 2 min read · 5 steps · Updated 4 October 2026

Step pictures

4 of 5 steps, our drawings

Checked

October 2026

Sources

1, linked below

This is the method the UK consumer organisation Which? recommends. Citric acid, distilled vinegar and white vinegar all work, it says, but citric acid is stronger than the vinegar products and does not smell.

Step by step

1. Mix the solution

   Dissolve two tablespoons of citric acid powder in a large bowl of roughly one litre of hot, but not boiling, water.

   Done

2. Detachable shower head: soak it

   Put the shower head in the bowl and leave it to soak for about an hour.

   Done

3. Fixed shower head: use a bag

   Fill a large zip-lock bag with the citric acid and water solution and put it over the shower head. Zip it up as far as you can and use an elastic band to tie it in place. Leave it for about an hour as well.

   Done

4. Wipe and rinse

   Give the head a quick final wipe over with a cleaning cloth, then run water through it again.

   Done

5. Keep limescale away

   Give shower glass a quick swipe with a squeegee after each shower.

   Done

Good to know

The same acid works on a kettle: how to descale a kettle.

The pictures on this page are our own drawings of each step, not photos. Every amount and time comes from the source below.

In short: Two tablespoons of citric acid in about a litre of hot, not boiling, water. Soak the head for about an hour, or use a zip-lock bag on a fixed head. Wipe and run the water.