Vinegar is ‘great option’ to remove limescale from this

There is an infinite amount of cleaning hacks to scroll through on TikTok, with the hashtag #cleantok amassing over 114.9 billion views and over 48,000 videos.

Whether cleaning surfaces with lemon and bicarbonate of soda or cleaning mirrors with mops, there is one particular hack to remove limescale off your shower head that bathroom expert Brenna Ryan, who works at Victorian Plumbing, said is right on.

Limescale, also known as calcium carbonate, is a hard and chalky white deposit on surfaces created as a byproduct of hard water evaportating. While there are tons of hacks out there to remove the icky inevitable substance from your sinks, showerheads and elsewhere, the plumbing expert gave this particular cheap and easy hack a thumbs up to remove it from your showerhead.

READ MORE: Simple fix removes limescale from shower heads and increases water pressure

Brenna says that vinegar is a powerful agent to removing limescale build up on your household items, particularly your showerheads.

One particular viral trend involves attaching a ziploc bag with vinegar to your shower head and leaving it for about 15 minutes to help dissolve the build up.

“Vinegar is a great option for removing limescale, as the chalky buildup reacts with the acidity of vinegar helping to break it down,” Brenna told the Daily Express. “The trick with this hack is to fill the ziplock bag with white vinegar and insert the shower head, tying it with an elastic band to keep it in place.”

She continues: “The head needs to sit in the solution for between 15 minutes to half an hour, allowing all the limescale to dissolve. Just be sure to rinse the showerhead before use after sitting in the vinegar!”

However, she warns that it cannot be used on all types of surfaces. She advises only trying out the hack on stainless steel products.

Conversely, she says not to use it on other metals such as brass, which will not react well to the acidity.