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THE EVERYTHING FIX-IT BOOK
Keeping Showerheads and Faucets Running Free If you’re dancing around under your showerhead in order to get wet, or your faucets are sputtering rather than flowing, there may be an easy fix. Over time, minerals and particles in your water supply can form deposits on showerheads, faucets, and sink sprayers, eventually obstructing the water flow. Eliminate the buildup (usually visible as a white or grayish deposit), and you can enjoy free-running water again. You may not even have to remove the showerhead. Fill a plastic bag with white vinegar, and seal the bag over the showerhead so that it’s soaking in the solution. Let it sit overnight, and then brush off the deposits with an old toothbrush. If some of the spray holes are still clogged, carefully insert a thin needle or toothpick through the holes. (This can also work for faucets and sink sprayer nozzles—the latter can be dipped into a bowl containing the vinegar.) If this doesn’t work, remove the showerhead. Use one adjustable wrench on the showerhead to unscrew it (counterclockwise) and one wrench on the shower arm (the pipe that the showerhead attaches to) to steady it so that it doesn’t twist (potentially breaking the piping inside the wall). Wrapping the wrenches with masking or duct tape will prevent them from gouging the pipes. If the joint still won’t budge, try a shot of penetrating oil, and leave it for twenty-four hours. Once the showerhead is off, wash it well in hot water with some dish detergent to dislodge any loose deposits. Soak the showerhead overnight in vinegar, then try the toothbrush and toothpick tricks again. When you replace the showerhead, wrap the threads on the shower arm with three layers of Teflon (or plumber’s) tape first, to ensure a tight seal. Always wrap Teflon or plumber’s tape in the direction that you’ll be tightening—most of the time, this is clockwise. Otherwise, the threads can tear the tape, which clogs the threads instead of sealing them. In this case, the showerhead will screw on clockwise, so the tape should be wrapped clockwise as well.
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