While a buildup of limescale in a shower is perfectly normal, especially in households with hard water, it isn’t what most people want to see. Unsightly and sometimes even reducing the flow of water, limescale is a nuisance that should be removed whenever possible. 

Fortunately, getting rid of limescale isn’t as hard as you might think, and it’s even easier if you hire a cleaning company to do it for you! However, if you prefer to tackle it yourself, here are some eco-friendly (and affordable) ways to eliminate it and keep your shower looking clean and functioning properly:

• Vinegar

As a cleaning agent, white vinegar is incredibly powerful and highly effective. By simply combining equal amounts of white vinegar and water in a bottle with a spray, you can remove limescale in just a few minutes (although worse affected areas may take several applications and a little more elbow grease). Spray the vinegar and water combo onto the affected parts of the shower and leave it for a few minutes. Then, using a scrubber brush or coarse sponge, rub at the area before rinsing. 

• Lemon juice

Because they’re naturally highly acidic, lemons are the ideal solution for combating limescale. Take a lemon, squeeze the juice into the limescale-affected areas, leave it for a few minutes, scrub and rinse. As with the vinegar, several repetitions may be required for deeply affected areas. 

• Baking soda

A natural but abrasive cleaning agent, baking soda can help eliminate limescale without scratching delicate surfaces. By applying a paste of baking soda, water and vinegar (or lemon juice) to affected areas of the shower, leaving it for a few minutes, scrubbing it off and rinsing, you can safely and effectively remove all traces of limescale. 

How to deep clean a limescale-affected showerhead

When limescale builds up on a shower head (which it can easily do), it can stop the water from coming out with enough pressure, affecting your showering experience. To help keep your showerhead working properly, here’s what you can do:

• Remove it, submerge it in a bowl of white vinegar and leave it to soak, ideally overnight
• Then, rinse the vinegar off thoroughly before reattaching it
• Alternatively, you can pop the detached showerhead in a bag filled with vinegar and water, leave it for a good couple of hours before rinsing with water

Preventative methods are best employed to reduce limescale in your shower, however, and experts recommend investing in a water softening or conditioning system. Cleaning your shower quickly after every use is another great way to stop limescale from ever becoming a problem, along with mold and mildew, and can be as simple as using a squeegee to get rid of excess water or a towel to wipe it down. Of course, the simplest way to keep your shower limescale-free is to have a cleaning company come in and deep clean it every week, fortnight or month, and this way you can enjoy as many long, hot showers as you wish, without the worry of unsightly limescale, or a lack of water pressure.