Domakihub How to remove limescale from taps & shower heads
Greece's hard water leaves chalky white scale on taps and blocks shower nozzles. Here's how to dissolve it — no harsh scrubbing.
Reviewed by Domakihub cleaning pros · 2026-06-23 · 4 min read
Limescale is just hardened calcium from hard water, and acid dissolves it — so you don't need to scrub or scratch the chrome. Plain white vinegar (or citric acid) does almost all the work while it soaks. The video above shows the method; the steps below are the soak-and-wipe routine.
Why it builds up so fast in Greece
Most of Greece has hard water, so every drop that dries leaves a little calcium behind. It collects fastest where water sits or sprays — tap spouts, shower heads and glass. The fix is always the same: dissolve it with acid, don't grind it off.
Descale taps and shower heads in 5 steps
- 1
Make a vinegar soak
Use neat white vinegar (warm it slightly for tougher scale). For coloured or delicate finishes, dilute it 1:1 with water and test a small spot first.
- 2
Bag the shower head
Fill a sandwich bag with vinegar, slip it over the shower head so the nozzles are submerged, and tie it on with an elastic band. For taps, wrap them in vinegar-soaked paper towel or cloth.
- 3
Leave it to soak
30 minutes clears light scale; heavy build-up may need a few hours or overnight. The acid does the work while you wait.
- 4
Scrub the nozzles
Remove the bag and scrub gently with an old toothbrush. Push a pin through any blocked shower nozzles to clear them.
- 5
Rinse and buff
Rinse with water, dry and buff with a soft cloth. Wiping taps dry after use keeps the scale from coming back.
Rather have a pro handle it?
Get a vetted cleaning pro in your city — one number, booked in EN/EL/DE.
FAQ
- Is vinegar safe on chrome and taps?
- Yes for short soaks on standard chrome. Avoid prolonged contact with brass, nickel, gold-tone or stone finishes — dilute and test first, and rinse well.
- How do I stop limescale coming back?
- Wipe surfaces dry after use, and consider a water softener or shower-head filter in very hard-water areas.
- Vinegar or a commercial descaler?
- Vinegar and citric acid handle most household scale cheaply. A commercial descaler is faster on thick, old build-up.