Showerheads are created to be installed and detached easily by screwing them over the shower arm.
However, taking off the showerhead is not always easy and simple when you require it.
It is because sometimes it got stuck due to rust, mineral accumulation, and calcification.
But you can remove a stuck showerhead with a straightforward process that we will tell you in this article.
Related:
Prepare to take out a showerhead
Place a trap down or a garbage bag in the bathtub that is located under the showerhead, before you start removing it.
It will gather any falling rust and metal flakes.
You also have to shut down your shower’s water supply.
Even though it is not mandatory for the removal of a showerhead, it can be good to avoid problems particularly if you are not used to doing plumbing works.
Use pliers or wrench
Try removing the showerhead with your hand.
In case you fail to pull it off it with your hands, there are some other ways that you can use to do so.
Use pliers or a wrench to unscrew it.
These tools will make sure that you will have a tight grip on the joint as compared to your hands.
To prevent scratching or digging into it, you can wrap the plumber’s tape all over the teeth of the pliers or wrench.
Tighten pliers or a wrench around the joint and more anti-clockwise to unscrew it.
When it starts moving, continue unscrewing with your hands to take it off.
Use vinegar to clean the buildup (if required)
In case you fail to unscrew using pliers or a wrench, it may be stuck due to mineral accumulation, corrosion, rust, or calcification.
Luckily, the application of vinegar can help dissolve and remove many such substances.
White vinegar is a multi-purpose household cleaner and highly acidic in nature that dissolves buildup and rust.
If your showerhead is fixed to the wall, you can fasten a plastic bag filled with vinegar to it so that the stuck joint gets soaked into the vinegar.
For hanging showerhead, place it in a bowl or bucket and wait for a couple of hours or leave overnight for best results.
When it is soaked, try to rotate it with pliers or a wrench.
If still fails, spray the joint with WD-40or some other type of lubricant.
Then try twisting it again.
Clean the shower pipe
When you successfully removed the showerhead, don’t forget to clean the shower pipe so that the new or refurbished showerhead doesn’t get stuck again.
If there is an old plumber’s tape remove that and take steel wool or some other abrasive to scrub the pipe threads and ensure that you clean the inside of the channel.
To clean the shower pipe further, use vinegar.
Once everything is clean, roll a piece of plumber’s tape over the pipe threads to prevent water from seepage into the gaps and add it as per manufacturers’ guidelines.
If the water supply was shut down at the start, turn it on and check it for any leaks at the connection.
Last Updated on May 17, 2021 by Kaalimbar Vazentini
