How To Clean A Faucet Head?
QUICK ANSWER
Clean a faucet head (also called the aerator) by unscrewing it counterclockwise from the spout, soaking it in white vinegar for 30 minutes to dissolve mineral buildup, then scrubbing with an old toothbrush. Rinse, reattach hand-tight, and the job takes under 10 minutes total.
The screen at the end of your faucet (called an aerator) clogs with mineral deposits over time, reducing water pressure and changing the spray pattern. Cleaning is fast and uses one product: white vinegar. The hardest part is usually unscrewing the aerator if it has been on for years and minerals have welded it to the spout. Here is the right method for both removable and stuck aerators.
What causes faucet head buildup?
Hard water minerals (calcium and magnesium) precipitate out of water as it sits or moves through the small openings in the aerator screen. Over months and years these deposits build up on the screen and inside the aerator housing, blocking some openings and reducing the overall water flow. Symptoms include weak water pressure, irregular spray pattern, sputtering, or water shooting sideways. Soap scum also accumulates around the outside of the spout and can transfer to the aerator threads.
How do you remove mineral deposits?
Unscrew the aerator counterclockwise from the end of the spout (most twist off by hand; some need pliers wrapped in a cloth to protect the finish). Disassemble the aerator parts and note the order. Submerge everything in undiluted white vinegar for 30 minutes (longer for severe buildup). Use an old toothbrush to scrub the screen and disassembled parts. Rinse with clean water. Reassemble in the correct order and screw back onto the spout, hand-tight only since over-tightening can cross-thread the housing.
How do you clean without removing the head?
If the aerator will not come off, clean it in place. Fill a small plastic bag halfway with white vinegar. Push the bag up over the faucet spout so the aerator is submerged in vinegar. Secure with a rubber band around the spout (not so tight you damage the finish). Leave for 1 to 2 hours. Remove the bag, scrub the aerator with an old toothbrush from below, and run the water for 30 seconds to flush out loosened deposits. Repeat if buildup persists.
How often should you clean the faucet head?
In hard water areas, clean the aerator every 3 to 6 months. In soft water areas, once or twice a year is enough. Signs that it is time include weak pressure, sputtering, or water spraying sideways instead of straight down. Cleaning regularly is much easier than letting buildup get severe; aerators left for years often need replacement rather than cleaning because the screen deposits become impossible to fully remove. Replacement aerators cost 3 to 8 dollars at any hardware store.
Faucet head cleaning is one of the simplest plumbing maintenance tasks. Unscrew, soak in vinegar 30 minutes, scrub with a toothbrush, reattach. For stuck aerators, use a bag of vinegar tied around the spout. Cleaning every few months in hard water areas prevents the buildup that eventually requires replacing the aerator entirely. The cost is essentially zero.
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