Boost Your Shower’s Water Pressure — No Tools Required

Is your shower’s water pressure lacking? Does the flow feel weaker than it used to be? Well, if you’re anything like Kramer from Seinfeld, you can always buy an extra-powerful showerhead intended for cleaning circus elephants. Or if that doesn’t sound feasible, you can try a simpler solution. Here’s one that requires no tools or…

A No-Pressure Hack for Better Pressure

The more you use a showerhead, the more mineral deposits build up and clog the holes. This could prevent water from getting through, leading you to believe something is wrong with the pressure. In reality, it’s probably just a bunch of gunk obstructing the flow of water, which is an easy problem to fix.

What You’ll Need

• Distilled white vinegar

• Leakproof plastic bag to fit over showerhead

• Rubber bands

Take a leakproof plastic bag, such as a gallon-sized Ziploc, and fill it about a third of the way with distilled white vinegar. (The amount of vinegar needed ultimately depends on the size of your showerhead.) Next, place the bag over the showerhead, ensuring that the holes are fully submerged in the vinegar. Use a rubber band to tightly secure the bag around the neck of the showerhead.

At this point, you’re going to want to let the showerhead soak in vinegar, which should break down the mineral deposits for easy cleaning. However, soak times vary depending on the type of showerhead you have. If the fixture is coated with gold, brass, chrome, or nickel, only let it soak for 30 minutes max, or you risk damaging the finish. If your showerhead is made of a more durable material, such as stainless steel, then allow the vinegar to soak for at least an hour, or even overnight if you prefer.

Once the vinegar has had time to work, take the bag off the showerhead and run hot water on full blast. This should help dislodge any broken-down mineral deposits. Lastly, turn the water off and wipe away any remaining gunk with a clean rag or spare toothbrush — just not the one you use to brush your teeth.

If you follow these steps, you should notice a more potent stream of water than before, without needing any tools or complicated replacements. Now all you have to do is take a nice, warm shower and bask in the success of your accomplishments.