7 Things Around the House You Should Descale With Vinegar (We Didn’t Know Either!)

Hard water has a high concentration of minerals that build up over time to create limescale. While there are plenty of store-bought products geared toward removing this chalk build-up in a process called descaling, you often don’t need to use anything other than good old fashioned white vinegar.

We tapped in a few experts to ask them which home items they suggest descaling with vinegar.

Showerheads

According to professional cleaner Alma Hinojosa, shower heads are one of the best things to descale with vinegar—and you’ll know it’s time when your water pressure drops.

“Mineral deposits and tiny bits of gunk clog the nozzles, and it totally messes with the pressure,” she says.

If you have a hand nozzle or a removable shower head, you can easily soak these in a bowl of vinegar. But it’s also possible to do this with a fixture that can’t be removed.

In this case, Hinojosa suggests using a large ziplock bag along with your vinegar and following the below steps:

1. Fill the ziplock bag with a few cups of distilled white vinegar.
2. Position the bag around your showerhead, pulling it up until the shower is submerged in the liquid.
3. Fasten the bag using a rubber band.
4. Leave the showerhead to soak overnight.
5. The next day, remove the bag. The limescale should have loosened up on its own.
6. Let water run until there’s no smell and gunk coming out.

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Steam Cleaners

Cleaning professional and product co-founder Lindsay Droz says she loves to use vinegar to descale her handheld steamer every eight to ten uses.

“It keeps everything flowing properly and extends the life of the device,” she says.

To do so, Droze uses the following method once the nozzle starts to clog:

1. Fill the water basin with a 1:1 solution of vinegar and water.
2. Open the nozzle.
3. Allow the solution to run through the tubing.

Faucets

As with your shower head, Hinojosa says the same method can be used on your faucets—and because these are much smaller, you likely won’t need to let it soak overnight.

“A quick clean usually brings the flow right back to normal,” she says. “Aside from the big visual difference if you remove limescale, there’s better water flow.”

Dishwasher

If you’re finding your glassware is coming out cloudy or your dishes aren’t quite as clean, Droz says you can easily descale your dishwasher using vinegar.

“Pour a cup of white vinegar into a bowl, place it upright on the top rack, and run a hot cycle with no detergent or dishes,” she says. “It clears out mineral buildup and freshens the interior.”

Cloudy Glassware

If you need to clear up some cloudy drinking glasses that have already been through the dishwasher, Hinojosa says you can tackle these with vinegar, too.

“Soak them in warm vinegar for five to ten minutes, then scrub gently with a soft brush or sponge,” she says. “Rinse, then wash again as usual with [soap].”

Tile or Laminate Countertops

If you’ve noticed a build-up of limescale on the counter around your taps or sink, you can use white vinegar to descale this area—but it depends on the material of your counters. Tile and laminate are fine, but others may present a problem.

“Don’t use it on natural stone,” warns Hinojosa. “That includes marble, quartz, and granite.”

Kettles and Keurigs

If you’ve noticed a white build-up in your tea kettle or coffee maker, you can also easily clean this out with white vinegar. It’s absolutely effective, although some pros do warn that it can temporarily affect the taste or leave behind a strong scent.

If you do want to use vinegar, just be sure to give your machine an extra rinse.

“Run a few extra cycles with clean water to ensure every trace is gone,” says Droz. “Your coffee—and your taste buds—will thank you.”