Shower heads are used daily in most households, yet they are often neglected when it comes to cleaning. Over time, they can accumulate soap scum, limescale, and even mould if not regularly maintained.
It had been a few months since I last cleaned my shower heads, and both had become heavily coated with limescale. I live in a hard water area, which means limescale builds up quickly in kettles, on shower screens, and on taps.
Limescale is caused by water containing high levels of dissolved calcium and magnesium. When water is heated or left to evaporate, these dissolved minerals harden and leave behind an unpleasant chalky deposit known as calcium carbonate.
Removing limescale can be challenging, especially if you want to avoid damaging materials like stainless steel. I usually use white vinegar mixed with water and washing-up liquid, or Viakal, to remove limescale in my bathroom. However, I often find the vinegar solution works best on shower screens rather than shower heads, and Viakal, while effective, often leaves behind a pungent odour.
I decided to pit Viakal against another leading competitor, Astonish, to determine which one is the best. Astonish is the cheaper option, costing £2 at my local Savers, while Viakal costs £3 at my local Sainsbury's. You also get 250ml more product from Astonish, which comes in a 750ml spray bottle, compared to Viakal's 500ml bottle.
Both shower heads I tested were exactly the same size and brand. I sprayed one shower head with Viakal and the other with Astonish and left them both to stand in my kitchen sink for 30 minutes.
The first thing I noticed when spraying was the smell. Viakal has a pungent, bleach-like scent that started giving me a headache within minutes. In contrast, Astonish smelled more like citrus and was not nearly as strong. Both sprays also had quite different consistencies. Astonish was more watery, which made me apprehensive about its effectiveness, while Viakal was thicker and more foamy.
When spraying, I noticed that the Astonish bottle was easier to use at different angles, while the Viakal spray bottle was more stubborn when I tried to spray it at an angle. However, this could be because the Viakal bottle was only half full.
After leaving them to sit for 30 minutes, I rinsed them off to see the results. I gave both shower heads a once-over with an old toothbrush to remove any stubborn limescale residue before comparing them.
The Results
I was almost certain Viakal would be the winner, but I was proved wrong. The shower head I sprayed with Astonish was sparkling after rinsing and drying. All the limescale marks had melted away, and most of the shower nozzles were completely clear. The shower head I had used Viakal on still had large limescale deposits even after scrubbing it hard with a toothbrush, which was disappointing. After the experiment, I decided to rinse it off and spray it again with Astonish to remove the remaining limescale.
Both products are highly effective at removing limescale, but on this occasion, Astonish was the clear winner.
