De Water Ontharder

How to Best Descaling a Showerhead?

Everyone is familiar with it, a dirty showerhead with limescale buildup on it. The Netherlands has relatively hard water, and the only solution is cleaning. You may not feel like doing it, but if you leave it, the showerhead becomes more unhygienic over time and eventually gets clogged.

There are various methods for descaling. You can dissolve acid in water or use a chemical product. For example, think of the descaler sachet for descaling your Nespresso coffee maker. Whatever your choice is, it's a task you should perform regularly. So, it takes unnecessary time and money. However, there is a simple alternative. When the water from your tap is softened, there will be no limescale buildup in and on your appliances and pipes.

Consider, for example,  the Water Softener 1000. It softens the water with a strong magnet. You will then have up to 90% less limescale buildup in your pipes, on your showerhead, on your tiles, and in your DeLonghi coffee maker. Descaling water not only reduces your cleaning work but also has many more benefits. It can save you up to €400 per year, is more sustainable, better for your health, and maintenance-free. This article will provide more details about descaling water and its numerous advantages.

Why Is Descaling Important?

A showerhead with dried limescale is not a pleasant sight. Additionally, it can clog the nozzles, resulting in a weaker water stream. So, descaling is unfortunately necessary for a clean and properly functioning showerhead. After all, there is always calcium and magnesium in tap water. Especially if you live in an area with hard water. "Hard" means a higher concentration of calcium and magnesium. Descaling a showerhead is a tedious task. But with softened water, that task becomes a thing of the past. Furthermore, there are many more benefits to descaling water. It's also very good for your white goods appliances and the combi HR boiler. Limescale also causes deposits in water pipes. The thicker the deposits, the worse the efficiency of, for example, your washing machine or dishwasher. This means your energy bill goes up. Too much calcium and magnesium in the water is also not good for your skin, especially if you have sensitive skin. Bacteria can also more easily attach to the remaining limescale on the showerhead. Not pleasant if you have to shower with it every day. Descaling water and the showerhead have a positive effect on your health.

Most of the Netherlands Has Hard Water

Almost the entire Netherlands deals with hard water. So, practically everyone would benefit from a water softener. There are two regions with less hard water: the region around the Utrechtse Heuvelrug and around the Frisian lakes. Although measurements are averages, and even in these regions, a water softener is recommended. Calcium and magnesium naturally occur in drinking water, and it's not a problem for consumption. In fact, these minerals are very healthy for the human body. However, a high concentration means deposits in water pipes, dull tiles in the bathroom, and limescale on showerheads and faucets. The concentration of calcium is indicated in degrees of German hardness (dH). We consider all water with a concentration from 8° dH to be hard water. If you simply look on Google , you will see that the majority of the Netherlands deals with hard water. There are some regions where the water is very hard, such as in South Limburg, North Brabant, and the land of Maas and Waal. In Twente, too, you can find some municipalities with very hard water.

Descaling by Hand Is a Lot of Work

A straightforward solution for a limescale-covered showerhead is to clean it by hand. People have been doing it for years. In the past, a showerhead was descaled with water and vinegar or lemon juice. The acid essentially removes the limescale buildup from the surface. This method still works, although it's quite labor-intensive. It also needs to be repeated because new limescale will simply build up on the showerhead again. Thanks to a lot of research and technological advancement, there are now special descaler cleaning products on the market. These are often more aggressive than household remedies, making the cleaning process easier. However, these chemical additives are not always good for your skin or your showerhead. And here too, you have to keep repeating the process. Limescale will just deposit again.

➔ A tedious task that takes a lot of time.

➔ You have to keep doing it because the limescale returns.

➔ Chemical substances can be bad for your skin.

You Should Descale Your Coffee Maker Every Six Months

Descaling your coffee maker is just as important as descaling a showerhead. After all, you want a fresh cup of coffee every day. In a coffee maker, there are many tubes through which water flows under high pressure. Limescale buildup in all those small pipes is detrimental. It doesn't improve the quality of the coffee, and the appliance can even become clogged. If you don't descale it, you will get progressively worse coffee until one day you can't make any coffee at all. It doesn't matter which brand you have, whether it's a Senseo, DeLonghi, or Nespresso. All coffee makers need to be descaled periodically. Usually, once every six months is sufficient. Coffee brands sell descaler in the form of a tablet or cup. Sometimes you can also get a liquid descaler.

Descaling with Salt Makes the Water Acidic

Prevention is better than cure, so there are also options to soften water before it comes out of your showerhead. A well-known option is a softener based on resin and salt, also known as a salt softener. This solution removes calcium minerals from water. And not only that, the salt solution also removes other important minerals. The result is poor and less healthy water. The lowered pH value (acidity) makes tap water acidic. This also leads to damage to pipes. Acidic tap water can cause leaks and rust. People also say that this water tastes a bit salty. So, while you may not have limescale on your showerhead, you may have other, potentially worse problems. Acidic water, therefore, damages the pipes and your household appliances. Due to reduced efficiency, the washing machine and dishwasher will use more water. The appliances also wear out faster, resulting in higher replacement costs.

➔ Acidic and salty water.

➔ Higher risk of leaks and rust.

➔ Higher water consumption.

Magnetic Antiscale Is the Best Solution

The newest option for descaling water is by placing powerful magnets on the water pipe. These two magnets together create a strong magnetic field that affects the molecular composition of the water. It's a natural process that occurs without the addition of electricity or chemicals. Drinking water consists of various molecules that form groups. The more molecules group together, the fewer places there are for calcium and magnesium molecules to attach themselves to. As a result, these molecules attach to pipes or showerheads. The more minerals there are in the water, the worse the white deposits. Back to the magnets.

If the magnetic field is strong enough, it breaks up the larger groups of water molecules. The minerals then have more options to attach themselves. Calcium actually dissolves better in water, so it no longer deposits on pipes or showerheads.

➔ Limescale dissolves better in water, so it doesn't deposit anymore.

➔ The pH value and composition of the water remain the same.

➔ No chemicals are involved; it's a natural process.

Descaling Water Pipes Has Many Advantages

It's clear that descaling showerheads, coffee makers, and tiles by hand is a lot of work and not a permanent solution. The limescale keeps coming back if you don't address the root cause. You'll keep having to descale your Senseo and remove that dull haze from your tiles. Descaling water before it comes out of the tap is much smarter. It prevents limescale from building up in your appliances, pipes, and on your tiles. It saves a lot of cleaning work and has many more benefits:

➔ Saving money is the biggest advantage of a magnetic descaler.

It's been calculated that you can save about €400 per year with a descaler. Your household appliances last longer and work better. This means savings on electricity and water. You also need less detergent when the tap water is soft. Many people no longer find a fabric softener necessary either. That also saves you money.

➔ The water softener is also good for your health.

It's less aggressive and prevents, for example, skin irritations. Showerheads without limescale are much more hygienic. Soft water is also better for drinking. The minerals are better dissolved, and your body absorbs them better.

➔ Descaling water is environmentally friendly.

Without that annoying limescale buildup, your appliances last longer and consume less energy and water. This is great for the environment and saves you money. You'll also notice that you need fewer cleaning products. That means fewer chemicals in the water. Again, it's better for both the environment and your wallet.

➔ A magnetic descaler requires no maintenance.

It's easy to install, and then you don't have to worry about it. You can do it yourself. You attach the descaler to the water pipe where it enters your house. Then, the water throughout your house is descaled, no matter which faucet you use. In addition, there are no filters to replace, and the descaler doesn't need electricity.

The Water Softener 1000 Comes Out on Top

There are, of course, several models on the market. But time and again, the Water Softener 1000 comes out on top in tests. First of all, because this model is suitable for most households with up to 4 or 5 people. Furthermore, consumers are particularly satisfied with the price-quality ratio of the Water Softener 1000. The more powerful the magnet, the better the water is descaled. The Water Softener 1000 has a magnet of 1,980 Gauss. You can compare that to the strength of 20 normal magnets. That's quite a force. More than enough for descaling the water in a typical household. You can get this Water Softener 1000 starting from €79. That's a reasonable price, especially when compared to competitors like the Amfa 4000. You'll pay at least €100 more for that, but you get a magnet that's only half as strong. Other manufacturers are often more expensive or offer a weaker magnet for a similar price. So, read the technical specifications carefully before making your choice.

Descaling a Showerhead Can Be a Thing of the Past

Everywhere in the Netherlands, hard water comes out of the tap. Unfortunately, there's nothing you can do about it. You can keep scrubbing forever, but that's essentially unnecessary time and money wasted. The limescale will keep coming back if you don't change the cause. You'll have to keep descaling your Senseo and that dull white residue on your bathroom tiles. Descaling a showerhead or coffee maker can be a thing of the past if you install a magnetic water descaler. You don't remove the limescale from the water; the water still contains healthy minerals. But you dilute it in such a way that it doesn't stick everywhere. And that's what it ultimately comes down to. Because then your appliances will last much longer, and you'll be rid of that nasty white residue all over your bathroom. In the end, it's the cheapest solution. You buy a descaler once, and it lasts for 10 years. After installation, you don't have to worry about it anymore. The descaler requires no maintenance, and you don't need to replace any parts. This means you save on cleaning products, detergent, fabric softener, and your appliances use less electricity for 10 years. Count your winnings!