Keeping your water safe

If taps or showers are not used for a while, water can sit in the pipes and become stagnant. There are a few simple things you can do to help keep the water in your home fresh and your taps and showers working well.

Clean your shower regularly

Clean and descale your shower head and hose at least every three months. You may need to do this more often if you notice limescale building up.

Run your taps and shower after being away

If you have been away from home for a week or more, run your hot and cold taps and shower for around two minutes before using them as normal.

When running the shower, point the shower head away from your face.

Use all your taps and showers

Try to use all the taps and showers in your home regularly, including any that you do not use very often. This helps prevent water from sitting in the pipes for long periods.

How to clean your shower head and hose

1. Remove the shower head
Unscrew the shower head from the hose. If you can, disconnect the hose from the tap or wall fitting too.

2. Remove any limescale
Soak the shower head and hose in a suitable descaling product, following the instructions on the packaging. You can also use a mixture of warm water and white vinegar.

3. Give it a clean
Use a small brush to gently remove any dirt, limescale or build-up from the nozzles and fittings.

4. Rinse everything well
Rinse all the parts thoroughly with clean water to remove any cleaning product and loosened dirt.

5. Put it back together
Reconnect the shower head and hose. Run the shower for around one minute before using it, pointing the shower head away from you.

Worried about your water?

If you notice anything unusual with your water, taps or shower, or think something needs repairing, please report it to whg.