To unclog a shower head, remove it from the wall pipe, using a pair of padded pipe wrenches to avoid marring the chrome. Disassemble the head and soak the parts overnight in vinegar to soften the mineral deposits; then scrub them clean with a stiff brush.
Use a toothpick to poke debris and mineral deposits from the shower holes. Before screwing the head back on, apply joint sealer to the wall-pipe threads.
To replace a shower head with one that has a non-clogging plastic face plate-or to install a water-conserving head or one that delivers a pulsating flow-remove the old head and screw the new one in its place, following the manufacturer’s instructions.
To add a hand-held shower unit, remove the existing head and install a diverter valve in its place. Screw the fixed shower head onto the diverter’s main outlet, and the hose of the hand-held unit onto the side outlet.
To install a hand-held unit on a bathtub spout, remove the old spout by inserting a hammer handle and turning it counterclockwise; replace it with a new one that is the same size but includes a diverter valve and an outlet for the hand-held hose.