How to restore corroded brass showerhead?

[skris232]

Hi everyone,

I’m looking for some advice on restoring a brass shower head that’s developed quite a bit of corrosion over time (photo attached). It's got several pinkish/reddish corrosion spots and some surface pitting — I believe it’s either solid brass or brass-plated, but I haven’t confirmed that yet.

It’s purely a cosmetic issue for now, but I’d love to restore it if possible rather than replace it. A few questions for the community:

1. What’s the safest way to clean off this corrosion without damaging the finish?

2. Should I use a commercial brass cleaner like Brasso, or go with a DIY solution like lemon & baking soda or vinegar & salt?

3. If it’s brass-plated, is there any way to restore the look without stripping it further?

4. How can I protect it going forward to prevent future corrosion — especially since it's in a high-moisture area like a shower?

5. It had a plastic film like layer on it. Any idea what was it?

Appreciate any tips, product recommendations, or restoration steps from those who’ve dealt with something similar.

Thanks in advance!

[Dave-1]

Good Evening @skris232 

Looking at your photos id say its Brass plated and maybe a plastic film for protection covering the outside. 

The shower head underside looks to be pitted so it proabrlly wont come back all brassy I am afraid. The discoloration on the top of the shower head looks like the brass plating is failing (I saw this question earlier and was really trying to think of ways around the issue :/)

I wouldnt try the vinigar solution just yet. Im tempted to suggest brasso but that is an abbrasive compound so I am hessitating. I will tag @JacobZ , @EricL and @Nailbag in as they may have more knowledge in what product to use.

Dave

[JacobZ]

Hi @skris232,

I'd say @Dave-1 is on the money. It looks like it is brass plating, possibly over copper, based on the colour around the holes in the shower head. I don't think it has corroded; I think the electroplating has just worn off over time.

Unfortunately, I am not aware of a D.I.Y. method of restoring brass plating.

You could try giving it a good clean with soapy water and then spraying it with Dulux Metalshield Brass And Copper Enamel Clear Spray. This would offer some protection, but it would be an experimental approach at best, as this paint is not really designed for this purpose.

It might be worth seeing if there are companies near you that do brass electroplating. They might be your best option.

Replacing it with another showerhead is another option.

Let me know what you think.

Jacob

[skris232]

Thanks Dave!

[skris232]

Looks like it’s copper under the brass plating — just as I thought.
I was ready to replace this old shower head when I bought the house, but was wondering if it’s worth restoring to its past glory lol. 
I’ll do check local businesses nearby that do brass electroplating and see if its worth. 

Thanks for the input, Jacob!

[EricL]

Hello @skris232 

Electroplating was going to be my next suggestion, but it looks like you already have it in mind. I would probably ask the electroplating mob if they will do a deep clean first and remove the limescale build up inside the head before they electroplate it. This should save you the trouble of having to soak the head in CLR to remove the limescale.

If you have any other questions we can help with, please let us know.

Eric