Fix A Stuck Shower Diverter With A Simple Trick

A shower diverter is a kind of valve that changes water flow between the bathtub faucet and the showerhead above. These mechanisms come in several different types. For example, you may have a pin that you pull to channel the water to the shower, or a button that needs to be pushed. Regardless of the type, shower diverter valves are sometimes prone to getting stuck. This often happens because of debris that builds up around the valve's moving parts. This blockage-causing debris is largely comprised of limescale, but can also include dirt and grease. If this grime is preventing the mechanism from operating properly, you'll find that the diverter gets stuck and you're unable to switch the water between the shower and the faucet.

In many cases, fixing a stuck diverter is a sufficiently simple affair that you can tackle on your own, without calling a plumber. All you need to do is remove the limescale, or whatever other grime is keeping the valve from moving. This can be by actively scraping the debris out with an abrasive tool, or by soaking it in a liquid that dissolves the gunk. Here's how to remove the accumulated debris to loosen your tub's stuck faucet diverter.

Stuck pin-style diverters are the easiest to fix, since they're located inside the spout and are relatively accessible. You can try cleaning the limescale out in two different ways. For the first one, you'll need a nail file. Start by opening up the tiny rails that guide the diverter inside the spout. Then, use the nail file to clean each part of the rail thoroughly. Hopefully, this procedure removes enough of the gunk to free the valve. After cleaning, squeeze the rails back to their original form, and try operating the diverter.

You can also use vinegar to soak the mechanism. Fill a plastic bag with white vinegar, and fasten it to the faucet so that the spout and the diverter valve are fully immersed. Vinegar can easily remove limescale by dissolving it with its constituent acetic acid. For best results, leave the spout submerged for at least three days. Alternatively, unscrew and soak the diverter mechanism in a vinegar-filled bowl for several days, then reattach it to the spout. 

Fixing a push button diverter requires a bit more time and effort. Unlike the spout-mounted pin-style diverters, their push button cousins are built into the faucet valve assembly. This means you need to remove the entire valve from the wall to service the diverter. Once you've taken the valve off the wall, remove the faceplate and unscrew the diverter mechanism — it should slide right out of the assembly. Then submerge the mechanism in CLR for five to 10 minutes before rinsing it, reassembling the valve, and reconnecting it to the water pipes. If the valve still gets stuck, it's probably time to replace your shower diverter.