Most quility heads switch between airated and stream. When airator collects debris,switching to stream flushes it out.

Klem, Interesting. But the stream flow still has some kind of screen over it, yes? It isn't just a big hole up into the line. What if the pieces of debris can't get through that screen? Some pretty big chunks of gunk get dislodged in these old pipes when the main water line is turned back on after repair.

A Franke faucet was in our apartment upon moving in. We had switched back and forth between spray and stream, as I assume the previous owners had, but it still had crud in the head when we our super opened it up to look at it.

We don't want to use this faucet both aesthetically (we want a brass color), because the flow is only 1.5 gpm, because the diameter of the spray if pretty small. Its one great feature though is you can disassemble the head and clean it out.

I think you got garbled info from Delta or you are thinking it's a bigger deal than it is. Typically all you would need to do is pull the spray head out, unscrew it where it connects to the hose, and clean out any debris. The important thing is to not let go of the hose once the spray head is unscrewed as it often will slip into the faucet and you will have a difficult time getting it back out. When I clean mine, I take a piece of duct tape and wrap one end around the hose end and the other end around the faucet spout to prevent the hose from slipping away. To clean the spray head completely, it sometimes helps to pull the innards out of the spray head (if you can) to get at any grit. I use a large pin to pop out any particles I can see that are stuck in the assembly. Try it...it's not rocket science.

Thanks kudzu. Maybe I need to try to get to a showroom that has one where I can unscrew it and see how accessible the inner parts are for cleaning. My concern is more so what happens if there is debris down in the head - so not where it connects to the line, but inside the head. Sounds like you've found a way to scoop stuff out of the aerator yes?

Delta did say that the only option for cleaning is the clean the hose or soak the head in vinegar and if there are actual particles in there I would need a replacement head. Which of course would be ridiculous as it sounds like I will need to clean it out multiple times a year.

Do you live in relatively new construction or have an older home where the pipes need regular maintenance? I think that is a big part of what is at issue here. When the pipes are turned back on the air pressure really shoots a ton of crap into the heads. It has been useful to watch the super take apart a head, remove the aerators, and get crap out of them.

I just found this pic on the Kohler website for how to take apart the Simplice. I don't love the lines of the Simplice but would like to be able to take a pull down head apart like this. Anyone doing this with their pull down?

In case anyone in the future is using this thread as a resource, Kohler has two pull down faucets where the sprayhead can be disassembled for cleaning: Artifacts and Graze. For the rest the spayheads cannot be disassembled.

The really helpful customer service person also said that when my water is shut off and then turned back on, prior to me turning on the faucet, I can unscrew the head then turn on the water to flush out the line, thus reducing the amount of debris likely to shoot into the head. (Perhaps this is obvious to most people but it wasn't to me!)

I also learned that unlike kitchen faucets, most Kohler bathroom faucets can be taken apart for cleaning.

! I just replaced my kitchen faucet this morning. It was so old that head bit was yucked up inside and I could no longer get a replacement for it (and cleaning filters, etc. wasn't cutting it anymore). 15 year old faucet. Costco has some good pricing on hansgrohe faucets that look like the OP photo. And yes, I will clean this one much more often, and possibly purchase a replacement head to have it when the time comes. :-)

"The only way to clear out debris according to Delta is to disconnect the entire line, pull it and the faucet head out and flush the line."

No. From the instructions (page 10):

"If faucet exhibits very low flow – Unscrew hose from spray head and clean debris from screen (1) (the screen is located just inside the spray). IMPORTANT: Reinstall screen to the spray head (failure to reinstall the screen could damage internal parts)."

We are in a rental with a pull down sprayer. Our water flow was interrupted when there was a toilet problem and the water had to be cut off. The landlord placed the faucet head in a plastic baggie full of CLR and tied the baggie to the faucet neck with a rubber band. We left it on overnight. Had to repeat a few times, but the flow is better.

BTW - I tried taking the sprayer apart and almost lost the hose in the neck. If I have to do so again, I am going to use either a clothes pin or a sturdy chip clip to prevent that from happening.

@nhb22 - great idea with clothes pin.

Aha, I called Delta and figured it out. Pull downs with a sleeker, skinnier neck, like Trinsic, don't have an accessible aerator and the inside cannot be exposed to remove debris. (The guy on the phone confirmed that soaking the head in vinegar solution will only help with calcification but not removal of sizable debris. He agreed this would be a problem for me given the plumbing issues in my building.)

However, pull downs that have a larger, wider, almost more bell shaped head can be taken apart and the aerator cleaned - such as the Emmeline or the one @wdccruise linked to above.

How to be sure: Go to a Delta website page for a particular faucet, go to documents and specs, then parts and accessories diagram. If the diagram shows an aerator then it is accessible and can be cleaned. If it only shows a sprayer assembly with no aerator then it is a whole head that cannot be taken apart.

If you can't take the innards apart, you could unscrew it from the hose and apply a high pressure stream of water to the business end of it, and possibly force debris out the back end where it first entered. If you have access to an air compressor, you could blow stuff out using this same approach, and that might be even more effective.

Good ideas thanks.