Is your showerhead spraying water in every direction, and the water pressure nowhere near what it used to be? If you’re wondering, “How do I clean a shower head?” You're not alone! Showerheads often get overlooked when it comes to cleaning—until the performance starts to decline. Luckily, bringing your showerhead back to its former glory is easier than you think. With just a few common household items, you can clean your showerhead quickly and effectively, restoring that powerful, refreshing spray. Get ready to enjoy your showers again and tackle your day with a smile! We have curated a step-by-step guide on how to clean shower heads at your home.
How Often Should You Clean Your Shower Head
An uncleaned shower head not only offers reduced water pressure but also can be a home for bacteria and fungi-causing allergies and diseases. If you live in an area with hard water, minerals can gather on the shower heads and clog those pores. You can use shower filters and water softeners to fix this problem. However, it is best to clean it every other month to reduce the dirt and bacteria. No, you don’t need a professional cleaning agency or plumber to understand how to clean shower heads. You need some simple things that are listed below to perform this activity:
- White vinegar
- Water
- Large Plastic Bag or Bucket
- Rubber Band
- Old Tooth Brush For Scrubbing
- Toothpick
Step By Step Guide on How to Clean Shower Heads
If you have been scratching your head thinking, how do you clean a shower head? Don’t worry. We are here to guide you through this simple process of how to clean your shower head at home.
-
Remove The Shower Head
This is an optional step, but removing the shower head will help you clean it better. You can use an adjustable wrench to easily unscrew the shower head. After removing it, place it in a large bucket. If it is fixed, you can do the cleaning using a plastic bag and cleaning solution.
-
Prepare the Cleaning Solution
Finding the right solution is one of the most important steps in your process to learn how to clean shower heads. The shower head is filled with hardened mineral deposits and limescale. To dissolve it, you require a strong solution and distilled white vinegar can help you with that. The acidity of vinegar breaks down these minerals and accumulates over time. You can use equal parts water and vinegar to create a much more potent solution.
-
Soak The Nozzle
If you have detached the shower head, soak it in the bucket filled with the cleaning solution. You must leave it a minimum of 30 minutes for light buildup or upto a few hours for heavy buildup. If the minerals are tough and still not dissolved, leave them overnight. For the fixed shower head cleaning, fill a high-quality plastic bag with the cleaning solution and tie it to the nozzle of the shower head using a zip tie or a rubber band. Make sure that the nozzle is fully submerged in the solution.
If your showerhead is made of brass, gold, or chrome, remove it from the vinegar solution after 30 minutes, as soaking for longer may damage the finish. For nickel-coated showerheads, it's best to avoid this method altogether.
-
Scrub The Dirt Away
After soaking, the mineral deposits will get soft and are easy to scrub. You can use an old toothbrush or scrubbing brush to clean the sediments. Use a toothpick to poke through the holes of the nozzle to remove dirt from every corner. Be gentle during this process and avoid damaging the metal of the showerhead.
-
Rinse The Showerhead
Now that you have scrubbed your showerhead properly rinse it using warm water to remove all the buildup. If there is something left, you can scrub it again and rinse it off. For fixed showerheads, you can simply turn on warm water through the nozzle. Let it flow for a few minutes to completely rinse the sediments.
-
Re-attach The Showerhead
Use the adjustable wrench and screw back the showerhead in its place. Do not screw too tight, as it might damage the threads of the head. After you have placed it perfectly, get ready to test the water pressure.
-
Test The Pressure
It’s the result time! Turn on your shower and check the water flow. You should experience even spread and good water pressure. If it is still uneven you can repeat the cleaning process or check for any damage in the shower head.
Wrapping Up
With that quick process, you can master the simple yet necessary art of how to clean shower heads. Unclean shower can be really annoying, but now you know cleaning it is not such a hassle and can be done right in the comfort of your home. You can apply this same process to clean your hand showers.
Ensure you clean your showerhead every other month for easy and smooth water flow. What’s the wait? Follow our guide and enjoy a refreshing shower every single morning.
FAQs
- Can I use ingredients other than vinegar to clean my shower head?
Yes, there are a lot of cleaning solutions available in the market. However, vinegar is a natural and affordable ingredient that does a great job.
- How can I prevent excessive buildup in future?
If you reside in an area with hard water, you can use a shower filter or water softener. Make sure to clean your shower frequently to reduce the buildup.