Last Updated: October 16, 2020
Give your shower a deep clean with our easy tips on how to clean a shower head, an oft overlooked part of bathroom cleaning.
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Cleaning a shower head is one of those things you know probably should be done once in a while, but you probably have no clue how to go about it. Doesn’t it just come clean when the water pours out? Well, not quite, so we’ll break it down for you. Keep reading, friends!
The main reason you take a shower is to get clean. However, if your shower head is full of gunk, bacteria — especially mycobacterium known to cause lung disease — and other germs that thrive in wet areas, then you might be missing the whole point of showering! This means that you need to clean your shower head regularly, because the aerosol spray of water makes it easy for bacteria to travel to your body.
Another reason to clean a shower head is to make sure it’s performing at maximum capacity. If there are mineral or dirt particles built up, it can clog the holes in the shower head and affect the flow and pressure of the water. No one likes a shower with low pressure!
The key to preventing buildup in the shower head is to clean it regularly every week. You can give the shower head a deeper cleanse every two to three months. A thorough cleanse includes removing it, cleaning and descaling it, and disinfecting it before reattaching it.
Cleaning a shower head is really pretty easy. Just follow these simple steps and it’ll be shiny and sparkling in no time.
For regular cleaning, fill a plastic bag with vinegar. Hang this bag around the shower head so that the head is completely submerged in the vinegar. Fasten the bag with zip-ties, cords, or a rubber band.
Give the vinegar anywhere between an hour and overnight to do its job. Once you are sure that it has cleaned the shower head, remove the bag.
Run the shower to flush out any vinegar that has gone inside the holes in the shower head, as you don’t want to be sprayed with vinegar first thing in the morning. Use a soft cloth to polish the shower head and make it look almost as good as new!
Most manufacturers advise to use a wrench instead of pliers to detach the shower head. This ensures that it doesn’t damage the finish.
To loosen the debris on the inside of the shower head, run a faucet while holding it upside down. You can also use a toothbrush and vinegar or a paste of baking soda with water to clean away the mineral deposits.
Use a toothbrush to descale the outside part of the shower head. The thin bristles of the toothbrush will also get into the holes to help unclog them. If they are still blocked, use a toothpick, safety pin, or needle to poke them and loosen the debris stuck inside.
Submerge the shower head in vinegar for some time to dissolve any leftover mineral deposit and dirt. For an extra kick, add some baking soda to the vinegar.
Once you are sure the shower head is completely clean and unblocked, rinse it thoroughly with water to wash out all the cleaning agents. Polish with a soft cloth and attach it back to its original place.
Although bleach can be used to clean your shower head, there are healthier, non-toxic methods you can use, such as cleaning with vinegar or baking soda, but if cleaning with bleach is still your preferred method, follow these simple steps to get the job done.
There are two different ways to clean your shower head with vinegar, depending on whether or not you’re able to remove your shower head. Keep reading for a step-by-step guide that’s just right for your shower’s situation.
How to clean a shower head with vinegar when you can’t remove your shower head:
How to clean a shower head with vinegar when you can remove your shower head:
Cleaning your shower head with baking soda goes a bit faster than cleaning it with vinegar. For this method, it’s as easy as 1, 2, 3. Just follow our lead:
Grove Tip
To prevent buildup, bag your shower head overnight in a cleaning solution. By the time you wake up, your shower head will be as good as new, without any sweat on your part!
Have we mentioned how versatile vinegar is? One of the reasons we love it is because it can also remove limescale. When you add a bit of baking soda, you can really ramp up it’s cleaning power!
Most likely you’re seeing oxidized manganese. It’s a trace mineral often found in drinking water, including the water flowing from your shower head. Follow the steps above for descaling a shower head to remove it.
If you find yourself with the annoyance of a clogged shower head, fear not, it’s easier to fix than it may seem. We recommend using the vinegar method for cleaning out a clogged shower head. You can pop your shower head off and submerge it in distilled white vinegar. If your shower head doesn’t come off effortlessly, then fill a plastic bag with the vinegar and use a rubber band to secure it onto your shower head. Then, wait about two hours, letting the vinegar really soak. (If you have a shower head that’s brass or gold finish, it’s very important to only soak your shower head in the vinegar for 30 minutes so that it doesn’t tarnish it.) After soaking, if you still notice some dirt and grime, just grab an old toothbrush and scrape the scum off of your shower head. If your shower head is still attached to your shower, just run the water for a few minutes to rinse. If you need to put your shower head back on your shower, do that, and then run the water to rinse.
When it comes to cleaning your shower head’s rubber nozzles, use a toothbrush or a soft-bristled brush. If you can clearly see there is buildup or grime, just scrub lightly to loosen the dirt deposits, and then rinse for a good clean — that should do the trick.
Grove Tip
If you didn’t already know, cola is very strong and has been used as a cleaning agent for a long time. That means it’s possible to use it to clean a shower head. Dunk the head in cola and let it eat away the buildup. Just be sure to wash it off thoroughly.
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Looking for more cleaning how-tos and other sustainable swaps you can make at home? Grove has you covered with our buying and cleaning guides. And let us know how if you have any cleaning questions (or share your own tips using #grovehome) by following Grove Collaborative on Instagram, Facebook, Twitter, and Pinterest.
If you're ready to take on germs, shop Grove Collaborative's cleaning essentials for the cleaning tools to tackle the job.
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