It’s aggravating when your showerhead doesn’t seem to spray as it should. Instead of providing a steady stream of water, it spritzes all over the place. Water spouts off to the sides and the pressure doesn’t seem as good as it used to be either. What’s going on?
Before you call a plumber or buy a new showerhead, try cleaning your showerhead. This simple DIY showerhead cleaning can improve your shower experience drastically. The best part is you probably won’t even have to go to the store to do it.
Here’s how to clean your showerhead:
Why Your Showerhead Gets Clogged
Usually, showerheads get clogged due to hard water. Minerals in the water slowly build up in the tiny holes in your showerhead. Eventually, this means that the showerhead doesn’t function as well and your flow is affected. Luckily, getting rid of this mineral build-up, or limescale, is usually pretty easy.
Steps for Cleaning Your Showerhead
First, you’ll need a few simple materials including a plastic bag, rubber band, and white vinegar. Pour some white vinegar into the plastic bag. Then, put the bag over the showerhead so that it’s immersed in the vinegar. Add more vinegar if necessary. Hold it in place using the rubber band.
Let the vinegar sit for about an hour. However, remove after 30 minutes if your fixture is made of gold, brass, or nickel. When you remove the bag, rinse out your showerhead by turning on the water. Usually, this simple method is able to loosen and remove mineral deposits.
However, in some stubborn cases of build-up, you may need more manual effort. If the vinegar method didn’t seem to solve the problem, you’ll have to remove your showerhead completely.
Make sure you turn off the water supply to the shower before getting started. Then, once you’ve unscrewed the showerhead, scrub it with a toothbrush, vinegar, and baking soda. Rinse it periodically with water as you work. This will wash away any loosened mineral deposits.
Finally, let the showerhead soak in vinegar overnight. After rinsing, reattach the showerhead and turn the water supply back on.
How NOT to Clean Your Showerhead
There are a few important “don’ts” about cleaning your showerhead as well. They include:
- Don’t use bleach. Some evidence shows that instead of eliminating bacteria, bleach can actually make it worse.
- Avoid using hard-bristled brushes. These can damage the finish on your showerhead.
- Don’t allow fumes to build up. When working with vinegar and other cleaners, don’t forget to turn on your exhaust fan or open a window for ventilation.
You can repeat the vinegar cleaning routine every month so that your shower experience is always just as amazing as when you first bought your showerhead. As a bonus, vinegar also does a great job of killing bacteria that like to hang out in warm moist places, just like the tiny holes in your showerhead.
So, this cleaning routine offers two important benefits: one that makes your shower more pleasant and another that protects your health.
Give it a try and let us know your results in the comments!