A dirty shower head can lead to stinky water, poor water pressure, and uneven water distribution. Depending on how blocked your shower head is, there are different approaches that you’ll want to take. However, most of them overlap with each other quite a bit. Here are some great and easy ways to get your shower head back to new!

 

Hassle-Free Way to Clean a Shower Head with Vinegar

If you can’t remove your shower head, or you simply want to skip this step, follow these tips for hassle-free cleaning:

1.Fill a plastic bag partway with white vinegar. Be careful not to overfill the bag, or it could overflow when you submerge the shower head.

2.Place the bag over the shower head until the entire fixture is fully immersed in the vinegar. If you need to adjust the vinegar level, do so now.

3.Fasten the bag with a piece of string or twist ties wrapped around the neck of the shower head. Carefully test how secure the bag is to make sure it won’t slip once you let go.

4.Let the shower head soak for several hours. For an especially dirty fixture, leave it overnight. However, if you have a brass, gold, or nickel-coated shower head, remove it from the vinegar after 30 minutes. Any longer than this could damage the finish.

5.Untie the bag and remove it from the shower head. Tip the bag and let the vinegar run down the shower drain. Run hot water for a minute to flush out any mineral deposits stuck inside the shower head.

6.Scrub the fixture with an old toothbrush if buildup remains. Focus on the areas around the holes where water comes out. Turn the hot water back on to flush out even more residue. Repeat this process until you no longer see mineral deposits.

7.Polish the shower head with a soft cloth for a finished look. Buff and dry it to remove water spots and help the shower head look like new.

Clean a Shower Head More Thoroughly

1. If your shower head is having real issues and the vinegar or toothbrush approach isn’t working, then you may have to remove the entire shower head. Do this with a wrench and take special care not to do any damage. Follow the next step to clean it properly.

2. Once removed, run the shower head under hot water, and do your best to scrub and clean any parts that look clogged or dirty. When finished, reattach it to the pipe.