Showerheads are an immanent part of the bathroom, and they should be cleaned and well-maintained. Chances are the holes of your showerhead becoming clogged after a while, affecting the pressure of water. When you clean your showerheads regularly, it does not only improve the water pressure, but it adds to your overall health hygiene.
One of the most traditional cleaning showerheads is using vinegar, but if you don’t have that within reach, you have a handful of other options.
You can use baking soda, liquid soap, or even coca-cola as a substitute for vinegar. The method to clean your shower head with these three ingredients is straightforward and effective and can easily be repeated once you know them.
In this article, we’ll discuss the importance of cleaning your showerhead regularly and a detailed step-by-step process on using these different methods to remove clogs, molds, and residue from your showerhead. Let’s dive in!
1. Cleaning Shower Head Using a Bleach
Bleach is a disinfectant household cleaner that is cheap, effective, and easily accessible. However, it should be used with caution and in a well-ventilated space. Do not combine bleach with any other cleaning compound, as it can be dangerous to human health.
To clean the showerhead using this method, you should mix bleach with water in a bowl, bucket, or container that will never be used for food storage again. Ensure that the mixture is diluted before you apply to to the showerhead.
Apply the bleach solution using a soft cloth to wipe the showerhead thoroughly. Leave it for five minutes before rinsing off with water. After that, you can use a mild soap to raise again. Allow drying. This method would make an old showerhead appear new.
Check the showerhead thoroughly for any cloudy residue. That is an indication that there is till bleach left in the showerhead. When you are through with the process, dispose of the remaining bleach solution.
2. Cleaning Shower Head Using an Oven Cleaner
In most cases, people use oven cleaner to clean grease and food crumbs from the oven. If it works perfectly well for that purpose, then it should work for showerheads too. Oven cleaner is an active agent that contains harsh cleaning chemicals that can remove almost any dirt from your showerhead.
Over cleaner has a harsh odor after application, and it requires a fair amount of ventilation after every use. To be on the much safer side, west a mask and glove to prevent injury.
You can spray the oven cleaner directly into the showerhead without disconnecting it using this method. Spread the entire surface thoroughly and leave for 20 minutes for the active agent to do its work. When the countdown is overs raise and wipe off completely.
Failure to remove all of the oven clean from the surface may damage the finish on the showerhead. Be careful to wash your hands thoroughly after you have finished cleaning—store range cleaner out of the reach of children.
If the oven cleaner goes a great job cleaning baked food, messes, greases, e.t.c, from the oven, this active agent should sterilize your showerhead pretty quickly.
Despite the fantastic stuff that cleaner does, it is quite harmful and can damage your skin. Oven cleaner is an abrasive cleaner, and the smell can be a bit harsh. As a precautionary measure, wear gloves and masks before using an oven cleaner. Inhaling the scent for too long can be toxic and can make your breathing hard again.
Spray it all over the showerhead and leave it for about 25 minutes. Leaving it on for more than this time can damage the finish of your showerhead.
When you at through, rinse it off with hot water. This method doesn’t require disconnecting your shower head from the wall, so it’s effortless.
3. Cleaning Shower Head Using Baking Soda
Baking soda, also known as sodium bicarbonate, is handy when it comes to household cleaning. It is non-acidic, non-toxic, but unlike soap, it is slightly abrasive.
Baking soda works magic when it comes to cleaning showerhead. It is simple, within reach, and an inexpensive option. It is also used as an antibacterial cleaning agent.
To clean your showerhead using the baking soda method, combine baking side with warm water in a small container so that it turns into a paste-like form. If the water outweighs the baking soda and it becomes slightly runny, add more baking soda till it gets to your desired taste.
Apply the paste to the showerhead, including all of the holes. Cover the entire showerhead and leave for at least 30 minutes before rinsing thoroughly. After rinsing, ensure that the mixture is completely removed from the showerhead not to cause additional clogs. Test the showerhead once you are done.
4. Cleaning Shower Head Using Lime Scale Remover
Lemon juice is a great cleaning option for your showerhead. Lemon is similar to vinegar in that they are both acidic by nature. If you are opt-in for their method, you can squeeze lemons in a juicer or buy lemon juice.
Use a soft cloth to clean the showerhead with lemon juice thoroughly. The acid present in lemon juice will do the work for you; they need to scrub the fixture. You can add a pinch of salt to the lemon juice to make your showerhead shinier. This will remove all mildew and grease from your showerhead and make it sound as new.
Leave for a few minutes on the showerhead. After completing this process, rinse off the lemon juice and wipe it completely dry.
5. Cleaning Shower Head with Coca Cola
Coca-Cola is more than just a refreshing beverage. It also has incredible cleaning power. It produces fabulous results in removing grease and rusts. It also helps in restoring worn-out silver or copper.
You can clean your showerhead in two ways; by disconnecting the shower or by keeping it up. Let me explain the first method of disconnecting the showerhead.
Fill up a bowl with coca-cola (keep some for yourself. Haha)
Put the disconnected showerhead into the coca-cola and let it stay for a while. After that, use a brush to scrub the showerhead and the holes inside out. Repeat the process until you are fully satisfied with the outcome.
Rinse off the disconnected shower with warm water. You can consider using a mild soap to rinse again to get rid of the showerhead’s grease resulting from the sugary soft drink.
For the second method on how to clean the showerhead without disconnecting it from the wall. Fill a small container or poly ag with coca-cola. Stick it around the showerhead with an elastic band in a way that the showerhead sinks completely under the coca-cola. Leave for about 20 minutes, and then take the bag off. Scrub it with a brush and rinse the dirt carefully.
The only disadvantage of using coca-cola is that it leaves a sticky residue that needs to be removed after the showerhead is clean. To remove this mildew, rinse thoroughly with the soap and water before putting the showerhead to the fixture.
6. Cleaning Shower Head Using a Brush
This method involves scrubbing the showerhead with a brush. You will need to clean to remove the stains, dried water marks, soap scums, and other dirt. This method can be a bit difficult as it requires thorough scrubbing until you reach the showerhead wall.
For your convenience, you should consider disconnecting the showerhead from the wall. If you don’t know how to disconnect it, look up the internet or check the instruction manual that comes with it.
First, fill a bowl with a cleanser that is designed to clean stains and dirt showerheads are likely to collect. Get a stiff bristle brush, or and dip it in the bowl filled with cleanser.
Scrub the places the showerhead has stains—for example, the Nozzles. Modern showerhead uses flexible rubber nozzles that are easy to assemble, and you can detach the nozzle and out tit back easily after cleaning. There is no need to undo the whole showerhead.
The cleaning depends on how carefully you do the scrubbing. Clean the specific areas with a drain circularly; before cleaning the showerhead inside, rinse it in a running faucet to get rid of loose dirt first.
Choosing a good cleanser is essential. If you use a cleaner that does not affect dissolving dirt and grease, then no matter how thoroughly and forcefully you scrub, it won’t clean to your satisfaction.
When you are through cleaning, rinse it off and reattach the showerhead.
If you notice any malfunction, properly connect it again. If you can’t, then get help. To protect the showerhead’s finish, use a wrench instead of pliers while detaching and attaching it.
How You Can Prevent Clogs in the Shower Head?
To prevent future clogs in your shower head, ensure you clean it regularly. Take preventive measures quickly; you don’t have to wait till you see the buildup of residue.
Mildew and soap scum can clog a showerhead and damage the metal or plastic finish of the fixture.
If you clean the showerhead as part of a regular bathroom cleaning routine, it will prevent severe clogs and mildew from developing and keep up with the fixture shiny’s appearance. That is the key to making old shower heads appear as new.
1. Use Your Toothbrush
You can use a toothbrush to clean the showerhead often. It doesn’t require much cleaning to give the showerhead once or twice a month. Additionally, it will prevent clogs from forming in the holes of the showerhead.
Add a small amount of toothpaste the scrub the showerhead to keep it shiny always. The toothpaste will serve as a slight abrasive that will work as a polish to remove all mildew, residue, and soap scum.
2. Wipe Quite Often
Using your towel to wipe off your shower head after every use helps prevent soap scum and mildew buildup. It will also help you stay conscious about routinely cleaning your shower head, improving your hygiene practices.
3. Leverage Water Softeners
Water rich in minerals can cause buildup to the showerhead and fixtures. This can cause clogs of magnesium and calcium to form in the holes of your shower head. Hard water also contains chlorine, which is harsh for your skin and hair.
If your water is hard, try using a water softener, water filter to your shower fixture, or your home’s entire water system. Water softening is a process that removes the ions that makes hard water. It reduces the minerals that pass through the showerhead, so there are fewer mineral clogs.
You can buy a water softener to add to your shower fixture for only $50. It is worth the money if you want to avoid clogs and the damage harsh chemicals can cause to your shower head. Plus, it is not hard to install.
Bottom Line
You spend a little over an hour in your bathroom daily. The moist from the bathroom produces an ideal situation for bacteria to formulate. A clean and well-maintained bathroom is not only pleasant and beautiful but also essential for your health.
Clogged showerheads can cause problems more than just functionality. They can house bacteria that are dangerous to your health. The mold continues to grow unless it is dealt with and prevented.
Developing a personal cleaning schedule can help reduce clogs. Try using the above method discussed to regularly get rid of molds and soap scum from your showerheads.
There are so many options other than the typical vinegar approach to cleaning. You can use your regular household cleaning supplies that are inexpensive and are convenient.
Clean your shower heads once or twice a month to prevent clogs from gathering in the holes. It adds to your overall bathroom hygiene experience.