It’s important to clean all your appliances frequently, including your shower head. The best method for cleaning your shower head is to soak it in vinegar. Shower heads can easily obtain buildup, especially if you have hard water. Hard water contains minerals that will quickly build up on your shower head. This not only leaves a bad appearance, but it can cause clogs.

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Clogged Shower Head

Clogs in your shower head can be diagnosed through a couple things, low water pressure and water shooting from different directions.

If your shower head is clogged, you may notice some inconsistencies in your water flow. Low water pressure is a very common sign of a clogged shower head. Everyone wants to have good water pressure, so it’s an important thing to keep up with. Clogs in your shower head are not the only reason for low water pressure, though. There are many things that can lead to low water pressure;

Leaks in your plumbing
Pipe buildup
Pipe corrosion
Loose water meter valve
Open water shut off valve
Broken pressure regulator
Issues with water supplier

Hard Water

Hard water will quickly leave mineral buildup on your appliances. It is defined as water that contains a high amount of minerals such as magnesium and calcium. Most people know hard water by the spots it leaves on their dishes or the way it makes their hair and skin feel. For your shower head, it can leave buildup that will result in clogs.

Water softeners are a staple in many homes, but not everyone is able to have one. Whether you can’t afford it, don’t have room, or you don’t own your home, it is not always possible to have a water softener. A water softener will remove the majority of the minerals in your water, solving the problems with mineral buildup.

Shower head with hard water buildup. Cleaning shower head with vinegar — Shower head with hard water buildup

Clean Your Shower Head With Vinegar

To clean your shower head, we recommend using white vinegar. White vinegar is a great cleaning tool that is safe for your appliances and environmentally friendly. To do this, mix 1 part vinegar with 1 part water, and let your shower head soak. You can do this easily without having to remove your shower head from the shower.

Pour the solution into a plastic bag and put it around the shower head. Make sure you have it on so the shower head is completely immersed in the vinegar solution. Use a zip tie or rubber band to secure it. Now that the shower head is completely immersed in the vinegar solution, let it sit for up to an hour.

After you remove the shower head from the vinegar solution, examine it to see if there is any buildup remaining. There may be some bigger chunks left on the outside that need to be removed. You can do this by mixing some baking soda and water. Use a brush, sponge, or even a toothbrush and scrub away at any buildup that’s leftover.

Now that there are no mineral chunks left on your shower head, run it with hot water to completely remove the rest of the minerals from the inside out. While your shower is running, examine the water pressure and the way the water flows from the holes. Your shower should be running much better.

A More Thorough Cleaning

For a more thorough cleaning, you can remove the shower head and let it soak in a bucket full of vinegar overnight. Be aware that this is not recommended for appliances coated in nickel, brass, or gold. For these coatings, only soak for a half an hour. After it soaks, run it in hot water while holding it upside down. Take a small brush and thoroughly, but gently, clean the holes of the shower head. After you have finished cleaning, reattach it and run hot water through it.

Once you examine your water pressure, you should notice a big difference. If you still don’t notice your water pressure being much better, or it still isn’t good enough, you need to call a professional plumber to diagnose and fix the problem for you.

Final Thoughts

Vinegar is a great solution for cleaning your appliances. Not only is it natural, but it does an amazing job of keeping things clean. Shower heads can clog with minerals very easily from hard water. This will decrease your water pressure and cause issues with how your shower runs. Fortunately, it is an easy fix to get your water pressure back and free your shower head of clogs!

Call 1-Tom-Plumber

Don’t hesitate to contact us here or call us at 1-Tom-Plumber (1-866-758-6237) if you need any plumbing, drain cleaning, or excavation service. 1-Tom-Plumber’s certified team of plumbers and drain technicians respond immediately to any emergency plumbing, drain cleaning, or water damage problem. We also handle the excavation of underground water lines and sewer main lines. Our immediate-response team is available every day and night of the year, even on holidays.

Clogged Shower Head? Clean It With Vinegar!