Every now and then, some can find their bathroom to be filthier than they’d like it to be. And shower-heads are notorious for building up gangue and mineral deposits which make them gross.
Not only can it be unpleasant to see in a place you clean yourself but it can be extremely harmful as well. Mineral deposits formed in a shower-head can damage itself and can also hurt your skin and hair.
It causes the water to run slow and eventually blocks it entirely.
Not only that, it can hurt the metal surface. Mineral deposits can corrode the surface easily. The shower-head loses its shine if you don’t clean it regularly enough.
And so, for all the right reasons one should keep its cleanliness in check.
Don’t worry, because if you want to do it yourself, I’ve come up with some household items that will help clean it. Along with the correct procedure.
Give it a read!
How to Clean a Shower-head
Why vinegar, bleach, and lemon?
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Vinegar
Vinegar is made up of acetic acid. It’s an all natural chemical that is available in every household. It’s famous for cooking, but it’s also great for cleaning metal products.
Shower-heads can form deposits of calcium and other minerals because of hard water and vinegar is a fantastic solvent for that purpose.
These stubborn deposits disintegrate when left in vinegar effortlessly. It also helps make the surface shiny again.
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Bleach
Bleach is a great disinfectant and is widely used in industrial purposes for that. Hence, it can also help clean shower-heads.
Many people widely use bleach in their houses for white clothes and cleaning the bathroom and kitchen tiles. So, it’s no new news that it’s also used for cleaning shower-heads and is excellent for that.
Just be sure, to handle bleach with care. Chlorine bleach can quickly react with other household chemicals like vinegar and ammonia. It even releases chlorine gas when mixed with hot water which is harmful to health.
So be careful.
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Lemon
Lemon is even more commonly available than the previously mentioned two chemicals. Lemon has citric acid which performs similarly to acetic acid in vinegar when it comes to cleaning.
Lemon can also be used to remove mineral deposits, but it’s not as good as vinegar for that purpose. Instead, people use lemon, with a pinch of salt, to make metal surfaces shinier.
So if the shower-head has lost its shine and has come up with water stains then using lemon is a great way to get some of that shine back.
People also use lemon to remove stains from clothes and to get the shine of their steel-ware crockery back, but here we will only stick with shower heads.
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Clean a Shower Head With Vinegar
Vinegar is one of the most common chemicals used to clean shower heads. It has acetic acid which is an excellent solvent to dissolve mineral-based salts forming in it.
The steps are simple as well. It takes just a little effort to clean with vinegar and will make sure that it’ll run fine for years.
Step 1 – Preparation of the vinegar solution
Take out the shower head for cleaning with an adjustable wrench carefully. Be careful while you do it because it’s a hefty chunk of metal that can hurt your face. Now, It’s time to get the solution ready.
Take a container or a plastic bag and pour some tap water in it. Once done, mix the same amount of distilled vinegar in it. You may have to vary the proportions if you are not satisfied with the result. In my case, this ratio did the trick just right.
Step 2 – Cleaning of the shower head
Dip the shower head in the container of vinegar solvent. Let it rest idly in there for at least an hour. Slowly, the mineral deposits will dissolve. Once you see particles in the water or it’s been enough time, it’s time to take it out and wash it properly.
Take it out and rinse it through the water. Use a sink to do it thoroughly. Make sure there are no mineral particles left in the shower head.
Now take a metal sponge to scrub it nicely. Don’t be rough with it. Do it slowly and methodically in a circular motion. Otherwise, there will be scratches on the metal surface. If you are too harsh with it, then even the paint may chip off.
Once, it looks clean enough. Run it through the water again. Make sure that the water runs through the shower head itself so there will be no foam or deposit left on the inside. Once done, let it dry off a bit or wipe it with a clean piece of cloth.
It is advised only so you have ease when installing it back to the wall. Use an adjustable wrench for the job and be careful.
Vinegar is not harmful to adults. Even when it’s used for cooking it’s not detrimental. That is if it’s in small amounts. So keep vinegar out of reach of kids and young ones. Vinegar can be extremely adverse to kids and toddlers even in lesser amounts.
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Clean a Shower Head With Bleach
Bleach is famous for washing white clothes and in many industries, bleach is used for discoloration of various objects.
Another chemically beneficial feature of bleach is that it’s a great disinfectant. Bleach has been used for a long time in houses as well as factories to disinfect several objects. Hence it’s great for cleaning shower heads.
Although bleach is also a common household chemical, bleach can pose a more serious threat to health. So, it is advisable to be cautious with the compound.
Although bleach is a great sanitizer, it is advisable to clean objects with bleach less frequently because they can lose their shine,
Step 1 – Preparing the solution
Take a container and fill it up with some water. Now, make sure that this vessel is not used for edible purposes.
Mix some bleach in it. It should be diluted. Make sure that the water is cold because if you use hot water with bleach, it can release chlorine which is injurious to health. Also, don’t mix it with vinegar or ammonia. The mix will react and will release harmful gases.
Once that is done it’s time to start the cleaning.
Step 2 – Cleaning the shower head
Wash the shower head with some detergent and water before you begin the disinfection. Once that is done now, it’s time for the solvent.
Although most shower heads are made up of metal and bleach has no discoloration on metal surfaces, you should make sure that it doesn’t if you are not sure.
If that’s out of the way, then gently rub the surface with the bleach solution. Don’t do it for more than five minutes. That’s enough time for the disinfection. After that, rinse it thoroughly with water and some dishwasher fluid.
Wash it thoroughly and dry it off in the air. Getting the residual bleach particles off of it is essential. And you’ll have an easier time fitting it back on your wall, once it’s dry.
Handling bleach with care is of utmost important. It’s a poisonous chemical for adults and even more for kids. Stash it away safely and away from the reach of children.
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Clean a Shower Head With Lemon Juice
Ah, the lemons. I guess here if life gives you lemons, use it to clean your favorite shower head.
Lemons have citric acid which is a weak acid and has been used for cleaning stains and shining metallic surfaces. So, if the shower head has lost its shine, then lemon juice is a great way to bring some of that shine back.
Since it’s acidic lemon also helps with mineral deposits that form because of hard water like vinegar.
Let’s get cleaning.
Method 1
Step 1 – Getting the lemon ready
Make some lemonade. Take some water pour it in a handy container and mix lemon in it. Also, add some salt to it. That’ll be all the seasoning you’ll need for this lemonade though.
And make sure that the lemon concentration is high. This lemonade is not made for drinking but washing, so the more lemon, the better it’ll work.
Step 2 – Cleaning the shower head
Once, you have successfully taken the shower head off the wall; you can start the cleaning. Gently scrub its surface with an old toothbrush dipped in the lemonade you created in the previous step.
Softly keep on rubbing until you can see the shine you’ve been wanting. You can also use the brush to rub through its pores to get them clear. Remember that citric acid is good for cleaning up calcium and other mineral deposits as well.
After you have a good clean, wash the shower head with hot water. Use a soft sponge to scrub the surface with water gently.
If that’s done, then use some dishwasher fluid to wash it in a sink thoroughly. Run water through it to make sure it’s entirely from the inside out. And with that, you should be done.
Now let it dry off in the air and then carefully screw it back to the wall with an adjustable wrench.
Method 2
You can get away by not making the “lemonade.” Just slice up a lemon and sprinkle some salt on it.
Wash the shower head beforehand with hot water and then rub the cut lemon over its surface to bring up some of that shine you’ve been wanting.
Do it thoroughly and once that’s done; wash it with some hot water and detergent in the sink. Again, run water through the shower head to make sure it’s entirely clean, and you’ll be done!
Some Precautions to Take
- Vinegar is excellent for cleaning out mineral deposits from the shower head. Just be careful not to use too much vinegar because it may damage its paint if not used modestly.
- Also, stash vinegar away from kids. Indigestion of vinegar in significant amounts can cause several health-related issues for them.
- Bleach is perfect for disinfection. It’s used in the household as well as in industry for that reason. And it’s fantastic for cleaning your shower head from time to time.
- Be careful when using bleach as bleach is very reactive. It quickly reacts with household chemicals like vinegar and even with hot water. It releases chlorine gas in hot water which is detrimental to health.
- Bleach is also extremely injurious for adults as well as kids. So stash away bleach safely in your house, so it’s away from the reach of your children.
- Lemon is fantastic for bringing the shine back out of old metallic products. Rubbing just a little lemon with salt can bring up the bright metallic surface. So it’s excellent to use when your shower head loses its shine. It’s excellent for removing water stains.
And since it’s acidic as well, like vinegar, it also works well if you are trying to get rid of some of the calcium deposits in it. Just make sure to use an old toothbrush for that purpose.
Final Words
So here we are done with the cleaning of the shower head.
Be sure to clean it often enough. I recommend doing it once every month while cleaning your bathroom. That way it’ll just become part of the ritual instead of being a separate hassle.
You can also prevent some of the filth from building up in your bathroom by wiping off extra water in your shower after you take a bath.
Also, think of installing a water softener in your house to prevent calcium deposit buildup. High minerals in your water can cause many skin problems like rashes and allergies. It can also result in hair loss.
It’s a tough job maintaining your house and your bathroom and keeping it squeaky clean. And with that, I hope this guide helped you to make your bathroom cleaner and more pleasing.
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