How to Clean a Showerhead

3 Materials
$2
12 Hours
Easy

Before heading down to read the tutorial, please subscribe to the Mother Daughter Projects newsletter! You can join our community by clicking this link: Sign up here.


Have you ever looked up at your shower head and noticed a bunch of the nozzles aren't working? I (Steph) installed a new shower head in 2013 when I moved into my house, and haven't thought about it since. Over time I have noticed the water seemed to be coming out harder and was spraying in different directions. It also didn't have the 'rain' effect it once did. I decided it was time to try to clean it! Here's what I did.

Watch the video icon

You can see many of the nozzles where not spraying water anymore.

Before you try this formula, be sure the fixtures in your shower can be safely cleaned with vinegar. Check the manufacturer's care instructions for your shower head or faucets. I started by mixing a cup of vinegar with 1/3 cup baking soda. The acid in the vinegar reacts with the baking soda to form a strong cleaning agent but vinegar on it’s own would work too.

The reaction between vinegar and baking soda is always fun to watch!

Once they were mixed, I placed the bag over the shower head and attached it with rubber bands. I made sure the mixture came in contact with all the nozzles.

After letting it sit a full day, I removed the bag.

Lastly, I noticed there were still mineral deposits in some of the nozzles so I used a toothpick to clean them out.

As you can see, before, about half the nozzles were working and now all the nozzles are back to working! I could tell a huge difference when I used the shower after cleaning. The water comes out in a rain pattern like when it was new, and it’s a much better experience than it has been. Pretty cool what a little bit of cleaning can do!


For a few more tips on this project visit MotherDaughterProjects.com!

Resources for this project:
Any price and availability information displayed on [relevant Amazon Site(s), as applicable] at the time of purchase will apply to the purchase of this product.
Hometalk may collect a small share of sales from the links on this page.More info
Mother Daughter Projects
Want more details about this and other DIY projects? Check out my blog post!
Go
Frequently asked questions
Have a question about this project?
3 of 18 questions
  • Stephanie Hemingway Stephanie Hemingway on Aug 28, 2019

    Couldnt you take the shower head off and soak it that way also

  • Meme Meme on Apr 03, 2020

    can you just remove the head and soak it in the solution?


  • Mary Lou Mary Lou on Dec 26, 2020

    Re: the pumice stone...you can actually use a small SMOOTH ROCK and rub in over calcium deposits in toilet and sink. Start at edge of stain to kind of break it away. Have been doing it for years, takes a little time but worth the results! Good Luck!

    Re: Coke for toilet stains, my gosh, imagine what it does to OUR insides??

Comments
Join the conversation
2 of 67 comments
  • Mary Stephenson Mary Stephenson on Apr 15, 2023

    I use an old toothbrush to scrub a little when I take a shower. Doesn't need to be done that often. So I just keep the toothbrush on the top shelf of my shower pole caddy. A lot less trouble.

  • P P on Apr 15, 2023

    As a friend I warn you- be sure plastic bag full of vinegar is removed BEFORE husband tries to use shower in the morning! (Guess how I found that out!)

Next