How to Keep Your Showerhead Looking and Working Like New

A quality showerhead can give you your desired water pressure even as it reduces your water usage and utility bills. Replacing your existing showerhead with a specially designed low-flow model can sharply reduce the amount of water you use without sacrificing your comfort or your cleanliness.

Over time, however, dirt and sediment can build up inside the showerhead and clog it up. When that happens, you’ll notice a distinct decrease in water pressure. In some cases, however, the build-up can be gradual enough that you may not notice right away. If you noticed that your showers are not as effective or as pleasant as they used to be, chances are a clogged showerhead is to blame.

Problems with clogged showerheads may be most evident if you have hard water, but even soft water can clog the unit and make it less effective. Incorporating a thorough cleaning as a part of your regular home maintenance is the best way to keep your water bills low and your showers fun.

Cleaning your shower head is not as difficult as you might think. You may even be able to clean it without any tools at all. Just use these simple steps to restore your old, clogged showerhead and get it working like new.

1. Attempt to clean the showerhead without removing it from the shower. Start by slipping a rubber band over the top of the unit, looping it around the shower arm several times to help it stay in place.
2. Fill a plastic bag with white vinegar, then slip the top of the bag underneath the rubber band and secure it in place.
3. Leave the plastic bag in place for at least one hour. Remove the bag and turn the water on to flush the system. Test the water pressure and move on to the next step if it has not improved.
4. Unscrew the nut that holds the shower arm in place. It’s best to use a wrench wrapped in a rag or towel instead of pliers since pliers could harm the surface of the showerhead.
5. Rinse the showerhead with a blast of water by holding the unit upside down under the faucet. This angle will help remove the debris which dislodged when you soaked the showerhead in vinegar.
6. Take the showerhead apart and scrub the vinegar-soaked pieces with a toothbrush. You can also soak the individual pieces of the showerhead in a bowl of vinegar or a commercial shower cleaning solution.
7. Clean out any remaining mineral deposits by poking a toothpick into the holes in the showerhead. Mineral deposits can be tough to remove, so carefully examine the showerhead.
8. Rinse the freshly cleaned showerhead thoroughly with a blast of water from under the faucet.
9. Reassemble the showerhead and attach it to the shower arm. Reinsert the nut into the shower arm to hold the newly cleaned showerhead in place.

To explore new fixture installations for your bathroom, contact The Plumber Guy. We work with top plumbing brands to bring you the quality your home deserves.