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How To Clean A Shower Head

How to Clean a Shower Head

THE BEST WAYS TO REMOVE MINERAL DEPOSITS FROM YOUR SHOWER HEAD

Step One - Remove your shower head
Step Two - Place Shower Head in a bowl of white vinegar
Step Three - Rinse shower head with warm water
Step Four - Wrap shower arm threads with Teflon tape
Step Five - Re-attach shower head
Step Six - Turn on shower for 30-seconds"

You may have noticed that your shower head no longer looks shiny and new. It may have chalky, white calcium buildup on its surface or maybe some of the jets are clogged and aren’t working anymore. You may be tempted to replace your shower head, but before you spend money on a new one, why not try restoring your old one? The plumbing and drain experts at Roto-Rooter offer some tips for the best way to clean your shower head.

REMOVE YOUR SHOWER HEAD

The good news is that you probably already have everything you need to remove mineral deposits and renew the look and performance of your shower head. Remove your shower head. Simply hold the shower arm firmly with one hand, grip the shower head with the other hand and unscrew it from the shower arm. Remember, turn it to the left (counterclockwise). You can use a set of Channellock pliers, if necessary, but be sure to put a rag between the pliers and shower head so you don’t damage the shower head’s surface. Sometimes removing a shower head is difficult due to crusty calcium deposits in the screw threads. If it seems stuck, you don’t need to force it. Leave it in place and proceed to step 3-a.

PLACE SHOWER HEAD IN A BOWL OF WHITE VINEGAR

Place the showerhead in a bowl that is as at least as deep as the shower head is wide. Pour white vinegar (5% acidity is preferred) into the bowl, completely covering the shower head. Allow shower head to soak in the vinegar overnight, or for at least 8 hours.
If you are unable to remove the shower head, it’s probably due to the calcium buildup. Fill a plastic storage bag with vinegar and pull it up and over the shower head. Use a rubber band or a zip tie to secure it and leave the bag in place overnight (or at least 8 hours). Watch our video for a step by step guide.

RINSE SHOWER HEAD WITH WARM WATER

Rinse thoroughly with warm water under a faucet. If necessary, use an old toothbrush and some toothpicks to gently scrub away or remove any stubborn deposits that might remain.

WRAP SHOWER ARM THREADS WITH TEFLON TAPE

Use Teflon tape to wrap the threads on the shower arm in a clockwise direction.

RE-ATTACH SHOWER HEAD

Re-attach the shower head by screwing it back into place (turn it clockwise). Hold the shower arm firmly with one hand and the shower head with the other hand. Turn it as tight as you can with your hand. It is probably unnecessary to tighten it with a wrench, but if you do use a wrench, don’t overtighten it.

TURN ON SHOWER FOR 30-SECONDS

Finally, turn on the water and let it run for 3 minutes to flush out any remaining mineral deposits. Your shower should look and perform much better while requiring less water pressure for a comfortable shower.

PLUMBING PROBLEM WITH SHOWER HEAD

When water doesn't come out of your shower head and you have pulled up on the diverter on the tub spout, you may have two plumbing problems.

First check to see if the inside of your shower head strainer is clogged with calcium and mineral deposits. If it is clogged, pulling up on the tub spout will not pull the water up to the shower head. Remove the shower head and soak it in a cup of vinegar for 24 hours to dissolve the build up.

If the shower head is not clogged, it may mean the tub spout diverter has failed. This is a minor plumbing repair and easy to replace. You may want to try replacing yourself prior to calling in the professional plumbing contractors. Most tub spouts are either screwed onto the pipe coming out of the wall or they have an o-ring that is compressed onto the pipe and an allen screw is holding the spout in place. Replacing the tub spout should solve the plumbing problem.

You can find these parts at your local hardware store. Call Roto-Rooter should you have questions or would like to schedule a service appointment.

HOW TO FIX AN OLD SHOWERHEAD

Fixing an old shower head is probably easier than you think. Watch as our experts show you how to remove mineral build-up restoring water flow and beauty to your shower using just a few simple household items. For more details on how to fix a shower head, read our FAQs on Faucet Repair. It covers your most frequently asked questions, including information on mineral build-up, how to fix a leaky shower head and more.