How Often Should You Be Cleaning Your Shower Head?

Nothing sounds better than stepping into the shower to rinse away the grime after a sweat session at the gym or an arduous day of gardening. And, let's be honest: Even if we do nothing much all day, a shower provides a relaxing break from the daily routine. Unfortunately, a filthy shower head, like a dirty shower curtain, is a significant turn-off, and not only because it looks repulsive. Our shower heads can collect dirt, minerals, and bacteria, according to Science Direct, which isn't conducive to a soothing or clean experience.

Take a moment to recall the last time you cleaned your bathroom. You probably scrubbed the toilet, wiped the floors and the tiles, and cleaned the drains. But did you touch the shower head? For most of us, the answer is no. That's why a crucial part of cleaning the bathroom is knowing how to clean a shower head and how often you should do it.

Depending on your water pressure, you may need to clean your shower head more or less often. For example, mineral or limescale buildup is more likely to occur in households that use high-pressure water. As a result, the shower head needs to be cleaned more often. Additionally, the frequency with which you should clean your shower head is mostly determined by the type of water you use in your home, but other aspects matter as well. For instance, if you have hard water with a lot of dissolved minerals, you may need to clean your shower head weekly because the nozzles clog up.

Mold and germs also thrive in wet, warm environments like those found in shower heads. According to the University of Colorado Boulder, residential shower heads have been shown to have mycobacterium, a pollutant that can cause lung disease and other ailments. The good news is that cleaning your shower head at least once a week will help to reduce mold and germs.

One of the most flexible, healthy, and natural things you can use to clean in your house is distilled white vinegar. This item can be used as a disinfectant or a bleach substitute, and provides you with a quick and easy way to clean a shower head.

To get rid of buildup, mold, and germs in a shower head, fill a 1 gallon plastic bag with distilled vinegar until it's about 1/3 full. Place the bag over the shower head and soak the fixture entirely. It's a good idea to use twist ties to secure the bag to the shower head's neck in order to make sure the bag is secure, so it does not slide off. Soak brass or metal-coated shower heads only for 30 minutes and other materials for up to four hours. You may need to leave the vinegar bag attached overnight if the shower head has a lot of limescale and other accumulation.

Remove the bag after it has soaked the necessary amount of time and pour the vinegar down the drain after untying it. If there's still buildup in the spray openings of the shower head, scrub it with a hard sponge, and polish the shower head with a microfiber cloth to provide an excellent finishing touch. Besides the weekly cleaning, Good Housekeeping recommends descaling the shower head at least once a month if you live in an area with hard water.