How to Clean Hard Water on a Shower Head

If you have even moderately hard water in your home, over time calcium and other minerals will deposit buildup inside of your shower head. A clogged shower head is a nuisance and money waster. It can cause the water to run more slowly and with less force, meaning you have to take longer showers to get clean. It can also cause streaming water in different directions. Fortunately, you can clean the shower head without removing it and without harmful chemicals.

Things You'll Need

• Heavy plastic bag, such as a quart-size freezer baggie
• White vinegar
• Thick rubber band

Instructions

1. Fill a freezer baggie or other small, thick plastic bag three to four inches deep with pure white vinegar. Do not add water to the vinegar.

2. Wrap a thick rubber band, such as the type that comes wrapped around a Sunday newspaper, around the plastic bag about halfway between the opening and the vinegar level. Wrap it two or three times, so that the opening is snug yet not so tight that you cannot stretch it open.

3. Stretch the rubber band and baggie open over the shower head. Slide the baggie up onto the neck of the shower head, so that the shower head is submerged in the vinegar and the rubber band is snug on the neck of the shower head.

4. Leave the solution overnight. If desired, place baggies over the faucet handles as a reminder not to turn on the shower.

5. Remove the baggie carefully from the shower head. Run warm water on high for a few minutes to rinse away any remaining vinegar and hard water residue.

Tips & Warnings

• Clean your shower heads when you set clocks forward or back to keep them clean and working well.

Resources

• Shower Head Buying Guide