How to clean a shower head

By Benjamin Clarke | Published on 12th October 2021

Most of us take our showers for granted and only realise how important they are to our everyday lives and wellbeing when they start malfunctioning. One of the first signs that a shower head has become very dirty is when the water starts spraying in all directions rather than cascading down onto us as normal. This often results in a frustrating shower where it takes much longer and more effort than usual to rinse shampoo, soap or shower gel from our hair and body.

If you find that you are experiencing this problem, you don't need to completely give up on the problem and decide you need to order a brand new shower head. Instead, it's likely that your shower head has become blocked by limescale or mould and the issue tends to be solved by giving it a good clean. In this article we'll show you how to safely clean your shower head in order to get the water flowing freely again.

What is limescale?

If you live in a 'hard water' area then you've probably experienced a build-up of limescale somewhere in your home where there's running water.

Hard water has a high mineral content and when the water evaporates, it leaves behind deposits of calcium and magnesium behind. If you've ever seen a white, chalky deposit around your shower head, taps, plug holes or tiles, you're probably looking at a buildup of limescale in your bathroom.

Limescale is not unsafe, harmful or unhealthy but it can look a bit unsightly. If it builds up in your shower head then it will restrict the ability of water to flow through the holes and will make your showering experience less enjoyable.

Cleaning your shower head

If the flow of water from your shower has slowed to a trickle or is spraying everywhere but down, please follow the cleaning steps below

Unscrew your handheld shower head from the hose first, as this will make cleaning far more easier than trying to clean it while standing in the shower enclosure.
Wherever possible, it's best to unscrew the shower head cover as this will allow for a more thorough, deeper clean.
Soaking the shower head in a bowl of white vinegar for around 20-25 minutes will really help to dissolve the limescale and loosen any dirt. If the limescale deposits are particularly thick, leave the solution overnight to really give it a chance to shift it.
You can use an old toothbrush to scrub the shower head and help to clear the nozzles of limescale. If there is stubborn dirt poke a needle or a small piece of wire into each nozzle to open up the hole.
The last step is to screw the shower head back together, attach to the hose and turn on the shower to ensure that the water flows out freely.
If your shower head is completely fixed and cannot be removed, you can still spray vinegar on it and try and remove the limescale with a toothbrush. A more effective, but slightly more fiddly solution is to fill a small bag with white vinegar and secure it over the shower head with a rubber band (or something similar), ensuring it's immersed in the vinegar. Leave overnight and scrub as above.

Cleaning your shower hose

If you're taking the time to clean your shower head then it's probably worth giving you shower hose a clean at the same time. While a limescale buildup on a shower hose is unlikely to have any impact on the flow of water, cleaning it off the hose will result in a nicer, shinier finish and will leave you whole shower looking much more respectable!

If the set up of your shower allows, remove your shower hose and place it in a bowl.
Fill the bowl with a combination of hot water and white vinegar and leave to soak for a couple of hours or longer if necessary. If the hose is really dirty then leave it overnight.
Give your hose a scrub with a toothbrush or a dishwashing scourer and wipe clean.
Give the hose a good rinse and reattach. Your shower hose should be much cleaner and shinier now.
If you have a shower pipe, the remove it if you can and lay it in the bath. Cover with hot water and vinegar and continue as above.

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