An Expert Explains How to Properly Clean a Showerhead, So You're Not Bathing in Bacteria
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When you’re cleaning your bathroom, you most likely have a routine: You wipe down the sink, scrub the toilet, mop the floor, and disinfect the bathtub. But have you ever taken the time to find out how to clean your showerhead? This is one area of the bathroom you don't want to skip, since it's crucial for the health of your hair and the quality of your daily showers.
According to Business Insider, a showerhead that isn’t routinely cleaned can lead to several major issues. Calcium, hard water, and mold can build up on a dirty nozzle. This, in turn, can clog the nozzle and lower your water pressure — and we hate nothing more than a low-pressure shower.
What’s worse, though, is the impact that a dirty showerhead can have on the health of your hair and scalp. If your showerhead is clogged with mold and mildew, it can trigger some unpleasant symptoms, including irritation, rashes, itchiness, and even potential allergic reactions.
Luckily, preventing this is easy, and all it takes is learning how to clean a showerhead. We spoke to Liz Halvorsen, a cleaning expert and the owner of Mess to Bliss. Once this crucial step is part of your cleaning routine, the peace of mind you'll have will make your showers so much better.
How to Clean a Showerhead
1. Secure some CLR
CLR — or Calcium, Lime and Rust Remover — is a fantastic cleaning product to have on-hand for degunking a showerhead.
It's better for this job than other cleaners because it's formulated to work on mineral buildup and stains from hard water deposits, which are likely all over a dirty showerhead.
2. Soak your showerhead
Since you want to wipe out as much of that mineral buildup on your showerhead as possible, you can try this hands-off method:
“Pour a little CLR into a plastic bag, then secure the bag around the head with a rubber band or tape,” Halvorsen says. “Let sit for about 15 minutes.”
3. Scrub off the residue and rinse it all off
After soaking the showerhead, the residue may be will be loosened but not entirely gone.
“Remove the bag and scrub your showerhead with a small brush or toothbrush to remove loose debris,” says Halvorsen. At this point, the discoloration and buildup should be nearly gone.
Finally, Halvorsen says all you have to do is “turn on the shower and rinse.” The showerhead should now look shiny and stain-free, although you can easily brush any spots you missed with your old toothbrush or scrub brush.
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