How to Clean a Shower Head Without Taking It Off

Step by step

1. 1

   Test a finish that is not chrome

   Dip a cotton swab in vinegar and hold it on a small hidden spot, like the back of the head, for up to 30 minutes. PlumbingSupply.com suggests this test for every finish except chrome. If the finish dulls, spots or changes color, stop here and skip to the soap tip in the next section.

   What it looks like: a passing test leaves the spot looking just like the rest of the head once you wipe it dry.

2. 2

   Rub the spray holes, if your head allows it

   Some shower heads, like Delta’s Touch-Clean models, are made so you can rub the spray holes with a finger. Delta says that rub loosens and wipes away residue, so do it first if yours is that kind.

3. 3

   Fill the bag

   For chrome, pour about 12 ounces of distilled white vinegar (a cup and a half) into a gallon zip bag, which is what American Standard suggests. For any other finish that passed the test, mix 1 cup of vinegar with 1 cup of water, the half and half mix Delta uses.

4. 4

   Tie the bag on

   Lift the bag up over the shower head so every nozzle sits in the liquid. Wrap a rubber band around the top of the bag and the shower arm until it holds. If the nozzles poke above the liquid, add a little more.

   What it looks like: the bag hangs full and snug, with the face of the head under the vinegar.

1. 5

   Let it soak

   For chrome, leave it at least 1 hour, or overnight for heavy crust (American Standard). For other finishes, leave it 30 minutes (Delta), then check it and soak again only if you need to.

2. 6

   Scrub the nozzles

   Take the bag off and pour the vinegar down the drain. Gently scrub the face of the head with a soft old toothbrush or a soft cloth, as Delta and American Standard both suggest.

   What it looks like: the softened buildup wipes away from the spray holes.

3. 7

   Run hot water, then dry it

   Turn on the hot water and let it run 5 to 10 minutes to flush out the vinegar, as American Standard suggests. Then dry the outside with a soft cloth.

   What it looks like: a full, even spray with no sideways jets.

When it will not work, and what to do instead

Most shower heads come back to life with a soak or two. If yours does not, one of these is usually why.

• The finish failed the swab test. Skip the vinegar. Moen’s care advice for its Nebia shower head is mild soap, a warm water rinse and a clean, soft cloth to dry it.
• The spray is still weak after two soaks. The clog may be in the small screen inside the nut where the head meets the arm, and that job means taking the head off. Delta says a gasket and screen sit inside that nut, and not to use pliers or a wrench when you put it back.
• You want something stronger than vinegar. Delta says to avoid bleach, harsh cleaners and anything with hydrochloric, hydrofluoric or phosphoric acid on its shower heads. Some lime and rust toilet cleaners carry those acids (the Lysol Lime & Rust label lists hydrochloric acid), so keep them off the shower head.
• It crusts back up in a few weeks. Delta suggests wiping the water drops off the head with a soft cloth after each use, so they cannot dry into crust.

Why it works

That white crust is minerals. Hard water carries dissolved calcium and magnesium, and Delta explains that the deposits form when water dries on the shower head. Each shower leaves a few drops in the holes, and each drop leaves a little rock behind.

Vinegar is an acid, and acid dissolves that kind of mineral crust. It is the same reason vinegar works on the white film inside a tea kettle. Delta says vinegar’s acidity helps dissolve the deposits but is not harsh enough to hurt the finish or the parts inside.

The bag just gives the vinegar time. A quick spray would run right off, but a soak keeps the acid on the crust long enough to soften it, and then the toothbrush lifts it out.

Now think about your morning. Half the holes spray straight at the wall while the other half dribble, and you start the day already annoyed. A shower head that sprays right makes every morning a little better.