When was the last time you cleaned your showerheads?
Have you ever cleaned them?
Regardless of whether your showerheads are clogged or not, you should be cleaning them periodically.
Why?
Because over time, mineral deposits and other debris will clog the water holes reducing the performance of your showerhead. Additionally, if you don’t clean out those mineral deposits and other debris, it could permanently damage your showerhead and the surface—or worse (more about that in a moment).
How Often Should You Clean Your Showerheads?
Ideally, you should clean your showerheads at least once a month. However, when cleaning them, never use bleach, harsh chemicals, or coarse brush scrubbers as they could damage the surface.
Why Cleaning Your Showerhead Is So Important
It’s important to clean your showerheads because if left unchecked, large amounts of Mycobacterium, a bacteria that sometimes causes lung-disease, could grow in the slime that lurks inside the nozzle. And that’s what you and your family could be breathing every time you take a shower!
How to Clean a Gunked Up Showerhead?
To get started, you will need to remove your showerhead, then rub the nozzles to remove as much of the mineral buildup as you can. You can also do this with an old toothbrush if you’d like.
Using distilled white vinegar to clean your shower head is the most popular, non-toxic, non-damaging way to effectively clean your showerheads.
First, you will fill a plastic bag with distilled white vinegar and wrap it around the showerhead securing the bag with a rubber band or the like. Let your it soak for three to 24 hours depending on how dirty it is and how much mineral buildup is present. Then remove the plastic bag and let all the residual vinegar drain out of the showerhead.
Next, you simply run fresh hot water through your showerhead to wash out any remaining vinegar, mineral deposits, and other debris.
PLEASE NOTE: If you have a brass, gold, or nickel-coated showerhead, don’t leave it in the vinegar for more than 30 minutes; otherwise, it could damage the surface.
Lastly, you will need to clean the filter screen. You will find the filter screen between the showerhead and the pipe. Remove the screen and gently brush it with an old toothbrush to get the mineral deposits out. Then you will put the filter screen back on and reinstall the showerhead to the pipe.
That’s it, you’re done!
What’s Next?
If you have any plumbing issues or just have a few questions, please Contact Us today. J.W. Freeman Plumbing has been serving the Gainesville area for more than 10 years. So if you are looking for a reputable plumbing company in Gainesville, FL, please reach out to us. We look forward to serving you.
