How to Clean a Shower Head without Vinegar

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Keeping your shower head clean and free of build-ups is important. We all know that when you first install a shower head it runs smoothly and ensures high water pressure.

But, after some time, the minerals from the water will start to build-up around the holes on the shower head and that can create all sorts of problems.

This will result in loss of water pressure and your shower head will most likely start to leak. To prevent these sorts of things, you can always clean your shower head in some really effective ways.

That’s why we are here to explain to you how to clean a shower head properly.

Now, let’s take a closer look at all the useful tips and tricks that can help you to clean a shower head properly.

How to Clean a Shower Head without Vinegar

Before We Start

Since most of the popular ways of cleaning a shower head requires you to use vinegar, we are going to discuss how to clean a shower head without vinegar. We all know that vinegar is great when it comes to getting rid of mildew or all sorts of build-ups, but, sometimes, using vinegar is not necessary.

There are plenty of other ways to clean a shower head without using a drop of vinegar.

Also, some of the best and the most effective methods for cleaning shower heads require you to use:

  1. Baking Soda
  2. Cleaning Product
  3. Lime Scale remover 

So, as we can see, these three items are more than enough to provide you with a perfectly cleaned shower. That’s why we are going to discuss them one by one.

But, before we start, here’s a list of things that you should get in order to clean a shower head properly. Now, you might not use every item on the list, but it won’t hurt to have them by your side, let’s see:

  • An old toothbrush
  • Face-Mask
  • Rubber Gloves
  • A bucket
  • Spray Bottle
  • An old piece of cloth
  • A sponge

Now, let’s see how to clean a shower head. Let’s begin.

How to Clean a Shower Head without Vinegar

1. Using Baking Soda for Shower Head Cleaning

As we all know, baking soda is a great way of getting rid of basically anything organic. Namely, the chemical reaction which is caused by baking soda is more than enough to dissolve all sorts of build-ups, especially, on the shower head.

That’s why you should use this method first. So, let’s see how to clean a shower head with baking soda.

Using Baking Soda for Shower Head Cleaning

Step 1 – Prepare for the Cleaning

First of all, you will need to prepare for the cleaning process. Now, this step requires you to put on a pair of rubber gloves and begin with the cleaning.

Also, it is important to disconnect the shower head from the installation since you are going to work on it pretty hard. Removing the shower head is not that simple and it can require you to read the instruction manual sometimes.

Nevertheless, once you removed the shower head and gear up, it’s time to start.

Step 2 – Make a Paste

The most important part of this method of cleaning is to make a paste out of the baking soda and water. Now, there isn’t a proper recipe that will tell you how much baking soda to use and how much water to add.

So, you will have to do this step by heart. This means that you need to take a plastic cup and pour baking soda inside. Don’t hesitate to use a bit more baking soda, but, don’t use too much. The recommended amount is to pour for about ½ of the cup.

Next, you will need to add a bit of water into the plastic cup and slowly stir the solution. You can use an ear stick to stir and mix the baking soda and water. Thereafter, you will get a solution that looks like a paste.

The goal is to add water until you get your desired density of the solution. It should be just like the toothpaste.

Step 3 – Use a Toothbrush

For the next step, you will need to take an old toothbrush and start doing the hard work. Simply put, you will need to apply the baking soda paste on the shower head first and then use a toothbrush to rub the holes.

The worst kind of build-ups is located at the holes on the shower head, so make sure to pay extra attention there. Also, you should start slowly at first so you don’t damage the shower head with the toothbrush.

As you continue to rub and brush the shower head, you should apply more pressure and speed up a bit. That will completely clean the shower head out of any build-ups.

Step 4 – Rinse the Shower Head with Hot Water

As for the last part, take the shower head and rinse it with hot water. Now, since you won’t be able to use your shower to rinse the shower head, obviously, we recommend using sink water.

So, place an already cleaned shower head in a sink and use tap water to rinse it properly. Make sure to do this step a couple of times in order to ensure the best possible result.

2. Using Cleaning Product for Shower Head Cleaning

This method is a piece of cake – you won’t need to put much effort in the cleaning process.

Anyhow, the best cleaning product to use for this kind of job is an oven cleaner. Now, we know that oven cleaner is designed to dissolve grease build-ups, but it is also great when it comes to dissolving other build-ups as well.

In that light, let’s see how to clean a shower head with an oven cleaner.

1. No need to remove the Shower Head

To begin with, you won’t need to detach anything. This means that you can easily clean a shower head while being installed to the water supply pipe. So, all you need to do is to isolate the shower head on some surface – for example, use the place near the drain in the bathtub.

Once you place the shower head near the drain, you can advance to the next step.

However, if you can’t move your shower head, then just leave it there and prepare for the next step.

2. Prepare for the Cleaning

This step requires you to basically gear up. First, put on a pair of rubber gloves since you don’t want any oven cleaner on your hands.

Second, take a face-mask and put it on. The oven cleaner is a strong chemical solution that releases fumes once it’s sprayed. That’s why you need to put a face-mask on since you don’t want to inhale the fumes from the oven cleaner.

Also, it is recommended to put a towel around your head if your shower is located on a big higher application. This way, you will make sure that the oven cleaner doesn’t spill on your head once you spray it.

3. Spray the Shower Head

Next, you should spray the shower head with the oven cleaner. In order to do so, we recommend spraying in intervals of 5 to 10 seconds. This way, the solution from the oven cleaner will slowly drip down the shower head and enter every hole that is full of build-ups.

If your shower head is on the higher application, then spray carefully since you don’t want to miss and spill the oven cleaner all around your bathroom.

Once you did that properly, it’s time to let it rest for approximately 20 minutes.

4. Wait for approximately 20 Minutes

When you apply the oven cleaner on the shower head make sure to wait at least 20 minutes so the solution can do its job.

Chemicals from the oven cleaner will easily and without any complications dissolve all the nasty build-ups that are located inside the hole on the shower head.

This way, the only thing left for you is to properly rinse the shower head.

5. Rinse with Hot Water

The last step requires you to rinse the shower head with hot water. Now, since you didn’t remove the shower head from the installation, you’ll have to use hot water from the sink to rinse it properly.

Take an empty spray bottle and fill it with hot water and then spray the shower head as you rub it with a piece of old cloth. This will properly clean your shower head and leave you with great results.

3. Using Lime Scale Remover for Shower Head Cleaning

Lime scale remover is also a great solution for shower head cleaning. Namely, there are all sorts of cleaning products that can help you in this case and lime scale remove is one of them.

So, in order to use it properly, just follow the next steps in a given order and everything will be fine.

1. Remove the Shower Head

First, you will need to detach the shower head from the installation so you can clean it properly. Do this step carefully since you don’t want to damage the shower head in any way.

2. Spray the Lime Scale Remover on the Shower Head

Now, take the lime scale remover cleaning product and spray it all over the shower head. It is best if you could place a shower head in a sink and then use the lime scale remover.

Aim for the hole on the shower head since that’s the place where you can find most of the build-ups.

Also, don’t hesitate to spray it a bit more than you used to. This kind of cleaning requires lots of solution in order to dissolve all the build-ups.

3. Wait for 20 minutes

Same as in the method where we used an oven cleaner, you now need to wait for the lime scale remover to do its job. Give it approximately 20 minutes before you rinse the shower head.

Make sure that the shower head is untouched for that time in the sink.

4. Rinse it with Hot Water 

Once you did everything properly, it is time to put a shower head under a stream of hot water. This way, every particle of build-up will be easily washed away and you will get your shower head perfectly cleaned.

Conclusion: Cleaning a Shower Head WITHOUT Vinegar

As we can see, the cleaning the shower head without vinegar is not that hard. Simply put, vinegar is a good thing to use to clean a shower head, but, there are other ways as well.

We have explained three possibly the most popular and the most effective ways to clean your shower head. Now, it is all up to you to decide how to do it


How-to-Clean-a-Shower-Head-without-Vinegar