Showerheads are one of those bathroom accessories that you’re either a stickler about cleaning or completely overlook because you assume the shower water is keeping it clean. If you’re in the first group already, kudos. If you’re in the second group, afraid not. In addition to preventing bacteria, lime deposits and calcium, cleaning your showerhead also keeps your showerhead water pressure at the speed and strength of your settings. If you notice the water is starting to trickle when it used to shoot straight out like a jet or pour out like a rain shower, a dirty showerhead is probably the culprit.

Showerhead Cleaning Schedule

The good news is you don’t have to make a chore of it every week, unless you want to. Every three weeks to one month is fine and on the same schedule as your cast iron skillet. If you know you’re going to forget, add showerhead cleaning to one of your digital calendar reminders, right along with regularly cleaning your stove and refrigerator every three months.

Showerhead Cleaning Procedure

If you have never cleaned your showerhead, a deep cleaning may be the first way you want to approach this job. You’ll need a gallon-size bag (preferably a freezer bag), 1/2 cup of baking soda, approximately 2 cups of white vinegar, and one durable twist tie (or zip tie).

Step One: If there are no clogged showerhead holes regardless of not regularly cleaning, then you’ve already lucked out. If there are clogged showerhead nozzles, identify them (run the shower water) to make sure they are not overlooked during this cleaning job.

Step Two: If you’re using a durable freezer bag, you may not need a pitcher for this next step. Your bathroom sink will work fine. If your bag is a little flimsier, fold the edges of your bag around a water pitcher.

Step Three: Pour one-half cup of baking soda in the bag.

Step Four: Slowly pour two cups of vinegar in the bag. Keep in mind that vinegar will bubble up and rise, so pour slowly.

Step Five: While you can add one cup of water into this baking soda and vinegar mix to make it less thick, this is an optional step. If it’s mixed together well, you may be OK without the water. Some cleaning instructions recommend 4 cups of white vinegar instead of 2 cups, but this is very dependent on how large your showerhead is. If it’s on the smaller side, you’ll end up wasting the vinegar and pouring it in the tub.

(Cleaning Hack: Using vinegar and baking soda is a bathroom hack that can unclog a drain too. The only downside is if there’s grease buildup on the other side, all that baking soda is just going to collect in your pipe right next to the grease, regardless of you pouring hot water to “unclog” it on the sewage side. A professional plumber will more than likely be needed to manually remove the grease.)

Step Six: For stubborn or sticky spots that you think need to be cleaned beforehand, all-purpose cleaner (preferably eco-friendly versions) or dish liquid can be used to scrub those out.

Step Seven: Once the baking soda and vinegar mixture is no longer sizzling and is a whitish liquid, shift the showerhead at an angle so that it can submerge into the bag’s cleaning solution. Use a twist tie or zip tie to keep the showerhead bag in place. This bag of liquid should not be so heavy that it’s weighing your showerhead down enough to pull it off or fall. If you cannot get all holes to submerge into the showerhead, or it looks like it’s going to slide off, remove your detachable showerhead and put both the bag and the showerhead in that pitcher.

Step Eight: Leave it this way for about four hours. (Set your stove timer or smartphone alarm clock so you don’t forget about it.)

Step Nine: When your time is up, carefully remove the bag, pour the vinegar and baking soda mixture down the tub drain, and run your shower water. Any clogged holes should have water coming out of them now. Then, use a microfiber cloth to wipe the little rubbery nozzle areas (or holes), and enjoy your next shower!

When To Replace a Showerhead

Some homeowners may completely disagree with the suggested tip to replace the showerhead twice a year (every six months). The main reason is that as long as you can keep mineral deposit buildup out of the showerhead and clean it regularly, replacing the showerhead may seem pointless. And quality showerheads may not often have a lot of problems with water pressure, speed or efficiency, so you’re left wondering why you should replace it at all.

As long as the showerhead nozzles don’t crack, leak or are accidentally dropped, they can last for a long time. If you’re not seeing sediment or calcium deposits on your showerhead, replacing the showerhead really comes down to your opinion. If you’ve followed all the steps above for how to clean a showerhead and are still seeing problems, then it’s time to call it quits. Buy a new showerhead.

Either way, get in the habit of cleaning your showerhead. Even if you don’t visually see the buildup, soap scum, mold and mildew, all of them are trying to do their own job and ruin your showerhead’s water flow. Don’t let them.