When you come back home from a long, tiring and hot day, the first thing you want to do is take a nice relaxing shower.
You just want to wash away all the exhaustion and fatigue.
But, don’t you hate it when you go to your bathroom to take that nice long shower, and your shower head is squirting water in all directions or, even worse, not pouring any water at all?
Well, that is a scenario that we all want to avoid. But unfortunately, sometimes we do face this nightmare.
After using it for a while, it is very common for shower heads to get congested and become a bit dysfunctional, but there is an easy way to fix it!
And today, we are gonna show you how to clean a shower head with baking soda?
Why Your Shower Head Is Clogging Up?
You may have noticed that usually, your shower head works just fine the first couple of months after you have installed it. But, after a few months of daily usage, you notice a couple of issues.
The most common thing you may notice is that the water pressure is different. No matter how many ways you try to adjust the pressure, the water just comes out eerie.
This is usually the first thing you notice if your shower head is clogged up. Let’s talk about the reasons why your showerhead gets this way.
Dirt Build-Up
You use your shower almost every day, so it is obvious that with time and usage, your shower head will cause some dirt to build up. The dirt builds up around the holes or sometimes even in between them. This restricts the water to flow freely.
Mineral Build-Up
One other thing you might notice is a certain kind of white build up around the holes and on the surface of the shower head. This is a layer of mineral which gathers on the surface.
This is also something pretty common with almost all types of shower heads. Although it is quite scary to look at, it is nothing to worry about. The layer is just a result of time and utilization.
Wear and Tear
These are not the only problems. Even if your shower head is depositing water, you might see that the flow is disjointed. Your shower head is shooting water in all different directions!
The truth is, all things do wear and tear and so does something as frugal as your shower head. This is natural and inevitable, but it’s not the end of the world.
What to Do If Your Shower Head Is Clogged?
The initial reaction of people when they see that their shower head is not working properly is to throw it away and buy a new one. Now, why would you do that and waste your money and time when you can be simply cleaning shower head with baking soda and vinegar at home?
Shower heads can be cleaned at home with simple ingredients that you already have lying around at home. You don’t need a trip to the super market, and you don’t even need any fancy product! With a few simple steps and ingredients, you can make your shower head brand new again.
But how exactly do you clean your shower head? Well, there are many ways;
- You could try and wipe the surface off your shower head with a warm wet cloth.
- You could use vinegar, try a strong cleaning detergent or even try and scrub off the dirt with a cleaning brush.
But the most fruitful method to clean your shower head is to use baking soda. This method is guaranteed to give you the best results.
No products found.
How to Clean Your Shower Head with Baking Soda?
There are many ways you can clean your shower head, but when it comes to maximum results, baking soda is your best friend.
Yes, the process is lengthy, and you do have to wait a while for the soda to do its magic, but trust me, the results are worth the wait. Your shower head will be as good as new.
This method has been around for quite a while and is fool-proof.
What You Will Need?
- Baking soda
- Vinegar
- Plastic bag
The Process:
Here’s the step-by-step process for you;
Step 1
In a large bowl, combine six tablespoons or 1/3rd cup of baking soda with a cup of plain white vinegar. Mix the two ingredients gently to a smooth consistency.
While stirring the mixture, you might notice some bubbling. This is natural and is nothing to get scared about. Don’t worry; you’re not going to blow up your house!
When the acid in the vinegar combines with the sodium bicarbonate in the baking soda, the reaction that takes place causes some fizzy bubbling. This reaction also causes the creation of carbonic acid. Carbonic acid is the main cleaning agent, and it is going to do all the work.
You can also use lemon juice or anything acidic instead of vinegar.
Step 2
Get a plastic bag. Make sure the size of the bag is appropriate to the size of your shower head. If you get a bag that is too big, the mixture will just sit at the bottom and will not get a chance to clean out the gunk from the showerhead.The bag should also be sturdy. Keep in mind that this bag is going to be up there for a while, so you have to make sure that the bag isn’t flimsy and doesn’t tear apart.
Any plastic bag you have lying around in your house should do the trick. You could use garbage bags or any plastic covers that you don’t need any more.
Step 3
Pour the mixture into the plastic bag. Take the bag over to your bathroom and secure it around your shower head. You could tie the bag around with a hair tie or some rope or elastic.
Make sure that the product inside is in contact with your shower head. If possible, submerge the showerhead in the mixture and give it a good rub.
Step 4
The next step is to wait. You have to let the mixture do its work. And this work could take about 6 to 8 hours. The longer you leave it on, the better, but just keeping in on overnight should do the trick. After all, you don’t want to miss your morning shower!
The carbonic acid will slowly peel off all the debris and layers off.
Step 5
After you have kept it on overnight, in the next morning, remove the bag and gently rub the mixture off of the shower
head with a wet cloth. Wipe all the baking soda away, and you got yourself a shiny brand new clog-free showerhead.
Step 6
Turn on your shower and wait a while for all of the baking soda mixtures to fall off. After that, you’re ready to use your shower.
Frequently Asked Question (FAQs)
How to remove limescale from a showerhead?
Limescale can exist in both liquid and solid form. To remove the scum part from the showerhead, I would advise you to put it in a saucepan vinegar.
Warm the contents in light to moderate heat, but do not let it boil, especially if the showerhead is plastic. The limescale will start melting. Keep monitoring it as you simmer until all the deposits are out and that the product is clean!
How to get rid of hard water stains in the shower?
You can either use vinegar or baking soda. However, vinegar is always superior, and it is excellent for cleaning the shower product!
To begin cleaning it, prepare a mixture of vinegar and freshwater in equal measure. Put the solution in a spray bottle.
Apply the spray it to the shower and let it settle for about fifteen to twenty minutes. Then, take a clean microfiber towel, and wipe the solution off the surface. Your showerhead will now be clean!
Does vinegar affect the chrome shower head?
Yes, vinegar is a tough reagent that is highly corrosive. Even the twenty minutes that you let it stay on the shower to remove stains is risky! Applying vinegar finishes chrome finish as it will eventually eat into the fixture!
Conclusion
If not cleaned once in a while, you might cause irreversible damage to your showerhead and end up needing to buy a new one.
However, if you follow all the steps correctly, this method will surely give you the best results. All you need are two ingredients that I’m sure you already have at home.
So, check whether your shower head needs cleaning if you haven’t noticed already and if it does, you know what to do!
Read More
- How To Fix A Dripping Shower Head?
- Handheld Shower Head For Low Water Pressure
- Low Flow Handheld Shower Head
Last update on 2024-04-26 / Affiliate links / Images from Amazon Product Advertising API