How To Clean A Showerhead | Reviews By Wirecutter

To keep your showerhead running smoothly, Tom Sindelar, senior product manager for Kohler, recommends regular basic cleaning. “A quick, frequent wipe-down keeps it looking and working like new with minimal time spent,” he told us via email. This is wise counsel, but it’s understandably something that’s easily glossed over as part of your routine. One of the showerheads we worked on hadn’t been cleaned in eight months.

Before embarking on a major clean for a clogged showerhead, know that many modern models have scale-resistant silicone or polymer nozzles that are designed to easily dislodge hard-water buildup. If clogging is the only problem, sometimes you can fix the issue with a vigorous swipe of your hand across the surface, or by working the nozzles back and forth a bit.

“The water at my father’s is extremely hard,” senior staff writer Tim Heffernan said. “He thought he had to replace all of his showerheads, but I was able to clear them in just a few minutes by scraping the nozzles with my fingernail. I pulled them sideways and let them snap back a few times.”

If this doesn’t alleviate the problem, or you have a model with fixed nozzles, start by soaking your showerhead in a vinegar-and-water solution. The acidic vinegar will help break down mineral buildup inside and out, and it will help dislodge mold and other growth often found in bathrooms.

Many cleaning blogs, articles, and even some Wirecutter staffers recommend tying a bag of vinegar around a showerhead to soak it. I tried this, and I personally found this method to be extremely awkward, though it could work well for smaller showerheads or kitchen-sink faucets.

For showerheads that are too big to fit in a quart- or sandwich-sized zip-top bag, I’ve found that removing the showerhead entirely is simpler and guarantees a more-thorough cleaning. But because not everyone is able to remove their showerhead, we’ll cover both methods, beginning with what we’d do first.

What It Takes to Remove a Showerhead

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