Did you know that only 20% of Americans deep clean their home every six months? That number should be higher, especially when you consider how important a clean house is for your hygiene. The bathroom, in particular, is a breeding ground for bacteria and grime.

If you’ve felt like it’s time to give your bathroom an extra dose of cleanliness, then it’s time to learn how to clean your shower head. This is an often overlooked area that can get dirtier than you think.

Ready to learn how to make your bathroom shine? Let’s get started.

Materials Needed

The good news is that shower head cleaning isn’t complicated, and it doesn’t require a significant amount of materials. In fact, you’ll be pleased to know that most of the items you need are likely in your possession already. Here is everything you’ll need:

1/2 cup of baking soda
pitcher
gallon-size plastic bag
4 cups of white vinegar
1 cup of water
rubber bands or zip ties

Inspect Shower Head

Now that you have all the materials you need, you’ll want to do an inspection of your bathroom shower head. Examine it closely.

Turn on the water and see which water holes are plugged when the shower is running. You’ll want those holes to get completely submerged when you’re cleaning.

Check for any other parts of the shower head that are particularly dirty. This might require extra attention when you’re doing a deep clean.

Mix Cleaner

Now that you know how much work is in store for you, you can get the cleaning solution started. Grab the gallon-size plastic bag, open it up and place it inside the pitcher. You’ll want to fold the edges of the bag around the outside of the container to help keep it upright.

Now you can add 1/2 cup of baking soda to the bag. For this next part, you’ll want to be particularly slow and careful—pour the vinegar into the bag. This can get messy if you decide to pour the vinegar in quickly.

Without making the bag overflow, keep pouring the vinegar inside until it’s settled and thoroughly mixed. Now add a cup of water to dilute the mixture.

Submerge Shower Head

It’s no secret that shower heads vary significantly in size and angles, so the next step might not apply to every type of shower head. The ideal scenario is that you’ll be able to angle the shower head downwards and submerge every water jet into the cleaner, and secure the bag around the neck of the shower head.

If you have a two-in-one design or removable shower head, it might require extra work to get all of the jets submerged in the cleaner solution.

The best way to secure the bag around the neck of your showerhead is with a zip tie. Feel free to use a rubber band; make sure you wrap it well enough to keep the bag in place.

If your shower head is on the smaller side, you’ll want to be mindful of the bag’s weight. Reduce the amount of cleaner weighing down your fixture.

You can pour that excess cleaner on the floor of your bathtub or shower. This is a great way to clean the shower while you wait for the shower head to soak. It should be a minimum of four hours, but overnight is ideal.

Wipe Down the Surface

Now that your shower head has had a nice soak, it’s time to wipe down the surface thoroughly. Start by removing the bag and pouring the liquid down the drain. Do a quick test by turning the water back on and seeing if any clogged jets opened up.

You should notice an improvement in the water pressure.

Now grab a dry microfiber cloth and wipe down the surface of the shower head gently. This way, you can wash away any remaining build-up or residue. At this point, any hard water spots or soap residue should be gone, and your shower should feel clean and vibrant.

Keeping Things Clean

As you can see, cleaning your shower head is pretty simple! Don’t stop at the shower head; use this time to give your entire restroom a deep clean. With a handful of household items, you’re able to bring life back to your bathroom.

Not only will this help keep your home hygienic, but having a clean place can also improve your mental health.

To keep your shower head maintained until the next deep clean, have some diluted vinegar in a spray bottle. Forget the baking soda this time. You can keep any build-up at bay by spraying and wiping down the shower head during your weekly cleaning process.

This will make the next time you soak your shower head a breeze. You’ll spend less time cleaning and more time enjoying your space.