How to Clean Your Shower Head of Hard Water Buildup

Whether you like to shower in the morning or late at night, there’s nothing more refreshing than feeling the full blast of water wake you up or rinse off the dirt and residue from a long day. But if your shower head is starting to show signs of calcium deposits (e.g. unattractive mounts of a white, chalky substance), you may not enjoy the same refreshing sensation these days.    

If you follow our blog, you probably guessed why your shower head is no longer functioning properly. When you notice calcium deposits begin to form on your shower head, the culprit is almost always hard water.  

Consisting of calcium, magnesium, and other types of minerals, hard water can damage your pipes, cause odors, and damage your skin and hair. And once it passes through your shower head and dries, it leaves tiny deposits of calcium, which overtime, continue mineral build up and prevent water from reaching you (The Spruce).   

 How to Remove Hard Water Buildup on a Shower Head 

Aside from looking unattractive, mineral buildup on your shower head can also clog your pipes and affect your home’s water pressure. Need to remove mineral buildup on your shower head? Try these tips for a cleaner showering experience: 

Clean Regularly: One of the best ways to prevent mineral buildup from hard water on your shower head is to clean it regularly weekly!  

• Experts from Better Homes and Gardens recommend filling a Ziplock bag with white vinegar and wrapping it around your shower head with a rubber band, allowing it to soak in the acidic liquid for an hour. Once you remove the bag, you can turn on the shower head to quickly rinse the vinegar off. This is a quick trick to help remove buildup. 
• If your shower head is clogged down with minerals, your best option might be taking it apart for a deeper clean. You can carefully disconnect the shower head from the arm using a wrench. Once removed, emerge the shower head in a bowl of vinegar and leave it there overnight. When you’re ready to dry it, use a toothbrush to help remove any leftover minerals and dry the head with a soft cloth before installing back on the shower arm (wikiHow.com) 

Install a Shower Head Water Filter: If you live in an apartment building that receives municipal water, you may benefit from attaching a filter to your shower head. You can usually find these products online or in stores like the Home Depot, Lowes, etc. These attachments are easy to attach to your shower fixture, and depending on the brand and its filtration system, it can help prevent calcium deposits, as well as chlorine, from ruining your daily shower routine.  

Invest in a Home Filtration System: For homeowners, a whole house filtration solution is the best investment. Remember, calcium deposits affect more than your shower head. You can find traces of it on your bathroom and kitchen faucets, laundry appliances, and other water fixtures in your home. Kinetico® offers advanced in-house water purification and softener systems, each designed to get to the root of your hard water issue and leave your water clean, clear, and delicious.  

Get a Free Home Water Test Today!  

With a water filtration system protecting your pipes and shower head fixture, you’ll instantly eliminate mineral build-up, which can save you hours of weekly cleaning. As an authorized dealer of Kinetico Water Softeners, our team at Aquarius Water Conditioning works to ensure customers throughout Minnesota and Wisconsin enjoy the health and cost-saving benefits of an effective water filtration solution.   

Dealing with pesky mineral buildup on your shower head, or other common household hard water issues? Contact us or request a free water test and online quote today!