How To Clean Shower Without Handheld

How to Clean a Showerhead without Vinegar

Cleaning your showerhead is one of those small tasks that often gets put off or forgotten, but it makes a HUGE difference. Aside from improved water pressure, it also has significant health benefits. One of the most common ways to clean your shower head involves vinegar, but if you don't have that on hand, don't worry, you have other options.

You can clean your showerhead without vinegar using 3 common household items. Specifically, you can use baking soda, Dr. Bronner's liquid soap, or even Coca-Cola. The steps to cleaning your shower head with each of these 3 ingredients are pretty simple and can easily be repeated once you know them.

In this article, we'll outline step-by-step how to clean your shower head with each of these different methods, and then we'll go into more detail on why you need a clean shower head in the first place. Let's cover the baking soda approach first.

1. How to Clean Your Showerhead with Baking Soda

How to clean a showerhead with baking soda

From baking cookies to absorbing odors, baking soda is not only versatile but inexpensive. I've used it for cleaning my stovetop and cookie sheets, but it also works well for cleaning the gunk off your shower head.

You'll Need:

A mixing bowl
- A small spoon
- ½ cup of baking soda
- Rubber gloves
- Water
- Dish cloth

Here's How:

1.1 Create a Paste

Start by creating a paste by using your spoon to mix ½ cup of baking soda withwarm water in a bowl. You don't need to use a precise amount of water, but the end result should be a thick paste.

If it is too runny, add more baking soda and stir until you get a consistency similar to toothpaste. Similarly, if it's dusty or chunky, add more water.

1.2 Cover Showerhead with Paste

Put on rubber gloves to avoid irritating your skin, and using your hands, cover your entire shower head with the baking soda paste. Repeat step one to create more paste if there is not enough to completely cover your shower head.

If you have a handheld showerhead, you can remove it from its mount before covering with the paste, and let it sit on the floor of your tub or stall.

1.3 Wait 25 Minutes

Leave the baking soda paste on your shower head for about 25 minutes. Be sure to time this as it can be difficult to clean if you let it sit for much longer!

If you're fully into bathroom cleaning mode, then you could start by applying the baking soda paste to your shower head, and then go wipe down the sink (or toilet!) while you wait.

1.4 Wipe and Rinse

Using your rubber gloves, clean the paste off of your shower head. If it's mounted to the wall, wet your dish cloth with warm water, and wipe it around your shower head to remove the paste and any remaining mineral deposits.

If your showerhead is removable, you could also rinse it with water under your faucet.

1.5 Turn on Shower

Last but not least, you'll want to run the water through your freshly cleaned showerhead, to remove any paste or residue which may still be stuck in the water holes.

If you removed the showerhead in order to clean it, you'll want to put it back in place, and then turn on the hot water for a minute or two.

2. How to Clean Your Showerhead with Dr. Bronner's

Dr. Bronner's is a popular multi-purpose cleaner, that is known for its natural ingredients, and variety of uses. In fact, they list 18 different uses on their bottle, so it's a great thing to include in your stash of cleaning supplies.

You'll Need:

Dr. Bronner's Pure-Castile Liquid Soap (about 1/8 cup for every 2 cups water)
Hot water
Plastic bag (1 qt Ziploc bag will work for most showerheads)
Rubber band
Dishcloth

And here's what you do:

2.1 Pour Soap in Plastic Bag

Start by pouring a bit of Dr. Bronner's Castile Soapin your plastic bag. I recommended about a 1-qt bag, but be sure to check and see that the bag will fit around your shower head, especially if you have a big one!

2.2 Add Water

Add hot water to the bag to form a soapy mixture. Roughly 2 cups of water for every 1/8 cup of soap will do. No need to bust out your measuring cups – eyeballing it should be fine.

2.3 Attach Bag to Showerhead

Wrap a rubber band over your shower head a few times so that it sits tightly around the water pipe. Place your plastic bag so that your entire shower head is immersed in the mixture of soap and water.

Slide the top edges of your plastic bag underneath the rubber band so that the bag is securely wrapped around the shower head. Be sure it's secured before stepping away.

If you remove your shower head from its mount or pipe, such as with a handheld shower head or by twisting the shower head counterclockwise, you can also fully submerge it in a bowl with the Dr. Bronner's soap and water instead of securing a plastic bag around it.

2.4 Wait 30 Minutes

Let your shower head sit in the soapy mixture for about 30 minutes. That's enough time for me to grab a quick lunch or watch an episode of Parks and Rec (multi-tasking for the win!).

2.5 Remove Bag from Showerhead

Remove your plastic bag and soapy mixture from the showerhead, and dispose of it by pouring it down the drain. We won't be needing this anymore.

2.6 Wipe and Rinse

If your showerhead is mounted to the wall, wet your dishcloth with warm water, and use it to clean the soap off of your shower head and remove any remaining mineral deposits. If you removed your shower head to clean it, you can rinse it with water under your faucet.

2.7 Turn on Shower

Again, you'll want to run hot water to remove any soap and residue still stuck in the water holes. If you removed your shower head in order to clean it, put it back in place, and then turn on the hot water for a minute or two.

3. How to Clean Your Shower Head With Coca-Cola

While I don't drink Coke on a regular basis, I've heard that it can be used for defrosting windshields and cleaning. Who knew?! Turns out that you can also use Coke to clean your shower head.

You'll Need:

A 12oz can of Coca-Cola
- Plastic bag (1 qt Ziploc bag will work for most showerheads)
- Rubber band
- Dish cloth

Here's what you do:

3.1 Pour Coke in a Plastic Bag

Start by pouring a can of Coke in your plastic bag. I recommended about a 1-qt bag, but be sure to check and see that the bag will fit around your shower head as we will be soaking the showerhead in the bag.

3.2 Attach Bag to Showerhead

Similar to the method with soap, wrap a rubber band over your showerhead so that it's tight around the water pipe. Place your plastic bag so that your entire shower head is soaked in the Coke.

Slip the top edges of your plastic bag underneath the rubber band so that the bag is solidly wrapped around the showerhead. Make sure the bag is secured before stepping away. If you decide to remove your showerhead from its mount or pipe, you can also soak it in a bowl with the Coke instead of securing a plastic bag around it.

3.3 Wait 30 Minutes

Let your shower head sit in the bag of Coke for about 30 minutes. You won't need to sit and watch it, but it might be good to check up on it a few times to make sure the bag is still secure, and Coke's not splattered all over your tub.

3.4 Remove Plastic Bag from Showerhead

Remove the Coca-Cola from your shower head, and dispose of it by pouring the Coke down the drain. For any die-hard Coke fans, please don't drink it.

3.5 Wipe and Rinse

If it's still mounted to the wall, wet your dishcloth with warm water and use it to wipe and remove the stickiness from the Coke and any remaining mineral deposits. If you removed your shower head to clean it, you can rinse it with water under your faucet.

3.6 Turn on Shower

As with all the methods mentioned, you'll want to run water through your showerhead to remove any Coke and remaining deposits stuck in the holes. If you removed the showerhead to clean it, you'll want to put it back in place, and then turn on the hot water for a few minutes.

Benefits of a Clean Showerhead

Most people never (or very seldom) clean their showerheads. That's gross. Don't be like them. Here's a couple of reasons why it is CRITICAL that you regularly clean your showerhead:

Showerheads can accumulate mold and harmful bacteria that can make you sick
Showerheads can get clogged with mineral deposits, which reduces the water pressure or even stops the flow of water completely

A showerhead is a great place for disease-causing bacteria to grow. When we take showers, any bacteria in the showerhead may get on our bodies. This could especially affect people with weakened immune systems.

By cleaning your shower head, you can remove that bacteria and lessen your chances of getting sick. Not to mention the fact that you will improve your water pressure and get to enjoy a nice, relaxing shower.