The Easiest Way To Remove Hard Water Deposits From Shower Heads (2024)

By Julie

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Tired of calcium and lime build-up on your shower head? Check out how to remove hard water from a shower head. It's easy to clean hard water from the shower head without using smelly chemicals.

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We have really hard water at our house. I grew up with hard water, so I don't mind it much. I do, however, find it can be challenging to clean things that have hard water deposits on them.

I used to buy CLR to clean off the hard water deposits. It works ok, but is smelly and can be toxic.

I made the switch to vinegar and I love it. Not only can I skip the gloves and the bad fumes from CLR, but vinegar is usually less than $2 a bottle. Plus it's non-toxic and eco-friendly!

Check out how to clean hard water from your shower head below.

How To Remove Hard Water From A Shower Head

My shower head was starting to lose pressure from the hard water deposits so I used my favorite way to clean them. This really is the easiest way to remove hard water deposits from shower heads.

To remove the hard water and mineral deposits from your shower head you will need a few things.

Items Needed:

  • vinegar (just the plain white vinegar)
  • gallon ziploc bag
  • chip clip or rubber band (to keep the bag on)
  • microfiber cloth (I love this brand)
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Step 1: Start with a bag large enough to fit over the shower head. I used a gallon-sized Ziploc bag, but you could also use an old cereal bag or bread bag if you don't want to waste a Ziploc.

Step 2: Fill the bag with enough vinegar to cover the bottom of the shower head.

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Step 3: Place the bag over the shower head and use either a clip or a rubber band to keep the bag in place. Leave the bag in place for at least one hour.

Step 4: At the end of an hour check to see if all the hard water deposits have gone away. If they are still there leave it for another hour.

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Step 5: After the hard water deposits are gone you can remove the clip and take down the bag.

Step 6: Turn on the water to hot and let the water run through the shower head to remove any more hard water deposits.

Step 7: Then use a clean microfiber cloth to wipe off the shower head. If you have any clogged drains you can use the leftover vinegar to clean out the drains.

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Not only will your shower head look better without all the hard water deposits, but it will also have much better pressure now instead of the water just dripping out of the holes.

I love how simple it is to clean without using all the toxic, expensive chemicals. Check out the before and after.

Next time you notice all the hard water buildup on your shower head, skip the CLR and use this simple trick to remove hard water deposits. It is the easiest way to remove hard water deposits from shower heads.

Want some other easy cleaning tips? Check out the articles below.

  • How to remove hard water stains from stainless steel
  • How to deep clean a bathroom
  • Amazing uses for vinegar around the house

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Reader Interactions

Comments

  1. Allison @ Frugal on the Prairie@ says

    I grew up in Kansas where hard water is practically a state representative. I wish I'd known about this trick back then!!

  2. Lisa L says

    The timing on this is perfect! I was just looking at my showerhead this weekend and thinking I needed to get some CLR. Thanks to fabulous you I can do this cheaper, more environmentally friendly practice. THANK YOU Julie!

    • Julie says

      Your welcome!

  3. Helene says

    My nose HATES all those chemicals! I'll be trying this vinegar trick!

The Easiest Way To Remove Hard Water Deposits From Shower Heads (2024)
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