How To Clean A Faucet Head

Discover the best cleaning solutions and techniques to keep your faucet head sparkling and free from buildup.

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Did you know that your shower head needs a bath of its own every so often? Your sink faucet heads need cleaning, too. Limescale, soap scum, and food debris can build up on faucet heads as you use them daily. You might even see a black slimy substance—it’s harmless bacteria feasting on the minerals in the water, but yuck nonetheless.

“As this grime builds up, it can impact the water pressure and flow of your faucet,” Katie Dills, Brand President of The Cleaning Authority. “Moreover, the buildup may result in unpleasant odors and foster the growth of harmful bacteria, including mold and mildew.”

In short, it’s probably a good time to clean those shower and faucet heads. Here, we’ll walk you through three easy methods.

Vinegar is among the best tools to clean shower and faucet heads, but this household cleaning staple comes with a disclaimer: It’s very acidic, so don’t let it get near natural stone surfaces like marble or certain types of faucet materials.

“It is important to note that vinegar isn’t recommended for all faucets,” says Dills. “Faucets with black, bronze, or gold-colored coatings and finishes may get damaged or discolored by the vinegar’s acidity.

Vinegar also has a strong odor, though it’s not toxic. However, if you’re cleaning with it, it’s always a good idea to ventilate the space. If you’ve got sensitive skin, wear gloves to handle vinegar—it’s fine when diluted, but straight vinegar might cause skin irritation.

CLR, another cleaner on our list, is safe for some surfaces, but not others. When using this and any other household cleaner, it’s important to read the label carefully to avoid damage or personal injury—even if CLR does meet the Environmental Protection Agency’s (EPA) Safer Choice Standard.

For this method, you’re basically preparing a vinegar bath for your faucet head. “Soaking the head in this natural solution dissolves mineral buildup and eradicates bacteria, ensuring a clean and efficient flow,” says Guldeste Tursunbaeva, General Manager of Superb Maids Charlotte.

Dills says you can also wet a cloth with the same vinegar and water mixture and secure it around the faucet head or shower head. Let it sit for 30 minutes, then scrub and rinse.

CLR stands for calcium, lime, and rust, and this handy household cleaner can remove it all from your faucet head. It’s easily available online or at your local supermarket or hardware store.

CLR can be used on chrome, fiberglass, porcelain, and stainless steel, but keep it away from natural stone, brass, copper, aluminum, and galvanized metals.

It’s always a good practice to ventilate your home when you’re cleaning, but it’s vital to do so when using vinegar and cleaners like CLR. Vinegar has a strong odor that’s harmless and CLR meets the EPA’s Safer Choice Standard, but you should always open doors and windows when cleaning with either.

Note: If you feel ill after using any household cleaners, call 911 or the Poison Control Center at 1-800-222-1222.