How to Clean a Shower Filter: A Simple Maintenance Guide

Keeping your shower filter clean is straightforward — and takes less than 10 minutes. Here's what to clean, how often, and what to avoid.

Browse our shower filter range, see our Shower Filters Guide, or read our Shower Filter Maintenance Guide for a full schedule.

What Needs Cleaning (and What Doesn't)

There are two distinct things people mean when they say "clean my shower filter":

• The filter housing and screen — the physical unit that holds the cartridge. This can and should be cleaned regularly.
• The filter cartridge itself — the internal KDF and carbon media. This cannot be regenerated by cleaning. Once exhausted, it must be replaced.

Cleaning the housing keeps your filter performing well. Replacing the cartridge on schedule (every 6–12 months) is what keeps your water filtered. Don't confuse the two.

How to Clean the Filter Screen

Most shower filters have a small inlet screen that catches sediment before it reaches the filter media. A blocked screen reduces water pressure noticeably.

1. Turn off the shower.
2. Unscrew the filter from the shower arm (anticlockwise).
3. Locate the inlet screen — a small mesh disc near the inlet connection.
4. Remove the screen carefully with needle-nose pliers or tweezers.
5. Rinse under running water and scrub gently with a soft brush to clear mineral deposits.
6. Reinstall the screen and reattach the filter.

Do this monthly in hard water areas (Perth, Adelaide) or every 2–3 months in softer water areas (Melbourne, Sydney).

How to Descale the Filter Housing

In hard water areas, mineral deposits build up on the outside of the filter housing and at connection points. To remove them:

1. Mix equal parts white vinegar and water in a bowl.
2. Soak a cloth in the solution and wrap it around the housing for 15–20 minutes.
3. Scrub gently with a soft brush and rinse with clean water.

Don't use bleach on the housing — it can damage seals and chrome finishes. Don't use abrasive scrubbers on brushed nickel or chrome.

How to Clean a Fixed Shower Head

If your shower filter is integrated into a fixed shower head that can't be removed:

1. Fill a sturdy plastic bag with white vinegar.
2. Secure the bag around the shower head with a rubber band or zip tie so the nozzles are submerged.
3. Leave for 1–2 hours.
4. Remove the bag and run hot water through the nozzles for 30 seconds to flush out loosened deposits.
5. Scrub the nozzle face with a soft brush and rinse.

When to Replace Instead of Clean

Cleaning the screen and housing won't restore an exhausted cartridge. Replace the cartridge when:

• It's been 6–12 months since the last replacement
• Chlorine smell has returned in the shower
• Flow rate is slow even after cleaning the screen
• Skin or hair dryness has returned

Browse our replacement shower filter cartridges or call us on 1800 789 781 if you're unsure which cartridge fits your model.

Frequently Asked Questions