How often do you clean the Shower Head?

Recent studies are showing that mycobacteria may be commonly found INSIDE the shower head. They recommend cleaning inside or replacing the shower head twice a year......Just when I thought I had everything clean...

we soak ours in buckets with strong bleach about every 6 months - I wouldn't buy all new

I put this under the category of manufactured problems. People have been taking showers at hotels and homes for hundreds of years with no problem, and now there's a problem?
Certainly you don't want algae showing around the edges, but I not going to worry about what's inside that has never caused a problem. In fact, there's strong evidence that people who use disinfectants all the time and avoid exposure to germs end up being more sick, and sick more often, than people who have normal exposure to the world's offerings.

Replacing twice a year? Who funded this study, Delta

Replacing twice a year? Who funded this study, Delta

They suggest soaking in vinegar rather than using bleach, seems they are resistant to bleach. Bacteria are related to TB and can cause lung infections primarily in those with weakened immune systems. Study showed about 30% of tested shower heads harboring said bacteria. Plastic shower heads seem to be more of a problem than metal ones....just found this interesting.

white pine said:

They suggest soaking in vinegar rather than using bleach, seems they are resistant to bleach. Bacteria are related to TB and can cause lung infections primarily in those with weakened immune systems. Study showed about 30% of tested shower heads harboring said bacteria. Plastic shower heads seem to be more of a problem than metal ones....just found this interesting..

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white pine said:

They suggest soaking in vinegar rather than using bleach, seems they are resistant to bleach. Bacteria are related to TB and can cause lung infections primarily in those with weakened immune systems. Study showed about 30% of tested shower heads harboring said bacteria. Plastic shower heads seem to be more of a problem than metal ones....just found this interesting.

Click to expand...

They are almost all plastic now. Unfortunately.

Where did you just hear/ read this?
From reading these..sounds like most people don't have to worry about it unless their immune system is compromised.
I found this transcript from Science Friday from 2009:
http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=112963574
http://www.webmd.com/lung/copd/news/20090914/bacteria-may-lurk-on-your-showerhead
http://pacelab.colorado.edu/Showerhead%20FAQ.pdf
This made me relax: "we looked at municipal-water-supplied showerheads and a few, four only, well-water-supplied showerheads, and we saw no Mycobacterium avium in well-water-supplied showerheads. We could detect Mycobacterium in more than 80 percent of showerheads fed by municipal waters."
We have our own well. Yeah!

Arks said:

I put this under the category of manufactured problems. People have been taking showers at hotels and homes for hundreds of years with no problem, and now there's a problem?
Certainly you don't want algae showing around the edges, but I not going to worry about what's inside that has never caused a problem. In fact, there's strong evidence that people who use disinfectants all the time and avoid exposure to germs end up being more sick, and sick more often, than people who have normal exposure to the world's offerings..

Click to expand...

I am with you on this one...another "manufactured problem" As if we don't have enough to worry about.

white pine said:

They suggest soaking in vinegar rather than using bleach, seems they are resistant to bleach. Bacteria are related to TB and can cause lung infections primarily in those with weakened immune systems. Study showed about 30% of tested shower heads harboring said bacteria. Plastic shower heads seem to be more of a problem than metal ones....just found this interesting..

Click to expand...

The vinegar soak also removes the build up of "scale" (mineral deposits) that can sometimes occur in showerheads, reducing the flow. If all you are able to get out of your showerhead is a trickle, try soaking it in vinegar for a while and see if that makes a difference....

I bought a fancy LED temperature colour codes shower head on eBites for under $10 delivered from the other side of the world. Delta isn't going to be getting much from me.