The Naked Truth about Showerheads

Showering is one of the basic hygiene habits that most of us do in our daily routine. There is nothing better than stepping under the warm shower jets, using your favourite coconut scented shower gel, making yourself feel clean and fresh and relaxed.

Ironically, our showerheads harbour potentially infectious bacteria. YES! The warm, damp surface area of the showerhead is the perfect breeding ground for microbial life.

Norman Pace, a top US microbiologist at the University of Colorado, led a study where 45 showerheads across America were analysed for bacteria. It was concluded that 30% of the showerheads harbored significant levels of Mycobacterium avium, a bacteria that can cause a lung ailment called non-tuberculous mycobacteria disease or NTM. It was also found that metal showerheads were significantly less likely to carry the bacteria as compared with those made of plastic. So while having bacteria spray all over your body (ewww!), we can also inhale the micro-organisms from the water, that is turned to steam and inhaled into our lungs.

Before you get too alarmed though, people of fair-to good health are extremely unlikely to ever get sick from this bacteria. So instead of ditching bathing altogether and opting for “au naturel”, just clean your showerhead well with white vinegar solution once a month. 1 cup of white vinegar to 3 cups of boiling water, and scrub scrub, scrub.