How To Unclog Your Shower Drain Using A Plunger
- Try adding petroleum jelly to the edge of the suction pad to get a better seal.
- Add water to the shower so that the end of the plunger is submerged.
- Plunge vigorously.
Note: Plunging often has a low success rate when it comes to showers, in my experience. However, it is always worth a try, as the time and costs involved are minimal.
Try using a plunger to unclog your drain.
Use A Drain Weasel Or Snake
A drain weasel, also known as a snake, is a tool that goes down the drain to retrieve clogs. “I do not ever recommend using the wire hanger method as we often see broken p-traps from the rigid sharp metal poking through the bottom. Once this occurs there is no longer a seal on the plumbing system to keep unpleasant sewer gasses from entering the home,” says Mulder. “The better suggestion is to use a small drain weasel.”
To use a drain weasel, Parmenter says to first remove any drain covering or stopper that might be in your drain opening. Next, put on gloves and slowly insert the weasel into the drain. If you feel it reach a blockage, turn it to hook the source of the clog and pull the weasel out of the drain.
How To Unclog A Shower Drain Using Baking Soda And Vinegar
- Pour a cup of baking soda down the drain.
- Wait for a few minutes.
- Pour a cup of vinegar down the drain too.
- Wait for a couple of hours to see if the hair clog gets dissolved.
- Clean out the drain by pouring boiling water down it.
Note: Although this method is ecologically preferable, and won’t cause damage to plastic pipes, you may still end up having to resort to chemicals.
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How To Clean A Shower Drain With Baking Soda And Vinegar
While baking soda and vinegar will not remove hair clogs, they are effective for cutting through soap scum that coats drainage lines, causing them to run slowly. A quick flush of the drain every month will also help reduce odor from the bacteria that can grow in soap scum.
How To Unclog A Shower Drain With A Chemical Drain Opener
If you’re wondering how to dissolve hair in a shower drain, you may want to try a chemical drain opener. Be safe and wear rubber gloves and eye protection if you use a chemical product for unclogging a shower drain. Read and follow the directions on the label, and make sure you have good ventilation so you don’t inhale any fumes. It’s also important to note that chemical drain products contain powerful ingredients that may cause damage to your pipes.
While some DIY-ers try to unclog a shower drain with bleach, some professional plumbers do not recommend it. While bleach cleans and sanitizes, it’s not always effective on shower clogs.
If chemicals labeled for use on shower clogs don’t work, and you call a plumber, be sure to tell them what youve put into the drain already, so they can work safely.
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What Is The Best Product To Unclog A Shower Drain
The best product to unclog a shower drain might not be the cleaner you first think of. Chemical drain cleaners are something that many people turn to, but these usually only offer temporary relief if any, says Enoch Heise.
The reason is that as soon as the chemicals eat a path through the clog, water flow is restored and the chemicals drain out. There is still a bunch of gunk clinging to the sides of the pipe and it will clog again very quickly.
But what you can invest in is a drain snake. We recommend always using a mechanical drain cleaner that will really scrape the sides of the pipe, break up the buildup, and remove the hair, Enoch says. You can readily buy small drain snake tools at the home improvement store that will do a great job for most shower clogs.
Tips To Prevent Shower Clogs
Cover the drain with a drain cover: Hair clogs are generally the culprit for clogged shower drains. After every shower, you can spend a few minutes cleaning a simple rubber or plastic drain cover.
Dont Empty Bin Dust: Although it may be tempting to empty trashcan dust or shake your rug in the shower to wash it then away. However, larger particles of dirt and debris can create clogs or catch hair and worsen the issue.
Clean Drains Regularly. Drain cleaning should be a regular component of your cleaning routine. Keep yourself some distilled white vinegar and baking soda in the bathroom. Occasionally, you can pour some baking soda in the drain, followed by vinegar, followed by rinsing with hot water to keep your drains clean.
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How To Use Drain Cleaner To Unblock Shower Drains
Tap the power of commercial drain cleaners when all else fails to unblock a shower drain. Wear gloves and remove all reachable debris and hair before pouring drain cleaner into the drain. If after one application the clog remains, try plunging the drain. For stubborn clogs, it might take repeated applications over the course of a few days to unblock the shower drain. Always follow the manufacturer’s directions, and keep drain-cleaning products away from kids and pets.
How To Clean A Clogged Shower Drain
One of the easiest ways to clean out a shower drain doesnt require any complicated materials or products, just a handful of common household items to make a baking soda solution, says Bailey Carson, home care expert at Angi. Heres what to do:
Kristiana Laugen, Home Expert at Handy adds that before you start the process, you should check what kind of pipes you have. If you have PVC pipes, which are made of plastic, you want to avoid using boiling water and instead use hot water from the sink. Once you pour in the baking soda and vinegar, you can also cover the drain with either a drain plug or a heavy towel to prevent the reaction from causing anything to overflow.
Shower drains often get clogged over time, but one way to reduce the headache of dealing with them is to prevent them in the first place . Shower drain covers, says Carson, are a smart and inexpensive way to prevent leaks and maintain your drains and pipes. There are many types, so look for the one that best fits your tub drain and filters out your main build-up cause. For example, if youre in a house with people with long hair, a drain cover made specifically to catch hair is your best bet.
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Call A Professional To Unclog Heavy Shower Drain
A clogged shower drain can be frustrating and a headache for the homeowners which is why it’s important to fix the clogged shower drain as soon as possible. The above tips can help you to unclog minor Shower drains at home. For heavy drain clog problems, you need drain and sewer unclogging experts. Call Fischer Plumbing professionals at or request an estimate online today.
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S To Unclog A Shower Drain
A clogged shower drain is a reality everyone faces! Showers can develop a hair clog when loose hairs wash down the drain opening and accumulate inside the drain trap.
Long hair is not the only culprit though, the build-up of soap scum can also restrict water flow in plumbing pipes. Small items can fall into the drain if the shower drain cover is missing or broken.
Its best to keep your drains clean in the first place, but even with the best efforts, sometimes clogs are inevitable. Its crucial to know how to deal with a clogged shower drain effectively.
When a clogged shower drain does not clear, it can lead to more costly repairs and even put your health at risk.
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Pull Out The Clog By Hand:
This is a messy option so you will need to make sure you are wearing rubber gloves.
Firstly, you need to take off the drain cover which is usually achieved by removing the screw in the middle using a screwdriver.
Then use a flashlight to see if you are able to identify the blockage. If it is within touching distance then reach in and bring it out.
This is a great method for removing clogs caused by small objects or hair, but wont be successful if the blockage is caused by the build-up of minerals.
Clear Drain With A Wire Coat Hanger
If the drain is still clogged, the issue could be soap scum or a clump of tangled hair that you can pull with your fingers from the drain. Wear rubber gloves so you can pull out the hair clog or other small objects even if the water in the shower is still standing.
Unscrew or lift the drain cover should the clog be too deep to reach with your fingers. Then, using a wire hanger, straighten it out and make a small hook at the end. Please place it in the drain and fish out as much debris as you can. Use a flashlight to peer into the drain.
Once youve removed all the debris, carefully pour boiling water down the drain, a little at a time. If you have PVC pipes, dont use boiling water in a clogged shower drain.
To check if the clog has been cleared, replace the drain cover and turn on the water in the shower.
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Remove Hair Or Debris
If the drain is still clogged, the problem may be a soapy clump of tangled hair that you can pull out of the drain with your fingers. You can pull it out even if water is standing in the shower, as long as the water is not too hot to touch.
If the clog is too far down to reach with your fingers, unscrew or pry up the drain cover. Then straighten out a wire coat hanger and make a small hook at the end. Put it into the drain and fish out any debris. Use a flashlight, if needed, to help you see into the drain.
Once you’ve gotten out as much debris as you can, carefully pour another kettle full of boiling water down the drain, a little at a time. Again, do not use boiling water if you have PVC pipes.
Replace the drain cover and run the water in the shower to see if the clog has been cleared.
Why Is My Shower Drain Clogged
Now you know the signs of a clogged shower drain, but how did it become blocked in the first place? All the drains in your home can become clogged over time. For your shower, the typical culprits are:
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Soap: Traditional soaps contain fats , talc, and wax. These sticky ingredients are prone to accumulating in your drains, especially when combined with hair and the hard minerals found in water.
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Hair: You might notice a few strands of hair around your shower drain and think nothing of it. But every time you shower, your hair sheds a little. Although this is completely normal, the stray strands of hair build-up in your drains. Long hair is especially problematic, as it wraps around other grime, like dirt and soap, to form clogs.
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Minerals: Hard waterwhich is typically used for your showercontains minerals. Although you cant see these minerals, as the water in your drain evaporates it leaves behind these insoluble minerals. The minerals build-up in your drain and can block your pipes.
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Dirt: On its own, dirt wont necessarily clog your drains. But combined with hair and soap, it will start amassing within your pipes and contribute to a clog.
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Tree roots: Although it sounds unlikely, roots grow in even the smallest cracks in underground pipes and can obstruct water flow to your shower.
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How To Unclog A Shower Drain Using Chemicals
- Follow the directions on the packaging and make sure not to use too much. The amount you use will vary.
- Wear gloves and goggles.
- Don’t mix your chemicals. This could cause poisonous gas.
- Pour chemicals down the drain.
Note: Dont resort to chemicals lightly, as they can cause damage to your drainage pipes, especially if you use this method repeatedly. Using chemicals is normally a quick, easy, and affordable method, however. You can minimize their future use by avoiding future blockages !
Extract The Drain Snake
When you feel the cable move past the clog, reverse the direction of the cable rotation and slowly extract the cable from the drain opening. You likely will see hair and debris entangled at the end of the cable as it emerges from the drain opening.
Clean off this debris from the tip of the drain snake, then wipe down the drain snake with a rag to dry it and prevent rust.
The Spruce / Kevin Norris
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Break Out The Plunger
If you have a larger sized drain, a plunger might be the secret weapon you need. This is especially effective for deep clogs.
Fill your shower with a little water, allowing the plunger to be submerged. This helps it get suction. You can also add a little petroleum jelly around the edge of the plunger to assist it.
Once its stuck to the drain, start plunging. Plunge vigorously until the hair is removed. Its worth noting that this isnt always the most effective method, but its worth a shot if nothing else is working.
Before You Unclog The Shower Drain
You may have to try more than one method to for unclogging a shower drain. The blockage could be caused by a build-up of hair, grease and soap. Other possible causes are a build-up of dirt or minerals from your water or tree roots growing through tiny cracks in your underground pipes.
To access your drain, you may need to remove the drain cover. Some covers can be unscrewed with a screwdriver. Others may need to be pried off. Pry carefully to avoid scratching the shower around the drain.
Safety tip: Be safe and wear rubber gloves as you figure out how to unclog a shower drain using these methods. Some drain openers also require eye protection.
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How To Use A Drain Snake
If the clog is a mass of soap scum-coated hair that just won’t move, you need a drain snake . The price for one of these tools can range from around $30 for a metal snake to just $10 for a three-count package of plastic drain snakes.
Using a drain snake is easy: Just remove the drain cover, then push the snake into the drain pipe. When you start to feel resistance, you’ve hit the clog. Don’t pull up the snake just yet. Keep rotating the snake so the clog will be caught for removal or broken up.
When you stop feeling resistance, slowly pull the snake from the drain and dispose of the clog. Finally, run the shower at full force for a few minutes to make sure everything is clear. Clean the drain cover with hot water and an all-purpose cleaner and replace it.
How To Unclog Shower Drain
Its a terrible way to start the day when you go into a hot, steamy shower only to discover that the water is pooling around your feet. A clogged drain is typically caused by a build-up of hair and soap scum that has accumulated. However, before you hire a plumber, make sure you have the tools to complete the job.
Youd be surprised that there are several options for clearing a shower drain clogged with hair build-up and slime, and which doesnt call for a plumber.
In our guide, you can learn all the DIY methods with things you can get from hardware stores or stuff you have around the home.
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