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A clogged shower drain can be challenging to deal with, especially if you find yourself standing in ankle-length dirty water that takes ages to drain.
But clogged shower drains are actually quite common, with their main causes being accumulated hair, lint, soap scum and other debris that solidify to lead to clogged drains.
This obstruction then creates backflow and prevents water flow through drain covers. A light shower drain clog may be easy to fix using homemade remedies and commercial drain cleaners; however, a severely blocked drain requires thorough plumbing. But you need not panic and call your plumber just yet!
With the right equipment and simple precautions, you can unclog your shower drain in a few easy steps. And we will now walk you through the nitty gritty of a clogged drain and some easy tips to fix them.
The first thing to do when you notice water clogging around the drain covers is to look for visible obstructions in the blocked drains. This can be anything from coagulated hair clumps to small objects and soap suds. Once you spot the obstruction in the drain opening, gently remove it using your hands or drain snake.
Showers usually have a gap between their drain stopper and the water pipe responsible for drainage. While some drainage systems can have stoppers that can be unscrewed and lifted to open the drain, others have a switch near the faucets to help with it. Regardless of the stopper type, you must ensure that the drain cover is open after showering so that the water can flow into the drains easily.
If you notice standing water and poor drainage even after following these steps, you must physically unclog it using the method of choice.
There are many ways to fix a clogged drain without using plumbing tools and chemicals, such as
Before moving on to some popular home remedies, you should try the simplest way to fix a clogged drain using your hand. If there is a visible obstruction in the drain opening, pull out most of the gunk by hand. However, you must wear rubber gloves since the blockage may contain harmful bacteria and debris.
Pour boiling water down shower drains since hot water helps loosen the drain clogs and melt things like soap residue and dirt. Slowly pour the hot water over the drain; pouring too fast will quickly cool down the water, which will not help fix a clogged shower drain. However, use this method only if you have metal pipes since boiling water might melt plastic.
Baking soda and distilled white vinegar are common household materials that are extremely beneficial in fixing shower drain clogs. The salt in baking soda and the acidic nature of vinegar combine to form a chemical reaction and loosen most clogs containing protein (for example, human hair).
Rinse the drain cover and drain the opening with hot water after letting the baking soda and white vinegar mixture sit inside the opening for at least three hours.
Other alternatives include baking soda plus salt or water.
Straighten a wire hanger and bend one end to form a small hook. Use this coat hanger hook to remove the clogs stuck in the drain until it is comparatively clear. However, be careful while doing this since it can cause pipe damage.
A toilet plunger is the most popular tool for unclogging a sink, toilet and shower drain. Simply place the plunger cup over the drain to create a seal. For a tighter seal, you can use petroleum jelly on the cup’s rim.
When you have a proper seal, pour enough water to cover the rim and push the plunger up and down to create enough suction. Do this several times, and then run hot water down the drain.
Stubborn clogs require advanced tools like a plumbing snake that can penetrate deep into pipes. Put the drain snake into the pipe until it stops going further, and then use the hand crank to rotate it anti-clockwise to loosen the clogged shower drain. Lastly, pour hot or boiling water down the drain.
It is quite annoying to unclog a shower drain when you’re in a hurry, so it is best to follow some shower drain hygiene to prevent clogs. For example, you can add a water softener to the water supply to reduce the magnesium and calcium content, which often leads to clogs.
Aside from that, remove unnecessary objects, such as hair pins, rubber bands, jewellery, etc., from your shower since they might get stuck in the shower drain. You can also place drain catchers on the drain opening so they can collect most of the solid debris responsible for clogging the shower drain.
Chemicals and plumbing tools required to remove clogs are easily available in most hardware stores, so you need not worry about being ill-equipped. And fixing clogged shower drains is comparatively easier than other plumbing issues faced during home improvement. All you need to do is wear gloves, cover your nose, follow some steps and have patience!
However, in cases of severe clogs where none of these tips are working, or your bathroom is overflowing with water, it is advisable to hire a professional plumber.
Gold Coast Plumbing Company is a trusted plumbing service specialising in unclogging drains and repairing water leaks and hot water systems. We have served thousands of families with guaranteed customer satisfaction, work ethic, and fair prices during plumbing emergencies. So if you need a Gold Coast Plumber, call us today!
We’ll be signing off for now. Goodbye!
