It isn’t always necessary to call a plumber for a stubborn shower drain clog. Oftentimes all it takes is one of, or a combination of, a few of the following tips to get your shower, and bathtub, draining effortlessly. Keep these tips handy when you run into a shower drain that refuses to clear out.
Boiling Water (for METAL PIPES only – not for PVC)
Seems so simple, but it works! Grab your teapot or kettle, fill that bad boy up with water, and get it to a boil. Once you’ve got boiling water, pour it slowly a little at-a-time, down the drain. You don’t even have to remove the drain cover.
The boiling water will usually help break down the build-up. However, it may not work well enough and you will have to use this method along with another on this list.
Baking Soda and Vinegar
Pour ⅓ of a cup of baking soda mixed with ⅓ of a cup of white vinegar down the shower drain. You’ll see and hear it fizz-up, like a science experiment from when you were in school. Leave it for at least an hour to work its magic.
The fizzing is what breaks up the hair and grime, freeing up the pipe – so, after it’s sat for at least an hour, turn your hot water on and run a stream of hot water into the drain to flush the mixture out of the pipes.
Plunger
Neither of the above methods worked? Our next attempt at clearing the clogged shower drain is with a plunger. You’ll have to remove the drain cover in order to get a good seal. Have issues getting a good seal? No worries, grab some petroleum jelly to the edges of the rubber plunger edge.
Once you have a good seal, run enough water into the shower to cover the edge of the plunger and then plunge vigorously to work the clog out of the drain. Of course, if the clog is too far down in the pipe, you may have to move to the next tip below.
Plumbing Snake
You’ll have to buy, or rent a plumber’s snake. After trying the inexpensive tips above, this one most often, will work. Once you have the plumber’s snake, there’s simple steps to unclogging a shower drain pipe:
- Push the snake down the drain to reach the clog.
- Turn the snake’s handle and bring the snake back up.
- Then run water to test the drain to make sure the clog is removed.
Nothing helped clear the shower drain? It’s time to call in the Master Plumbers!
Still Have a Clogged Shower Drain
There are times plumbing emergencies happen even if you follow all the plumbing tips experienced plumbers like those at Motor City Plumbing and Drain share with you. When you find yourself in a plumbing emergency, the licensed master plumbers at Motor City Plumbing and Drain have your back!
Call us – we’re here to help whenever you need us.
Simple Ways to Clear a Clogged Shower Drain
Water pooling around your feet as you take your morning, or evening, shower? Unfortunately, if this is happening, it’s thanks to a shower drain blocked with substances that have not broken down and have built up in the pipe. However, there are ways to help clear the clog, and a phone call to a plumber isn’t always necessary.