How to unblock a shower drain
Due to the large amount of debris that passes through a shower drain - including soap scum, hair and dead skin cells - it’s one of the many drains in your home that is prone to blockages. Standing in the shower and watching the water level rise up around your feet instead of draining freely, turns showering into an unpleasant and even stressful experience.
If you’re dealing with a clogged shower drain and want to know the best way to either prevent or unblock a shower drain, this post offers some simple tips.
Preventing blocked drains in the shower
If you don’t want to deal with the inconvenience and expense of a blocked shower drain, a small amount of effort can help to prevent them in the first place. The most common cause of blocked shower drains is hair. This includes long hair, short hair and pet hair. So everyone in the household has a responsibility when it comes to preventing hair from clogging shower drains.
We delve into this topic more deeply in our post Five way to prevent blocked drains caused by hair. Here are some of the key takeaways. One technique is to install a shower drain cover or a hair catcher over the shower drain to catch debris. The drain cover can be cleaned regularly by placing the debris and hair in the bin. Alternatively, there are some disposable drain covers on the market that you can stick over the drain and replace as needed.
Another effective way to prevent hair from blocking the shower drain is to brush your hair (or your pet) thoroughly before washing it. The brush removes the majority of dead or loose hair and it can be simply cleaned from the brush and placed in the bin.
Switching to liquid soaps may also reduce the incidence of blocked shower drains in your home. When bars of soap get smaller it’s easy for them to accidentally slip out of your hand and down the drain hole. This isn’t an issue with liquid soaps.
How to unclog a shower drain
If you noticed standing water in the shower drain. it usually means that the shower drain is blocked. Read on to find out how to clean a shower drain
1. How to unblock a shower drain by hand
If you want to experience the joys of unblocking a shower drain DIY style, read on! Photo Credit: Sheila Venezia from Snack Media.
In most cases, a blocked shower drain is caused by a big slimy clump of hair and other debris that has built up over time. This hair clump is normally located close to the drain opening and can be reached by hand. Before you clean the shower drain, you will need a plastic bag or a bucket to dispose of the clump and we recommend wearing rubber gloves. Remove the drain grate, put your hand down and pull out as much of the hair clump as possible. If you can’t quite reach it, another technique is to use a wire coat hanger. Straighten the hanger out leaving the hook on the end and use this to reach and remove the clog.
2. How to clean a shower drain with a plunger
A cup plunger can be used unblock a shower drain and they cheap and readily available. A cup plunger is suitable for showers and sinks but cannot be used on a blocked toilet. A cup plunger is the most common plunger and the first thing that would come to mind when you imagine a drain plunger. It consists of either a wooden or plastic stick with a rubber cup on the end. When using a cup plunger on a shower drain, it can help to place a damp towel over the drain opening before you start plunging. This will help prevent air from escaping and give you a better seal.
Once the towel is in place and you’ve established an air-tight seal, start plunging using a forceful pushing and pulling motion. It’s important to use quick and deliberate thrusts, directing the pressurised air down the drain towards the obstruction. Make sure you don’t lift the plunger up to high and break the seal. You will be able to hear a sucking or gurgling sounds as the clog is dislodged. Run the shower and make sure that the water is draining properly. If not, continue plunging. Don’t give up straight away as it can take a few attempts.
When to call a blocked drain plumber
The above techniques should work in the majority of blocked shower cases. However, if you notice a number of drains in the bathroom or home are slow to drain the issue will be further down the line. Blockages in the main sewer will require an expert technician and particular tools. A local blocked drain plumber will be able to perform drain cleaning on your sewer pipes using a jet blaster. Once the pipes are clear they will use a plumbing camera to inspect the inside of the drain pipes and see if there are any further issues such as cracked or damaged pipes. If you want a free quote or more information about blocked shower drains, the local plumbers at JAB Plumbing Solutions can help - call 1800 225 552.
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