After coming home from work, the best thing you can do is to hop into the shower to de-stress.
So, we can imagine your frustration when you find water pooling near the shower drain, with all sorts of filth floating around.
Blocked shower drains are gross and dirty, and a clogged shower drain could lead to more serious problems.
To prevent clogged shower drains from happening, we have listed three easy ways for you to free the pipeline.
Common Causes Of A Clogged Shower Drain
Before telling you about the solution, knowing more about a clogged drain is imperative. So, here’s a list of common causes that lead to clogged shower drains.
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1. Hair
People lose quite a bit of hair daily, especially when showering. Hair build-up around the shower drain or shower drain cover can prevent water from draining down the pipes if left unchecked.
The hair grabs onto soap, grime and other sticky debris and gets lodged in the drain. In such a scenario, pouring buckets of water down the drain will unlikely help, so save your energy and use our techniques.
2. Hard Water
Sometimes, the water quality running through the pipes is the source of the problem. This is true when the mineral content in the water, like calcium or iron, is high, increasing the chances of rusting the pipeline.
3. Soap Scum
Even though it may seem innocuous, hair and soap scum can solidify with time, grabbing onto other debris to completely clog the shower drain. This reduces the diameter of the pipes, leaving less room for the water to drain quickly.
3 Fixes For A Clogged Shower Drain
Now that you know the problem, let us offer three easy solutions. We recommend using one or more of the following remedies to get rid of standing water every time you take a shower:
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1. Boiling Water
There’s nothing easier or more convenient than unclogging a blocked shower drain with boiling water. You can use a kettle, saucepan, or large bowl to boil the water as your drain cleaner, and then put on your rubber gloves and gently pour boiling water down the drain.
Make sure to pour only a little bit of boiling water at a time, and don’t empty the container in one go. This will allow the water to permeate the clog and quickly break it up. Due to the high temperature, it will dissolve and loosen the gunk, blocking the pipes and keeping your shower drain clear.
However, to use this technique safely, you need to check whether you’ve got metal pipes. Homeowners with PVC pipes can try the remaining two methods instead, as boiling water might cause PVC pipe joints to loosen, leading to further problems.
2. Coat Hanger
As surprising as it may seem, using a wire coat hanger can help clear clogs and free up the pipeline and your blocked shower drain. It’s particularly suitable for removing tough clogs like a shower drain blockage, whereby you’ll have to do the dirty stuff and snake the drain pipes using a modified coat hanger.
But first, it’s important to have the necessary equipment and wear proper gear or rubber gloves before opening the drain cover. You’ll find that the cover is secured with screws, so use a screwdriver to loosen it and pry it open.
After carefully keeping the drain cover aside, straighten a coat hanger while retaining a tiny hook at the end and extend it into the pipeline. In most cases, you will find soap scum, hair, and other debris clogging the pipes, so you’ll have to go deep to pull them out.
We know it sounds disgusting, but trust us, it works.
Once you’ve removed as much debris (like hair clogs) as possible, boil some water and pour it down the pipes. Since the clog is not as tough as before, hot water should wash away what’s left and free the pipes.
If you need to plunge, line your plunger with petroleum jelly to help create better air suction.
3. Baking Soda And Vinegar
One of the most popular techniques for clearing shower drain clogs is using a combination of baking soda and vinegar. It’s simple to make this baking soda and boiling water mixture at home, and if you paid attention in school, you would know that baking soda is the same solution used for making volcano projects.
The foamy mixture results from a chemical reaction that can clear clogs. So, start by adding ⅓ baking soda and ⅓ vinegar in a heat-resistant container, waiting for the mixture to fizz.
It will begin fizzing in a few seconds, following which you can pour it down the clogged drain. We recommend letting the mixture sit for an hour, ensuring it has maximum impact on your clogged drains.
After that, pouring hot or tap water down the pipe is essential to clear the chemicals away and clean the pipeline. Rest assured; the chemical reaction will break up hair, grime, and other debris blocking the pipes.
If not, you can repeat the process or call a plumber to look at the pipeline.
Fixing Your Clogged Shower Drain
It’s up to you to choose the drain-clearing methods (pour boiling water, using a drain snake, homemade drain cleaners, etc.) that would work best for removing the shower drain clog in your home. But be careful about using commercial drain cleaners, for they may cause more damage to your pipes.
We are confident that following the steps in this guide will quickly clear the drain blockages. But if you find that the clog is persistent, contact a professional plumbing agency without fail.
They have the latest gadgets and equipment to remove the clogs and thoroughly inspect the plumbing system promptly. You can also clean the drain opening weekly to prevent major plumbing issues.
The clogged shower drain specialists at Fixed Today can assist you with your blocked drains in Sydney. We use CCTV drain cameras and high-pressure water jetters to remove stubborn blockages. Don’t hesitate to get in touch with us for more information!
That’s all for this guide, see you in the next one.
