Clogged shower drains that require drain clearing are an annoying and messy fact of life.
Fortunately, there are things that homeowners can do when they diagnose a drain blockage to relieve it and prevent another one from happening.
Try these drain clearing tips to resolve blocked showers, then ensure clean shower drains from now on!
What Causes Most Home Clogged Drains?
Most drain clogs are caused by four things: hair, soap scum, skin, and minerals in the water, with hair being the main culprit.
Relieving the blockage is the first goal, but once drain clearing is successful, there are effective ways to prevent it from happening again.
Check First for Hair Clogs
When a homeowner diagnoses a drain blockage, the first thing to do is see whether hair is the problem.
If so, it is safer and easier to attempt drain clearing by removing the hair than it is to use toxic chemicals which don’t always work.
Clean shower drains of hair by unscrewing the drain shield with a screwdriver, then pulling out hair with a plastic drain hair remover, a coat hanger, or some other hook, or with the rubber glove protected hands.
May Need to Use an Auger
If hair is not the issue, or when the above methods are not working, it might be time to invest either in a drain cleaning auger from a home supply store or call a plumbing service to clear the shower drain.
Augers rotate and spin down the drain, boring through blockages and catching loose hair and debris so it can be pulled out and the drain can be cleared.
Learn To Maintain That Unclogged Drain
What happens once the clog is cleared and keeping clean shower drains becomes the goal?
Homeowners can prevent new clogs using three simple methods:
- First, if hair is a problem, cover the drain with a shower drain strainer that will catch hair and prevent it from going down the drain.
- Second, periodic cleaning with vinegar and baking soda can clean shower drains and reduce some of the scum and film on the insides of the drain pipes.
- Third, an assessment of water quality can reveal whether the water is hard, or high in mineral deposits like calcium, copper, and other minerals. A hard water drain clearing solution can be used periodically to remove built-up scale or a water softener system can be installed in the home to prevent mineral buildup that can affect all drains and water-using appliances.
Hope These Tips Help!
Drain clearing for clogged showers can be frustrating.
Fortunately, these tips can help any homeowner resolve their own drain blockages, then prevent new ones.
If these simple tips fail to help, the best recommendation is to then call a professional to handle shower drain clearing the right way!