Sooner or later, the shower drain in your home is bound to clog. When you notice a blockage and water draining ever so slowly in your shower stall, that doesn’t necessarily mean you have to get the plumber out — at least not right away. There are a few tried and true methods that you can administer to unclog a shower drain yourself (and a few methods you definitely want to stay away from). In this post, we’ll take a look at three of them.
3 Ways to Unclog a Shower Drain
Before we get into how to unclog a shower drain, be wary of any over-the-counter chemicals. While these chemicals may be effective in eliminating blockages, they could damage your pipes with repeat use. A better method is to either snake the drain or use natural methods that won’t risk damaging your pipes. Here’s a look:
Grab Some Tweezers
Yes, tweezers are a valuable tool to have in your drain clearing arsenal. Chances are, hair is the clog culprit — and this tends to compile near the drain’s surface. Put on some gloves and grab tweezers. These enable you to “dig” into the drain a couple of inches and easily pull out any obstructions. It might be a little gross, but it can be effective.
Pick Up a Drain Snake
You can find drain snakes at just about any hardware store. They’re designed to easily fit into your pipes to either break up or pull up any debris that might be contributing to a clog. Some even crank to really put extra oomph into it. Others are disposable. Either type is effective.
Pour Boiling Water Down the Drain
Boil a pot of water on the stovetop and gently pour it down your shower drain. Boiling water is great at eliminating certain types of buildup so your drain runs good again. If boiling water isn’t successful on the first try, try it a few more times to see if it makes a difference.
Contact J.W. Freeman Plumbing
Still, have a slow draining shower? Then it’s time to call in the professionals. For more information on how to unclog a slow draining shower or to schedule an appointment, contact J.W. Freeman Plumbing today.
