How To Unclog A Shower Drain in 6 Easy Steps 2024

Most of them when you find water not going out of the drains while you’re showering or the bathtub is taking too long to get cleared out, then something is surely off with your drains. This situation occurs every now and then, so it isn’t necessary to call a plumber every time, instead, you can learn how to unclog a shower drain.

As unclogging shower drains aren’t as daunting as you think it might be, you can easily avoid extra expenses on this one. A huge number of problems related to shower drains get immediately resolved by applying a few minutes correctly. Moreover, side by side, you should also learn different ways of preventing it.

Cleaning drains can be any person’s utmost priority as the entire household gets disrupted by it, especially when you only have one shower. In this blog, we’ll be suggesting different ways of unclogging shower drains.

6 Simple Steps for Unclogging a Shower Drain

There are many different ways of getting rid of the clogged drain in your bathroom. However, not every method can suit every drain query because the elements that have caused it may be different for each case. Moreover, it also depends on the cost, effort, and time that you’re willing to put in.

We’ve tried to suggest some of the affordable and simple methods that are listed below:

1. Pouring Hot Water

You can start by doing the simplest trick in the book. It is extremely helpful in breaking down the layers of soap and grease that are keeping the drain blocked and resisting the water to pass.

The results of this method may not surprise you because if you’re handling a major blockage then there are many gross substances sticking like hair or soap blockage. However, it can work well as the first step of another method side by side.

Start by boiling a large pot of water on the stove. After then you can either use a funnel or just straight-up empty the pot down the drain. Stay a few meters away from the drain as it will resist the boiling water that may come back at your feet.

2. Using Plunger

The plunging methods depend on different factors, particularly the intensity of blockage you’re going through, which part of the drain is clogged, the drain’s design, and more. Only this is going to help you in assessing whether the plunging would be successful or not.

Plunging also comes as an initial step of any other method because if your blockage ratio is higher then it would be difficult to plunge. Mostly shower drains don’t support plungers but you should always give it a try.

All you need to do is spread a little amount of petroleum jelly at the suction edge for a better seal. Next, you can add water to it for submerging. Finally, just plunge heavily to get it unclogged.

3. Baking Soda-Vinegar Mixture

Next method is known as the natural substitute of chemicals and it is somewhat effective for medium-level blockage. It is extremely beneficial if you have plastic pipes as, unlike chemicals, they won’t cause any damage.

You can start by mixing a cup of baking soda and a cup of vinegar in a container and immediately pour it down the drain. After that, you can clean it out with hot water. If you find it rapid then try pouring baking soda first then wait for a few minutes. Later on, you can pour a cup of vinegar and you’ll find the clog being completely submerged after a few hours.

4. Pulling out by Hand

This method has a fairly good chance of success, but it involves using your hands, so I advise wearing rubber gloves.

• First, you need to remove the drain cover.
• Sometimes there is a screw in the middle that you have to take out.
• Other times you can pry the drain cover off using a screwdriver.
• Look inside the drain and locate the clog.
• Use a flashlight, if necessary.
• If the clog is within reach, pull it out with your fingers.
• If it is not in reach, go-to method number 5.

Note: This is a great method for fixing clogs caused by small objects or hair, but is not very effective at fixing clogs caused by mineral buildup. You may still need to use chemicals or resort to another method.

5. Using Hook

This is one of the oldest methods for fixing these problems and has a reasonably high success rate.

If you can’t reach the blockage by hand, then try fishing out the clog with a piece of wire.

Improvise a tool with a wire coat hanger, fashioning a hook at the end of it.

Note: If you have a clog caused by mineral buildup, this might not be the best method for unclogging your drain.

6. Using Toilet Jack

Another affordable and easy-to-implement method to unclog your shower drain is by using a toilet jack. You only need to spend a couple of bucks. This tool is also known as a plumber’s snake and doesn’t require putting in the extra effort. Moreover, the execution is highly successful.

You have to push the jack down the drain until you feel the resistance. After that, you just have to turn the handle clockwise and pull it back. You’ll see a gross pile of hair coming out. After that, you can run the water to make sure it isn’t clogged any further.

As we’re done with the blog, some of you still have several questions for us. A few of your queries are answered below:

Frequently Asked Questions

Is using chemicals appropriate for slow draining showers?

Yes, using chemicals depends on the intensity of blockage that your drain may have. You must always keep a top-notch clog removal liquid in your bathroom as it can readily unclog the drain.

Can we use brown vinegar instead of white to unclog a shower drain?

The only reason why we’re choosing vinegar is because of the acetic acid present in it that can break down the blockage. So, any type of vinegar would work unless it has a high amount of acid present in it.

What is the black stuff coming out of the shower drain?

The black stuff that is coming out of the drain is often raw sewerage. It means that possibly your entire sewerage system is returning through your drain. Your bathroom would be filled with a hideous smell and that’s the time when you should stop implementing home remedies and immediately call a plumber.