DIY: How to Unclog a Shower Drain

Ever been in the shower and the drain all of a sudden clogs due to some reasons you could not explain at the exact moment in time. How stressful it tends to be when you are already late for an appointment, having to drop the kids off school or going for some other meeting or occasion. It indeed is one of the ways by which a lovely day could automatically turn chaotic. Not to worry, I will run you through a few simple steps and methods to help you in such a situation without having to pay a professional for the same services.

What To Do When You Have A Clogged Shower Drain

As said earlier, there are some simple and easy ways to unclog a shower drain and save the day all by yourself. Taking your bathe and having to endure water from your body suck underneath your feet is a no-no for almost all of us. Let’s dive right into the steps to unclogging a shower drain.

1. Clear Visible Debris and Hair
2. Use Vinegar and Baking Soda Mixture
3. Use a Plunger
4. Use a Plumbing Snake
5. Call a Professional

Clear Visible Debris and Hair

Having a clogged shower drain could be caused by a number of causes, including debris, hair and soap scum. Most often than not, it is our own hair and debris which tend to be the agents of hindrance. When you are faced with shower drain obstruction, first and foremost close the tap and pick up hairs and debris that are visibly blocking the drain.

After you have done that, with the help of a knife or any other sharp object, open the drain and plug out extra debris and hairs from the drain cap and those which you can see in the hole. Make sure you have your gloves on all this time to avoid contaminating germs through the process.

When that is done, open the tap and let the water run. Once it runs through the uncovered hole freely, cover it up and watch it run a few more minutes through the shower drain. If it is all good, then you are good to go. Failure to achieve the desired end, follow with the next step.

Use Vinegar and Baking Soda Mixture

The use of vinegar and baking soda mixture as a traditional method to unclogging clogged drains is not anything new. People have used it to unblock toilets and kitchen sinks as well. FIrst, you will need a generous amount of both ingredients and salt and mix it together to create a reaction. Pour the mixture down the drain and leave it there for about 15 minutes or more. After that is done, open the tap and let it run for a minimum of 30 seconds. This process should work like magic.

Use a Plunger

A use of plunger comes in handy if the first two methods do not yield the needed results. A simple a tool that it is, it does help a lot when you are faced with a clogged drain. Remove the shower drain and cover the hole with and apply the push-pull effect for 30 seconds or more, run through with water and repeat the process a few more times.

Use a Plumbing Snake

You should see results after the use of the plunger. But in the case where it does not work as planned, you will have to employ the use of a plumbing snake. This plastic drain snake will help unclog the drain from deep within. Just as its name signifies, the snake would put into the hole at one end and maneuvered through the hole until it encounters an obstacle.

When it finally hits an obstruction, you will twist and turn it gradually over a period of time. During this process, the snake will slowly be wearing off whatever it is that has caused the blockage. Just after some time, you will notice its ability of surf freely again. Run your tap and hopefully, it will all be good.

Use Commercial Drain Cleaners

Commercial manufactured products are also one of the easiest ways we can employ to unclog our shower drains. These chemicals are made with compounds that that flush out grease, soap scums and other unwanted materials. Not to market any products but the likes of Drano Max Gel Drain Clog Remover and Cleaner and Bio-Clean Bacteria Septic Drain Cleaner are good options to try.

As good as they are for unclogging and unblocking drains, they are also very harmless. Always ensure you have your protective hand gloves on before using them. Once you are done, properly cover them and hide them from the reach of your children.

Call a Professional

This is an option i would personally wish you do not get to. Anyways, if the above mentioned ways fail to help you out, then you will need to call on a professional and pay for his or her services. With their technical knowhow and machineries, they will find it easy to locate wherever the problem lies and fix it without having to go through so much hassle and tussle.

Source: www.Muzhchin.net