Best Tools to Fix a Clogged Shower Drain
If you’re wondering how to unclog a shower drain, the answer requires a few tools and household supplies. Stock a bucket with screwdrivers, a flashlight, a drain claw ($7, The Home Depot) or a wire coat hanger, latex gloves, white vinegar, baking soda, and a plastic garbage bag for containing debris. Keep a toilet plunger, a handheld plumbers snake ($54, The Home Depot), and commercial drain cleaner handy in case they’re needed for your clogged shower drain.
How to Fix a Clogged Shower Drain
First, take a good look at what’s going on in your shower drain. Use a screwdriver to remove the drain’s strainer cover; soak the drain cover in white vinegar to remove soapy buildup. Shine a flashlight into the pipe to see if you can see the shower drain clog. If the clog is visible, wear gloves and grab a drain claw, a thick wire, or a straightened-out wire hanger and follow these steps: If water still backs up, there are several other ways to unclog a shower drain, such as using a plunger, plumbers snake, or natural cleaners.
How to Use a Plunger to Fix a Clogged Shower Drain
A toilet plunger is a fine plumbing helper for a clogged shower drain; it’s meant to force clogs and blockages of all kinds downward and out of drains.
How to Snake a Shower Drain
Although not required, special shower drain unblockers can help with tough clogs. A plumbers snake is a portable auger of sorts. A hand crank operates a cable that reaches far into pipes to snag distant shower drain clogs. Use these instructions for how to snake a clogged shower drain:
How to Fix a Clogged Shower Drain Naturally
Think of lava-belching science-fair volcanoes fueled by a mix of baking soda and white vinegar; now picture that eruptive blast traveling downward through a blocked drain. Try harnessing this chemical reaction to naturally clear your blocked pipes: Alternatively, try pouring 1 cup baking soda, 1 cup salt, and 1 cup white vinegar into the blocked drain; let it sit for 15 minutes before flushing with boiling water. A third method involves using water pressure to amplify the formula’s flushing power. Pour 1 cup baking soda and 1 cup white vinegar into the drain. If it’s a bathtub drain clog, place the drain plug in place. For shower drains, use a rubber drain cover or a wet washcloth to block the drain. Fill the tub or shower basin with hot water. Let it sit for 10 minutes before pulling the plug; the emptying water should push the vinegar-soda-softened clog out of the pipe. Flush with boiling water. If water is still backing up after trying these DIY methods, turn to a commercial drain cleaner.
How to Use Drain Cleaner to Unblock Shower Drains
Tap the power of commercial drain cleaners ($7, Target) when all else fails to unblock a shower drain. Wear gloves and remove all reachable debris and hair before pouring drain cleaner into the drain. If after one application the clog remains, try plunging the drain. For stubborn clogs, it might take repeated applications over the course of a few days to unblock the shower drain. Always follow the manufacturer’s directions, and keep drain-cleaning products away from kids and pets.
