How to Unclog My Shower Drain

Does your shower drain block and water builds up on the shower floor?

If this is the case, chances are your sewer drain is partially or completely clogged, but if you act quickly and get to the blockage in its early stages you may be able to save yourself some dollars by trying these three handy tips.

Tip 1: Plunging to Unclog Drain:

When trying to unblock a shower drain, the first action to try is a cup plunger. Cup plungers can be purchased through any hardware store, they are cheap to buy and easy to use. Half fill the shower with hot water and place the cup plunger over the waste hole creating a seal between the plunger and the waste pipe. Push the plunger with force up and down 6-10 times to unclog the drain whilst maintaining the seal, then release the plunger. You may need to repeat this several times before you dislodge the obstruction and unblock the drain.

Linear shower drains often become blocked with hair and soap scum, so with the use of hot water and a plunger you will often succeed in unclogging the drain and have the water flowing down the drain again in no time.

Tip 2: Baking Soda & Vinegar to Unclog Drain:

This is an environmentally friendly method worth trying. Pour boiling water down the drain then approx. 1 cup of Baking Soda & ½ cup of vinegar, then place the plug back in the drain hole. Wait 5-10mins for the mixture to work its magic in the drain, then pour more boiling water down the drain.

You may need to repeat this method a few times to unblock your drain, it’s successful more often than not at unclogging drains caught in their early stages.

Baking Soda is also a great preventative maintenance tool, doing this once a month will keep the water running off your shower floor and down the drain as it was designed to do.

Tip 3: Remove the Water Trap to Unclog Drain

By removing the water trap on your shower drain and cleaning it out, you will remove any blockages in the trap that may dislodge over time and block your pipes. Take the trap outside, disassemble it and give it a good clean out with hot soapy water. Re-assemble it, making sure the rubber washers are all in good order, and re-install it. To test for leaks, run the water and make sure all the rubber seals remain dry.

How to prevent a clogged drain?

Preventing any of your drains from blocking is always better and cheaper than having to unblock them, “Prevention is better than Cure”, so try and avoid having to unclog drains by taking these simple steps.

• Install sink strainers in your kitchen sink over your drain plugs.
• Remove hair from your shower outlet before it enters the sewer drain.
• Wash your sink drain and shower drain down with hot water after use.
• Don’t put grease, oils or fats down your sink drain.
• Don’t put food scraps down your sewer drain
• Don’t put coffee grounds down your drains.
• Don’t put paper towel, food wrappers or dishcloths down your sewer drain.

When to Call a Plumber:

For stubborn blockages you will need to call your plumbing professional. Your local master plumber will have the correct drain cleaning equipment needed to clear stubborn blockages that won’t unclog. Electric drain cleaners and high-pressure water jets will be able to cut through the obstructions and clean out your drains. At Essendon Plumbing Services, we would then use CCTV to inspect your drain after unclogging the drain, identifying if the blockage has been completely cleared and what condition the sewer drainpipes are in.

Contact Us to Unclog Your Drain

If you get to the point of needing a professional plumber, call Essendon Plumbing Services 24/7, 365 days of the year on 1300 193 298 or 1300 193 298 to get your shower drain cleared immediately.