3 Tips for Unclogging a Shower Drain

Here are three tips for unclogging a clogged shower drain. Shower drains become clogged from time to time, especially if you have individuals in the home who have a lot of hair that gets trapped in the drain. Using a drain cover that is specially designed to keep hair from going into the drain is a preventative measure that can help you unclog your shower drain. You can also use a product such as Drano or other type of drain clearer to break up the matter that is causing the drain to be clogged. Finally you can remove the drain cover by hand and manually remove the obstruction that is causing the shower drain to be clogged.

Regular maintenance and cleaning of your shower and shower drains will cut down on the number of times that the shower drain becomes clogged. A shower drain that becomes clogged creates leaks and other messes for your to deal with and may also lead to an unsanitary condition in your bathroom and shower. You can eliminate these problems as well as some of the offensive odors that are created by a backed up shower drain by following these tips provided in this article for unclogging your shower drain.

Tip #1 - Installing a Specially Designed Drain Cover

If you purchase a drain cover that is specially designed for your shower to keep hair from accumulating in the shower drain, this can reduce the problem you have with shower drain clogs. Go to a kitchen and bath supply store or home improvement center and ask for a shower drain cover of this type. It should fit the size of the drain in your shower so either remove the old drain cover and take it with you or measure your shower's drain with a tape measure. This will provide you with an accurate measurement necessary to match it with the new shower drain cover. 

Tip #2 - Use a Liquid Drain Cleaner

You can purchase an industrial strength liquid drain cleaner such as Liquid Plumber or Draino and pour the product down the shower drain. Use the product that is especially designed for use in the shower and follow all of the packaging directions for its use. Be sure to use a product that is not caustic or will damage your plumbing system when used and if possible find a product that is as environmentally friendly as possible, since you will be essentially flushing the waste material in your shower drain into some water treatment area or local watershed.

Tip #3 - Manually Remove Clogged Material

Remove the drain cover to the shower drain and use a flashlight and rubber gloves to reach into the drain and pull out any hair or other material that has become lodged in the drain. If the drain is too small to access by hand, use a long tool that allows you to move the clumps of material around and pull them out by hand.