For many of us, a hot shower after a long day is a time to relax and unwind. Warm water, steam… and a gurgling sound? Has the water always drained this slowly? Why does my bathroom like sewage? With a clogged drain, your relaxing shower can quickly turn into a source of stress. So we’re here to give you some DIY fixes for how to clear a blocked shower drain.
In this blog, the TWC Draincare team will explain what causes shower drain blockages, how you might be able to fix it yourself, and when it is time to call our drain experts for help.
Why Is My Shower Not Draining?
Shower drains can become blocked for a variety of reasons— identifying and clearing the blockage as quickly as possible can prevent further issues or damage to your plumbing.
Common Causes of Blocked Shower Drains
- Hair and Dead Skin Cells
- One of the most common reasons that shower drains become blocked is that every use causes the natural shedding of hair and skin cells, which accumulate in the drain. The average human loses up to 100 hairs a day; imagine how many end up in your shower drain in an average month!
- Soap Scum Build-Up
- After a shower, soap residue can harden over time in the drain and pipes. Over time, this soap scum builds up and can create stubborn blockages.
- Hard Water Deposits
- You may have heard reference to “hard” and “soft” water, but what does this actually mean? Hard water has high levels of dissolved minerals in it, whereas soft water has a low mineral content. If you live in an area with hard water, it can leave mineral deposits in your shower drain, which restricts the water flow and can lead to the formation of clogs.
- Other Contaminants
- Shower drains have to deal with a lot more than just water! When we shower, the debris that we wash off our bodies (like dirt, or sand) also enters the drain. This can build up to clog the drain, especially if you often shower after outdoor activities.
How to Tell If Your Shower Drain is Clogged
If your shower drain is clogged, you are likely to notice some unpleasant symptoms. Water might pool around your feet whilst you are showering because the blocked drain cannot siphon it away fast enough. This may also mean that the shower takes a long time to drain once you turn the water off and step away.
As well as working slowly, your shower drain might start exhibiting new and unwanted functions. It could make gurgling noises, caused by water passing the blockage. In a worst-case scenario, your clogged drain might start to smell very unpleasant, due to the material of the blockage and the constantly standing water.
Simple DIY Methods to Unblock Your Shower Drain
There are some easy ways that you can attempt to unblock your shower drain at home. We have organised them here from the simplest to the most involved for your convenience. If none of these methods work, then you’ll need to contact professional drain unblockers.
1. Pour Boiling Water Down Your Shower Drain
This method is simple and often effective against soap scum and light blockages — simply pour a full, freshly-boiled kettle of water into the shower drain, and wait for it to clear. Please be careful when handling the hot water!
2. Try Unblocking Your Shower Drain With a Plunger
If boiling water did not clear the clog, some mechanical action might. Apply a plunger carefully to the drain, using petroleum jelly around the edge for a better seal, and plunge up and down to create suction. This may be able to dislodge the blockage and help your shower to drain correctly.
3. Use Baking Soda and Vinegar
Baking soda is alkaline, and vinegar is acidic — if you introduce them both to your drain, the resulting bubbly chemical reaction can sometimes clear blockages. Pour one cup of baking soda into the drain, followed by one cup of vinegar, and watch it fizz! Let this mixture sit for ten minutes, before pouring warm water down the drain to clear the mixture. If this method is successful, the water should drain rapidly.
4. Remove the Blockage by Hand
If the blockage is close enough to the surface, you may be able to remove it by hand. Carefully remove the drain cover (you may have to unscrew it), placing the cover and any fixings to the side to replace later. Using either a wire coat hanger or a hair removal tool, you can manually pull out any visible debris. Once the drain is clean, replace the cover and pour some warm water into the shower to check that the blockage has cleared.
5. Use a Plumber’s Snake (Drain Auger)
A plumber’s snake, or drain auger, is a fantastic tool for clearing drain clogs. Remove the drain cover (again, keeping any screws safe for reattachment), and gently insert the end of the snake into the drain until you feel it meet resistance. Tighten the cable clamp, and rotate it to slowly spin the snake and break up the clog. Once the snake is no longer encountering resistance, the clog should be cleared, so carefully remove the snake and run a small amount of water down the drain to check that you have been successful. If it continues to drain slowly, reinsert the snake and keep pushing gently until you encounter further resistance, and repeat. Once the clog is cleared, reattach the drain cover.
6. Use Natural Drain Cleaners In Your Shower
Otherwise known as natural drain cleaners, enzyme drain cleaners use bacterial cultures and enzymes to break down clogs of organic matter, like skin cells or soap scum. Whilst they are not as capable of dealing with stubborn clogs as traditional chemicals, enzyme drain cleaners are safe for your pipes, and much better for the environment. They work much slower than chemical drain cleaners, so ensure that you follow the instructions on the bottle and leave the enzyme cleaner to sit for as long as is required.
7. Chemical Drain Cleaners
Chemical drain cleaners are usually very acidic, allowing them to dissolve clogs and get the water flowing freely through your pipes. However, they should be used with caution, and as infrequently as possible — harsh chemicals can damage your pipes and should never be used if your plumbing feeds into a septic tank. Chemical drain cleaners are also much more harmful for the environment than enzyme cleaners, so should only ever be a last resort.
What to Do When DIY Methods Don’t Work
If you have tried the DIY methods listed above without success, you either have a very stubborn clog or a more extensive plumbing problem. At this point, you should give TWC Draincare a call. We’re professionals with many years of experience when it comes to drain unblocking and drain repairs. Our drain care engineers can use specialist equipment, like CCTV survey’s to diagnose and treat the issue without causing further harm to your pipes.
How to Stop Your Shower Drain Clogging Up
At TWC Draincare, we always say that prevention is better than cure. Regular planned maintenance and good drain care habits can help to prevent a clog from forming in the first place.
- Preventing Hair Build-Up
- There are drain guards and mesh strainers widely available that you can fit to your drain cheaply and easily, catching hair instead of allowing it to enter your pipes. You can then empty the drain guard into the bin.
- Regular Drain Cleaning
- Regularly using milder cleaners, like hot water or baking soda and vinegar, can maintain your pipes and avoid the need for stronger chemicals.
- Minimising Soap Scum
- Bar soap produces much more soap scum than a liquid shower gel, so consider switching your products to avoid clogging your drains.
- Dealing with Hard Water
- If you live in an area of hard water, investing in a water softening system can have many benefits to your plumbing, including reducing mineral build-up that clogs your pipes.
- Regular Maintenance
- At least once a week, check your shower drains and remove any visible debris. This ensures that the material is not entering your drain.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
Why does my shower drain keep getting blocked?
There are some simply factors that can cause frequent blockages — if those using the shower have long, thick hair, for example, or if you live in an area of hard water. However, if you have used all the prevention methods we provide in this blog and you are still experiencing frequent blockages, call TWC Draincare! There may be a further problem with your plumbing that we can diagnose for you using CCTV drain surveillance.
Can boiling water damage my pipes?
Boiling water is generally safe for your plumbing, but can soften PVC pipes, and even melt the glue that holds them together. As long as your pipes are not made of PVC, it is extremely unlikely that using boiling water occasionally to clear a clog will cause any damage.
How often should I clean my shower drain?
Try to get into the habit of cleaning your drain at least monthly! Regular maintenance is the best prevention.
Are chemical drain cleaners safe to use in my shower?
The answer to this question often depends on the exact chemical you intend to use, and both the material and age of your plumbing. Strong chemical cleaners can be harmful to the environment, and can be too harsh for older pipes, so should be avoided wherever possible. If you are unsure about the safest way to tackle a clog in your pipes, always consult a professional.
What’s the best way to prevent future shower drain clogs?
Make sure that your shower is fitted with a drain guard (which should be emptied regularly), clean the drain regularly to avoid any build-up of clogs, and avoid harsh chemicals that can cause damage to your drains.
How to Clear a Blocked Shower Drain – Summary
Have our DIY methods listed here not worked? Are you still unable to identify the cause of your shower drain clog? Are you still wondering how to clear a blocked shower drain? Then its time to contact TWC Draincare for professional drain unblocking help. f you do not deal with the problem quickly, the clog can become so severe that your next shower might cause a flood. Or there could be damage spreading further into your plumbing.
At TWC Draincare, all of our engineers are equipped with the latest drain care technology to help them diagnose and rectify your problem. We can use CCTV drain surveillance to inspect every inch of your pipe. Once we have located the clog, we can deal with it quickly and affordably using methods like professional drain rods or high-pressure jetting.
Our rapid response draim unblocking teams are located all across the UK – from Leeds and York, to Greater Manchester and Tye & Wear. We don’t charge a call out fee, and will tell you the exact problem and what it is going to cost before we begin any work. Stop wondering “how to clear a blocked shower drain” and let us fix it for you. Contact us today!
