Don’t disregard the warning signals of a blocked drain! They’re hard to overlook, like standing in ankle-deep water in the middle of your regular shower. Drainage can finally be slowing down in your kitchen sink, or you may detect a faint but bad stench. If you ignore the problem, you may end up paying a high plumbing cost in the future to fix a more serious problem.
Do you currently make any of the following typical mistakes?
#1 Investing in the Wrong Tools
Some drainage issues need immediate attention. If you don’t have the necessary equipment in your home, you may end up having to pay for water damage repairs. How to unblock a shower drain? What are the essential tools you should keep handy?
- What do you use for the sink? You might have a plunger for the bathroom, but not a smaller one for the sink.
- When the plunger fails, a drainage snake comes in useful.
- If you’re stuck with a persistent clog, a basin wrench or pipe wrench might come in handy. Manually removing debris is possible with this tool.
- Small chores like replacing a showerhead can be completed with a plumber’s tape. It provides a more secure fit.
#2 Misusing or Overusing Drain Cleaners
Even while chemical drain cleaners can be useful, they shouldn’t always be the first line of defense when dealing with a clog. Sure, they’ll aid in the clog removal, but in the process of doing so, they risk weakening the pipe more.
Chemicals may also react strongly with other compounds in your drain and are very poisonous and harmful to the environment.
Pipe repair costs may also arise if the pipes are misused. A plunger or a snake should always be your first choice. Don’t hesitate to contact a professional plumber if the issue is very difficult to address.
#3 Neglecting to Use a Hair Catcher
In the shower, we all lose a strand or two of hair. Drains may get clogged with hair over time. The time and money you’ll save using a simple bathroom hair stopper are immeasurable. Astonishingly, it keeps a remarkable amount of hair out of the sink drain. If you toss your hair down the drain after each shower, you won’t have to deal with snaking the drain once every month.
#4 Being in the Defence for Too Long
Avoiding expensive drainage issues is the best way. Preventing the disposal of oil or big food items is the simplest thing to take. In addition, pouring hot water down the drain on a regular basis might assist remove any accumulated debris.
Finally, look for corrosion or minor leaks in the pipes beneath the sink.
#5 Delaying Calling the Experts
Drainage problems that keep returning even after you’ve tried everything you can think of to fix them should be handled by a professional.
Leaving the problem unattended might end up costing you in the long run.
What Are the Different Ways to Clean the Shower Drains?
There are a number of basic and uncomplicated ways and equipment that can be used to clear blocked shower drains. As soon as the shower drain has been unclogged, you should take steps to prevent it from occurring again.
Here are some good tips for unclogging a blocked shower drain, in that order:
1. Flush down the boiling water in the drain.
You might use this to break down the clog’s soap or grease to clean it out:
- On the stove, bring water to a boil.
- Pour the hot water down the drain.
- When pouring water, it’s essential to use a funnel or some other container to keep it contained. It’s not a good idea to splash boiling water on any expensive shower or tub accessories.
2. Use a plunger if required.
The effectiveness of plunging depends on several variables, including the kind of blockage, its location in the drain, and the design of the drain. For example, it’s possible that plunging won’t be successful if the clog is too deep or made of hair.
- A better seal can be achieved by applying petroleum jelly to the suction pad.
- The plunger end should be immersed in water in the shower
- Plunge with vigour.
3. Use baking soda and vinegar.
This is a more organic alternative to using cleaning agents.
- Down the drain, toss a cup of baking soda.
- Wait a little while.
- Add a cup of vinegar to the drained mixture as well.
- If the hair blockage doesn’t dissipate after a few hours, wait a little longer.
- Pour boiling water down the drain to clean it.
4. Remove the drain cover and manually remove the clog.
Although there is a decent probability that this procedure will work, since it requires using your hands, we strongly suggest using rubber gloves.
- The drain cover has to be taken off first.
- There may sometimes be a centre screw that has to be removed.
- Other times, a screwdriver can be used to remove the drain cover.
- Find the blockage by taking a look into the drain.
- If necessary, use a flashlight.
- Scrape out the blockage with your fingers if it is within your grasp.
- Aim for technique number 5 if it is not within reach.
5. Apply a hook.
This is one of the most time-tested solutions for these issues and has a surprisingly high probability of success, particularly when the block is brought on by a tiny particle or clump of hair.
- If you are unable to remove the block by hand, consider using a piece of wire to do so.
- Create a tool by creating a hook at the end of a wire coat hanger.
To Conclude
You now know how to unblock a shower drain! When you are standing in a huge pool of water in the shower because the water isn’t draining correctly, you often realize you have a problem. If this happens to you, you should probably address the issue.
Unfortunately, drainage problems almost always become much worse over time if nothing is done to manage them when they first appear. In most cases, the sooner you confront the problem, the less difficult it will be to find a solution to it.
Want more tips on making improvements to your bathroom? Check out our previous posts:
- Ban these clutter magnets from the bathroom
- Top tips for a bathroom renovation
- Creating a beautiful minimalist bathroom