How to Unclog Your Shower Drains with Household Supplies
You get in the shower, start running the water, and you’re standing in a puddle within a couple of minutes. Is there anything more frustrating? Unfortunately, clogged shower drains are common. Fortunately, you can unclog your shower with items that you have in the home. Don’t believe it? Here are some methods!
Plunger
Often, the plunger gets a bad reputation when the biggest problem is actually how the plunger is used. Typically, we spend about 10 seconds trying to pump debris to the surface and then give up when nothing happens. Sometimes, it takes a couple of minutes for anything to happen. As long as you keep going, a plunger normally brings debris to the top. From here, you can reach in with gloves and unclog the shower drain.
Top Tip: If you want to get better suction with the plunger, apply a thin layer of petroleum jelly around the pad. Also, slightly submerge the plunger with water.
Baking Soda and Vinegar
Doesn’t it seem like these two ingredients have thousands of different applications around the home? Well, add another to the list because they can help when you know the problem is organic matter (hair, for example). To start, pour some baking soda down the drain and then follow this up with a similar amount of vinegar.
While this bubbles away, go make yourself a cup of tea or clean the rest of the bathroom. After a few minutes, come back to the shower and pour down a kettle of hot water (not boiling). If this doesn’t clear the drain the first time, try it again. We should also note that salt makes for a suitable vinegar replacement if you don’t have any of the latter.
Boiling Water
What if you don’t have salt, vinegar, or baking soda in the home? Well, some people swear by boiling water to break down whatever is clogging the drain. After boiling the water, gently pour it into the drain using a funnel (this will help control the water flow and prevent damaging your favorite shower accessories).
Even if this doesn’t entirely clear the drain, it’s often a good starting point and is very useful when combined with other methods in this list.
Remove the Cover
Did you know that some shower drain covers can be removed with a simple screwdriver? For example, many have a small screw in the middle. After removing this screw (please don’t lose it down the drain!), use a torch or phone light to look down into the drain. If you see the debris towards the top, grab it. If you don’t, you may need to refer to one of the other tips on this list.
Use Chemicals
Nowadays, many supermarkets and hardware stores will sell drain unblocking solutions. As long as you follow the instructions and wear protective equipment where necessary, they’re relatively simple to use. Of course, don’t mix several chemicals because this could cause more damage to the drain.
Other Solutions
These are some great solutions, but there are also specific products you can buy for this task. For example, plumbers will often use a toilet jack (otherwise called a plumbers’ snake). Recently, these products have been made available in hardware stores. Another solution is to use a hook or another long implement you find around the home. Some of these solutions we discovered online, while others were taken from the website of the best plumber hurstville has ever seen. Regardless of where we got this information, we have now shared it with you to use in your own home.
Finally, if nothing else works, or if the problem keeps occurring, contact Clogged Shower Drain Services anchorage ak. They will not only fix the problem but also provide advice on preventing the issue in the future.
