Unclogging your shower drain can be really confusing for you. Because when you find yourself standing in an ankle-deep shower, you might choose the wrong way to unclog. This might make the situation worse for you.

Well, we are here to clear it to you and make it simple for you. By the time you finish this article, you’ll be ready to unclog the shower drain.

Today, we’ll not only help you learn how to unclog a shower drain with standing water but also you’ll know all the methods to do it. Moreover, we’ll tell you what tools you’ll need for the whole process.

However, let’s start by knowing the things you’ll need.

Tools And Supplies You’ll Need

Here are the tools and supplies you’ll need to make your shower drain unclogged. Make sure that you have your supplies according to the method you’ll use.

Steps Before Unclogging

Here’s the thing-

You can’t just unclog your shower drain without clearing the mess that the clog created. It’ll make the mess worse for you.

That’s why there are some essential things you’ll need to do before you implement any method.

Related Topic: How to unclog a toilet with poop in it

Clear All the Blockage on the Cover:

In order to get rid of the blocking drain, you need to clear the blockage that you have on the cover first. So, wear a pair of rubber gloves and pick out all the debris on the cover.

There’s a slight chance that if you remove the blockage, you might fix the standing water immediately. Yet, if the water doesn’t pass away, you’ll need to take further steps.

Remove Standing Water:

You must remove all of the standing water. So, try to remove as much of the water as possible.

Moreover, you can use your bucket to scoop out the water. Then, you can either throw it away outside or down a functioning drain.

Take Off Drain Cover:

After you’re done with the standing water, you should grab a screwdriver to take off the drain cover.

You see, it’s better and easier for you to unclog the drain line if you take the cover off. However, if your cover drain is fixed to the floor for some reason, it’s fine.

You’ll just have to use a comfortable liquid method in that case. So, let’s see all of the methods that we can apply for your unclogged shower drain.

Methods That You Can Use

We’ve gathered all the methods and organized them for you. We did this so that you can decide which one is more comfortable for you to follow.

So, let’s get right into it.

Method 1: Plunging the Drain

In this method, you’ll need a plunger to clean the waterway of the drain. It’ll help you to loosen the clog inside the drain.

Add some petroleum jelly to the edge of the suction pad of your plunger. It’ll give you better sealing. Then, place your plunger over the drain and vigorously push in and out.

However, the design of your drain will determine how successful the plunging will be. If your clog is deep and made of hair, possibly you’ll struggle to get enough suction for this method to be effective.

Unfortunately,this method has a low success rate when it comes to your showers drains. Yet, there’s nothing wrong to give it a try as it’ll cost you less time and money.

Method 2: Baking Soda And Vinegar

Baking soda and vinegar are like the old school gang of yours. Always there for you when you need them.

Now, you need to pour ½ cup of baking soda down the drain first. You must make sure to cover most of the interior. At least as much as possible for you. You can use a long stick to push the baking soda down the drain.

Then, you’ll need to pour ½ cup of vinegar down the drain. You should do that after the baking soda is coated inside the pipe.

Do you hear a fizzing sound now? Well, that’s because your baking soda and vinegar are reacting.

You see when they react they create carbonic acid and sodium acetate. This helps your clog to dissolve. And also the fizzing sound happens because of the reaction.

Moreover, you should cover your drain with a towel or rag when this whole process is happening inside the pipe.

You should repeat this process again and again if you need to. And it won’t harm your pipe so you have nothing to worry about.

Method 3: Pull Out Clog by Hand

This method is only applicable for you if you have a large enough drain to put your hand into.

First, you’ll need to look inside the drain and see the location of the clog. You should use a flashlight because it can be dark inside of the pipe.

Now, if you see the clog within reach, pull it out with your fingers.

However, if it’s out of reach, you should follow the next method.

Method 4: Make A Hook to Unclog

You know what a fishing hook looks like right? You just have to use the wire to shape it like a hook.

If you can’t reach the clog by hand, use the wire hook to grab your clog and pull it out. You can use a wire coat hanger to make the hook too.

However, if you have mineral buildup rather than hairs or stuff, you shouldn’t use this method.

Method 5: Boiled Water

Well, boiled water might break down the soap or grease that is holding the clog. And this the easiest thing you can do after you see a clogged shower drain.

Related Topic: How To Fix A Clogged Toilet Without A Plunger

For this method, you just need to boil 4-5 cups of water and pour it down the drain. We would recommend you to use a funnel in this case.

You see, if you have an expensive shower floor, the boiled water might cause damage to the floor. The grout or the floor itself might get damaged.

However, if you have a serious blockage of hair over time, this method might not work at all. In that case, you can follow all the other methods mentioned for you.

Method 6: Plumbers’ Snake

Plumbers’ snake is an affordable way for you to take care of your clogged shower drain. You wouldn’t need to spend much at all.

You see, the plumber snake or the drain auger is a long, flexible metal cable. It has a small auger or uncoiled spring on one end of it that helps you clean the clog.

So, how’ll you make the plumbers’ snake work? You just need to push the snake down the drain until you reach the clog that’s causing you trouble. Then, you’ll just need to bring it back up.

Once done, run some water down to test if the drain is active or not. If not, you should look for more leftovers of the clog inside.

Method 7: Chemical Cleaners

For this method, you’ll need a strong chemical cleaner that is designed to unblock drains.

You see, chemical cleaners are harmful for you but will get your work done. But, remember not to use too much of the chemical cleaners.

You’ll find the directions and amount to use on the packaging. Also, don’t mix your chemicals. There’s a chance it might produce poisonous gas for you.

However, we’ll discourage this method for you to use because of the poisonous side effects. Yet, this is a quick, easy, and affordable method.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)

01. How do you dissolve hair in a shower drain?

The combination of baking soda and vinegar can take care of the hair clogged inside your shower drain. They react and the reaction creates heat that eventually dissolves the hair and clears the drain for you.

02. Will Coke unclog a drain?

Yes, it can. You see, coke is quite caustic and effective in clearing away buildup if the drains. However, it’s far milder than a commercial drain cleaner.

03. Can bleach unclog a shower drain?

Yes, bleach can help you too to clean your shower drain. You’ll need to carefully pour some bleach into a cup and then dump it down your shower drain.

Let it set and after it sets, flow hot water down your pipes. You shouldn’t leave the bleach much longer than 15 min, or it may corrode your pipes.

Conclusion

You don’t have to worry about your clogged shower drain anymore. Because now you know how to unclog a shower drain with standing water and all the methods of it.

By now, you’re hopefully confident about cleaning your shower drain. However, if anything goes wrong somehow, you should definitely contact a plumber. Calling for help is always a better option.

A word of advice, wear your gloves throughout the process of cleaning. There are various kinds of germ in your shower drain. You’d rather want a clean drain than germs harming you.

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So, good luck unclogging your shower drain.

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