How To Unclog A Shower Drain
Drain clogs are the second most annoying clogs after toilet clogs. Toilet clogs are much more messy and serious because they can cause a serious sewer backup. Sink drain clogs and shower drain clogs are also serious because they can undermine the functionality of your kitchen and bathroom. Sink drain clogs are usually caused by careless waste disposal habits. One of the main causes of sink drain clogs is the accumulation of fats and greases in your sink drain pipes. This is because you keep dumping greases, oils, and fats in your sink. This means that you can prevent sink drain clogs by ensuring that all the fats, greases, and oils in your utensils are properly disposed in your garbage bin. Shower drain clogs are caused by the tangling of hairs and small bits of soap in the shower drain pipes. You can easily prevent shower drain clogs by installing a drain strainer to help catch all those hairs and those tiny bits of soap. But some will still slip through and soon enough you might find your shower drain clogged. If this happens, try unclogging the shower drain using the following methods.
Use A Plunger
When it comes to clogging, the most useful tool is the plunger. The plunger is the primary tool for unclogging the toilet and even the sink and shower drains. It’s important to note that there are different types of plungers for unclogging the toilet and for unclogging the sink and shower drains. You should have a special plunger for unclogging the toilet and another plunger for unclogging you sink and shower drains. If your bathroom is clogged, get a plunger and let the shower run until the plunged end is covered with water. Do the sucking motion several times and wait to see whether the water will drain or not.
Snake The Shower Drain
If the plunger does not work, you can always snake the shower drain. You can use a plumber’s snake to try and unclog or unblock the shower drain. You will simply insert this long flexible wire inside the shower drain pipe and wiggle it through until you find the clog. Try forcing the clog through the pipe by moving the snake back and forth. This should clear the clog and fix your shower drain. If you do not have a plumber’s snake, you can always use a metallic clothes hanger. You just need to straighten the hanger and insert the hook into the shower drain pipe and try to pull the clog out.
Pour Boiling Water
Clogs are usually caused by the accumulating of muck in the pipes. The muck usually consists of oils, fats, greases, soaps, and other solid materials. Most of these materials can flow through if they melt. That is why you should consider pouring boiling water into your shower drain to melt the clog and hence unclog the drain.
Pour A Baking Soda And Vinegar Solution
Another effective way of handling any clog is to pour a baking soda and vinegar solution in the clogged pipe. For shower drains, mix the two readily available products and pour the solution down your shower drain pipe.
Use A Commercial Drain Cleaner
If all these home remedies do not work, you can use a commercial drain cleaner to unclog your shower drain. Make sure you choose the right drain cleaner to avoid damages. And if the commercial drain cleaner fails, call a professional plumber who specializes in Arlington sewer repair to help unclog your shower drain.
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