The best way to unclog a shower drain that is only mildly showing signs of a slowing water flow is to place a cup of vinegar into the drain and let it stand for several hours. Follow this up with by running hot water down the shower drain and in most instances the drain will flow more freely. Another remedy to unclog a shower drain that is minor is to place an ounce of dish detergent that has an degreasing agent in it into the drain and to run hot water through the drain.

To unclog a shower drain that is moderately clogged, one of the best remedies is to place a commercial drain cleaner into the drain that has an acid base. These chemicals can cut through clogs rather quickly, especially clogs that are due to the accumulation of hair. In order to use this remedy, you must first remove the shower drain cover by unscrewing it and then use a crystallized drain cleaner that is placed directly into the drain. The reafriend for this is that liquid drain cleaners can overflow the drain and cause severe damage to bathtub interiors. After the chemical has been added let it work for as long as possible and then flush the drain by turning on the hot water.

Have you ever noticed a layer of white crusty stuff on your shower head? That is mineral deposits left by your water. Over time, it can clog the holes in your shower head and thus reduce the flow of water coming out of your shower head.

Vinegar is a great home remedy to get your shower head clean without damaging the finish on your shower head. Use a wrench to loosen it up. To avoid damging the shower head by the wrench, wrap a towel around it so it is not damaged by the wrench. Then place the shower head in a bowl of white vinegar. Make sure all the holes of the shower head are completely submersed. Soak in the vinegar for about 15-20 minutes. Stubborn deposits may take a little longer, but do not soak for more than 30 minutes at a time. After soaking, use an old toothbrush or other stiff brush to scrub the holes clean. Before re-attaching the shower head, wrap some plumber’s tape around the threads for a tight seal and prevent leaks. Run some hot water through the shower head to get rid of any remaining vinegar.

If you can’t remove your shower head for cleaning, fill a small plastic bag like a sandwich bag with white vinegar and secure tightly around the shower head. As mentioned above, soak for 15-20 minutes but no longer than 30 minutes at a time. Use a brush to clean the holes, and run hot water through the shower head to rinse.

The reason why shower drains can become clogged are usually all associated with the body oils and hair that go down the drain after each family member showers, and over time can cause a clog that can be tough to remove. The best ways to unclog a shower drain is matching the remedy to the severity of the clog, because the basic idea is to get the water flowing again without the use of excessive measures.

The best way to unclog a shower drain that is severely clogged is to remove the shower drain cover, and using a coat hanger remove as much hair and grease as is possible. A plumbing snake can them be used on the drain to open up the clog. If the water flow is good after this process the job is complete – if not remove the plumbing snake and then add chemical drain cleaner and that should do the trick to unclog the shower drain.

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This entry was posted on Friday, December 17th, 2010 at 7:33 pm and is filed under Block Drains. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.