Is your shower draining slower than it used to? Or have you noticed a strange odor that wasn’t there last month? Don’t worry, it happens to almost everyone.
The good news is, you don’t need to call a plumber for this. Cleaning your shower drain is actually pretty easy, and you can do it yourself in about 15 minutes with a few things you probably already have in your kitchen.
Most of the time, the cause is simple. Hair, soap, and dirt slowly build up inside the pipe. At first, you may not notice anything. Then one day the water slows down, and the bathroom starts to smell. The longer you wait, the worse it gets.
What You Need to Clean a Shower Drain
You don’t need much for this job. In fact, everything costs very little.
- Rubber gloves
- A screwdriver (only if screws hold your drain cover in place)
- A plastic drain clearing tool (usually under $10)
- Baking soda
- Hot water
- A long, flexible cleaning brush with a wire in the middle (the kind made for cleaning refrigerator drains)
- Shampoo or liquid soap
Also, skip the store-bought drain cleaners. They are toxic, and you don’t want them around your home. Baking soda works well and is much safer.
How to Clean a Shower Drain: Step by Step
You can do this job on your own by following the steps below. We have explained each one in simple words, so you don’t need any experience. Just read each step, then do it, and you will have a clean drain in no time.
Step 1: Remove the Drain Cover
First, empty your shower so you have room to work. Next, look at the drain cover. Most covers have one or two screws holding them down. Remove them with a screwdriver, and keep them somewhere safe.
Then put on your gloves. What you will find inside is never pretty!
Step 2: Pull out the clog
Now it’s time to clear the clog. Take your drain clearing tool. It is a strip of flexible plastic with tiny teeth on the sides. These teeth grab hair and other junk.
Slide the tool straight into the drain. Hold the handle tightly so it doesn’t slip down the pipe. When the tool gets stuck, wiggle it a little and pull it back out. You will probably catch a clump of hair. It looks gross, but that is a good sign.
Repeat this a few times. Soon, the tool will stop pulling out much. However, don’t stop here. The real problem is what stays behind on the pipe walls. That buildup will cause a new clog very fast.
Step 3: Make a baking soda solution
Next, mix baking soda into hot water. Use hot water from your tap or kettle, but avoid boiling water if you have plastic pipes. Then pour the mix into the drain.
Let it sit for three to five minutes. This time helps loosen the grime on the pipe walls. By itself, this step already cleans the drain a bit. But we can do much better.
Step 4: Scrub the pipe with a brush
This step is what makes your drain feel brand new. Take your long, flexible brush. First, put some shampoo or liquid soap on it. The soap makes the brush slide in more easily.
Then push the brush into the drain. You may feel some resistance at first. If so, push a little harder or twist the brush. It will slide down.
Most clogs and gunk sit within the first 12 inches of the pipe. So, a brush this long cleans the area that matters most. Move it up and down a few times. You will see a lot of dirt come out. That is exactly what you want.
To keep things cleaner, pour water down the drain while you scrub. You can also just leave the shower running.
Step 5: Rinse and put the cover Back
After less than a minute of scrubbing, look inside the drain. The pipe should look much cleaner. Now run water for a minute to rinse everything away.
Finally, put the cover back in place. If your cover uses screws, tighten them, and be careful not to drop them down the drain. If you do, you can buy new ones at a hardware store.
Then run the shower and watch the water. It should go right down.
How Can You Keep Your Shower Drain From Clogging Again?
Here is the good news: a clean pipe stays clean for a long time. In fact, many drains stay clear for years after this deep clean. Still, a few simple habits will protect your hard work.
- Use a hair catcher. Place a small catcher over the drain. It stops most hair before it enters the pipe.
- Brush the drain every few months. Repeat the brush step from above. It only takes a minute.
- Rinse with hot water. Run hot water for a minute after your shower to wash away leftover soap.
Final Thoughts
Now you know how to clean a shower drain without a plumber or harsh chemicals. First, you pull out the clog. Then you scrub away the buildup with baking soda and a brush. As a result, your water flows fast and the bad smell goes away.
Don’t wait for the drain to stop completely. Try this method today, and enjoy a drain that works like new.