How to Unclog a Stall Shower Drain
All shower stalls have a drain located in the bottom center of the shower. This drain is usually covered by a small grate, or drain cover. Like all drains, the drain in a stall shower can become clogged, which will cause a buildup of water in the bottom of the stall. Since shower stalls have a relatively low threshold, a clogged drain can quickly become a problem. You can try several methods to unclog a stall shower drain yourself, without calling a plumber. Does this Spark an idea?
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Things You'll Need
- Screwdriver
- Lighter
- Garden hose
- Wet rag
- Plunger
- Drain cleaner
- Cable auger
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Instructions
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Remove the drain cover from the bottom of the shower with a screwdriver.
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Remove any hair that may be in the drain or attached to the drain cover and throw it away. Hair is often the cause of a clog. If the hair is too tangled, use a lighter to burn it off the drain cover and out of the drain.
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Place a garden hose in the drain until you feel it hit an obstruction, and turn it on full blast. The pressure from the hose should push whatever may be clogging the drain out of the way.
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Place a wet rag over the drain if the garden hose doesn't work. Put a plunger over the rag and push the plunger up and down several times in order to move the clog through the pipe.
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Pour 1/2 cup of a liquid drain cleaner such as Drano or Liquid-Plumr down the drain if the plunger didn't clear the clog. The drain might be clogged by dirt and debris, which the chemicals in the drain cleaner will eat through. Handle the cleaner carefully, follow the procedure on the bottle and flush the drain as instructed.
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If all else fails, place about 30 inches of cable from the auger, or plumber's snake, into the drain. Push the auger forward and turn the hand crank until you feel the resistance. Add pressure on the auger and crank until you feel the cable break through to the other side. Run several gallons of hot water through the drain after the auger has cleared the clog.
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Tips & Warnings
You should notice the slow buildup of a clog over time. Take steps to fix it when the clog is still small for the best results.
Be careful using the auger, because you could accidentally break through the pipe. This is especially likely to happen if the pipes are old, and if it does, you will need to call a plumber.
