How to Maintain a Shower Drain
There are some shower drain maintenance tips you can follow, if you want to avoid problems with clogs. Not only do these tips help to keep shower drains clear and draining freely, but they can also help to fix any clog problems that do occur.
It is important to clean any hair or soap scum from off of the top of the shower drain cover every time you use the shower, which will help to prevent clogs and will keep a shower drain run freely. You can also help to keep shower drains clear by dumping a bucket of hot water into the shower drain, or running the hot water down the drain once a week. If you pour a half cup of baking soda down the drain, followed by two cups of white vinegar on a monthly basis, this will also help keep the shower drain clear. After using this mixture, wait until the foaming stops, and then run water down the drain for about five minutes.
A good shower drain cover is important to prevent hair going down the drain and causing clogs. A shower drain installation will be necessary if your shower drain cover is in poor repair or missing. If the openings in the shower drain cover are too large, hair can still slip down the drain. In this case, you can either purchase and install a different type of drain cover with smaller holes, or just use a portable drain cover over the existing one.
Hair mixed with soap scum that manages to go down the drain is the cause of almost all shower clogs. Although shower drain covers are designed to prevent this, sometimes hair can still get stuck in the drain, making it drain slowly.
It is possible to fix a clogged shower drain by removing the drain cover, and the hair that has accumulated, which often will come out along with the drain cover mechanism. If you can see additional hair inside the drain, it can be removed with a straightened wire hanger. After this has been done, water can be run in the shower to make sure the clog has been removed completely.
A plunger can be used if the drain is still clogged. Before using the plunger, apply some petroleum jelly around the plunger rim to create a better seal. Place the plunger over the shower drain, and pump it up and down about twenty times. Then, look into the drain, and if it pulled up additional hair, try removing it with the straightened wire hanger.
A plumber’s snake can be used if the clog is still present. To use a snake, push it down into the drain to the level of the clog, and then turn the handle to pull the snake back up. The snake will bring up hair, which can be removed, and then the process can be repeated until the entire clog is removed.
At this point, if the clog remains, you will probably need a professional. Sometimes clogs develop further down in the drainpipes, which require professional equipment to remove. After the drain is cleaned, keep it running freely with the regular maintenance tips described above.
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