Did you know that clogged shower drains are practically inevitable? After enough hard water, hair, and skin goes down the drain, it will start to attach to the shower pipes and the drain itself, making it difficult for water to go down the pipes as it’s supposed to. Fortunately, a clogged or dirty shower drain isn’t a serious problem and how to clean a shower drain doesn’t have to be as difficult as it sounds.
When you clean a shower drain, you will want to have a few main tools and ingredients on hand. Keep reading to learn more about shower drain cleaning tips below.
Use a Drain Snake and Boiling Water
A drain snake is an important tool to have on hand whether you need to unclog your shower drain or your skin drain. A drain snake is a flexible device that you can bend in any way you see fit. It has a metal wire that you can control with a hand crank which makes it perfect for diving down into a clogged drain to remove the clog.
While you could try cleaning a shower drain and removing the clog and dirt with your hand, a drain snake is a much more appealing (and more effective) option. It will be able to go deeper into the drain and break up whatever might be clogging the drain.
Once the clog is clear, your job still isn’t done. Even though you got most of the gunk out, there is still likely to be plenty of grime stuck to the drain and the pipes. For that reason, boiling water is good to have on hand when shower drain cleaning.
Pour a pot of boiling water slowly down the drain. This will dissolve other materials such as skin cells and grime that might be stuck to the drain. You might have to do this a few times to get the desired result.
Don’t Forget the Vinegar
In any shower drain cleaning guide you find, there will always be a section that mentions vinegar. Vinegar is a great natural cleaner that can remove everything from soap scum to calcium buildup and beyond. When using vinegar to clean out your shower drain, you will first want to mix it with baking soda.
A good ratio to follow is to use 1 cup of vinegar with 1 cup of baking soda. You will only want to use the vinegar mixture after you’ve poured boiling water down the drain. That way, whatever is in the drain will be softened.
Once you add the vinegar mixture, let it sit for 10 to 15 minutes. This will give the vinegar the chance to break down the debris in the drain. Then, wash it all down with boiling water again.
After you do all this, your drain should be cleaner than ever before.
How to Clean a Shower Drain
How to clean a shower drain doesn’t have to be a hard task; all you need is the right tools. By using a drain snake, boiling water, and vinegar, your drain can be clean in no time.
If you don’t like the idea of cleaning or unclogging your own drain, a plumber can do it for you. To learn more, contact us here.