Cleaning out a shower drain

To clean out a shower drain, take off the cover, pull the hair and gel you can see, then run a cable down through the opening to clear the pipe and trap below. Which cover you have decides the first step: a screw-down grate, a pop-in strainer or a long linear drain each come off differently. The shower and tub drains overview sets out the full list of causes, and this page works through the drain itself.

What type of shower drain do I have?

Most shower floors use one of three covers, and you open each differently. A round strainer with a center screw is the commonest. A tile-in square cover often lifts out with a flat screwdriver at one edge. A linear drain is a long channel along the wall or the door, with a removable grate or a slot cover.

Check before you pry. A cover held by a screw will crack if you lever it. Look for a screw head in the middle or two screws at the sides, and test whether the cover turns or lifts.

In many showers the drain body is fixed in the floor and cannot be lifted out from above, so you clean through the strainer opening. If you cannot tell what you have, take a photo and look for the manufacturer's name on the underside of the cover.

How do I clean hair and gel out of the top of a shower drain?

Remove the cover, put on gloves and look straight down with a flashlight. In most showers, a collar of hair and soap gel sits right under the strainer. Hook it with a bent wire or a barbed plastic strip and lift it out in one piece. Wipe the inside of the drain body with a cloth and an old toothbrush.

Run hot tap water for a minute afterwards. If the water drains fast and does not rise around your feet, that was the blockage and the job is done.

Rinse the cover itself in the sink. Hard water leaves crust in the slots, and a ten-minute vinegar soak takes it off. Wikipedia describes soap scum as a lime soap that builds when soap meets calcium and magnesium. A clean cover also drains faster, because the openings are not partly closed.

How do I snake a shower drain?

Feed a 1/4 inch hand auger through the strainer opening. Push the cable down until you feel resistance, which is usually the trap bend a short way down. Turn the handle clockwise and keep a steady push to work past it. When the cable bites into a clog, keep turning, then pull back slowly.

The manual for the RIDGID hand-crank unit recommends inserting the cable at least 12 inches before turning it on a powered model, and keeping the drum close to the opening so the cable cannot loop. The same habits protect a hand cable from kinking.

Do not force a stuck cable. Back it out a few inches and turn again. A shower trap has a tight curve, and you can feel the difference between a clog and a bend. Our guide to drain snaking tips covers how that feels in the hand. Wikipedia's plumber's snake page notes hand augers suit sinks and tubs, but a motorized drum can damage plastic or copper if misused.

Afterwards run hot tap water for two minutes.

How do I clean the shower drain pipe below the trap?

The shower drain pipe usually runs from the trap into a branch line that also serves the sink or tub. A cable through the strainer clears the trap and the first several feet. If the pipe beyond is coated, the cable pulls out grey slime when it bites, and you should keep feeding and withdrawing until it comes back clean.

A homemade rinse of baking soda and vinegar can freshen a lightly coated pipe, but it will not clear a solid blockage. Chemical drain cleaners are a different matter: sodium hydroxide and acid products burn skin and eyes, and you should never combine cleaning products. They pool at the bottom of a shower pan that already holds water.

If the pipe past the trap does not clear, you may need a cleanout access, a longer machine, or a camera. When the shower, tub and a sink all slow together, the shared line is the likely culprit. Why a shower drain keeps clogging explains which signs point where.

What does it mean when standing water returns right after I clean it?

It means the blockage is farther along than the cable reached, or the pipe has a fault that holds water. Common causes are roots in an older clay or cast iron line, a sagging section that collects debris, or a partly collapsed fitting.

Signs it is not the shower alone: gurgling from a nearby sink, water backing into the tub when the shower runs, or a sewer smell near the drain. Wikipedia notes that a trap's water seal can also be disturbed by poor venting, which makes slow drains and smells.

At that point, a camera inspection shows what is happening in the pipe, which is better than guessing with more cable. See sewer camera inspection for what that visit involves and what the footage tells you.

When should I call someone to clean out a shower drain?

Call when the cable passes but the shower stays slow, when the pan or tile is moving, when water leaks into the room below, or when a cable will not go past a certain point. Also call if you cannot get the cover off without damage.

We'll set up a visit from a local drain cleaner who clears the shower line, and the written quote comes first. A single shower is usually a short visit, and ranges are on our drain cleaning cost page. Send a request through our quote page and say what type of drain you have. The LA Drain Works home page lists the other drain jobs we arrange.

Questions people ask

How do I clean a shower drain pipe without a snake?

Remove the cover and pull out what you can reach with a barbed plastic strip or bent wire. Then pour a kettle of hot tap water, not boiling, down the drain. A wet-dry vacuum sealed over the opening can also draw out a loosened mat. For anything deeper, a cable is the right tool.

Can I snake a shower drain with a regular cable?

Yes, a 1/4 inch hand auger of 15 to 25 feet suits most home showers. Keep the cable moving and do not force it past a hard stop. If it will not pass a bend, back out and try again with steady, gentle pressure. Stop if you feel metal scraping.

How often should I clean out a shower drain?

Check the top of the drain every week or two if you have long hair, and do a full clean with a strip every month or two. A cable run is only needed when the drain slows even after the top is clean. A hair catcher cuts the frequency a lot.

What questions help me judge a shower drain quote?

Ask whether the price covers a cable beyond the trap and whether they photograph or camera-check what they find. Ask for the quote in writing, and what happens if the shower slows again that week. Answers should mention your drain cover type and how it comes off.

Should I be home for shower drain work?

Yes, someone over 18 should open the door and show the shower in question. Move mats and bottles off the floor. You can leave the bathroom while they work, but stay close enough to talk about what they find in the drain.