Best Ways to Keep your Shower Drain Clog-Free
Learn how to avoid gross shower clogs, so you never have to touch your shower drain again
We’ve all been there. You’re taking a shower and realize that you are standing in about 2 inches of rising water, which isn’t going down the drain because of a shower drain clog. Maybe your sister/roommate/guest has really long hair, or you recently washed your dog. Maybe it’s a mystery because all of your roommates are bald. Either way, this is a problem that needs fixing. Keep the following tips in mind in order to solve all of the different types of drain clogs you could possibly come up against.
The drain clog that you are probably familiar with is a smaller blockage, caused by a buildup of dirt, soap scum, and hair. Long hair in particular is a known culprit of drain clogs, with soap worsening the issue by causing the hair to stick to the walls of the drain. Build-ups like these happen over time, increasingly obstructing the flowing water until a full-on blockage occurs. There are many different suggestions for ways to unclog your drain, with varying degrees of messiness, cost, and effectiveness.
The Simple, At Home Remedies
There’s some great at-home fixes that can solve the problems of a small drain clog, or that you can do regularly to keep the clogs at bay. Pouring hot water down the drain has been known to work for minor clogs, as it loosens the soap scum that’s sticking hair to the drain wall. Baking soda and vinegar mixed together also have been known to have similar small-clog-clearing effects. Another idea is using a plunger to loosen clogs, which you use similarly to unclogging a toilet. These remedies are great for small drain issues, like when you notice your water isn’t draining as fast as usual. For bigger drain issues, however, they might not do the trick.
The Chemical Products
In the case that the above solutions don’t seem to be working, then you have more than just a small drain clog on your hands. For this, some people use drain products which use strong, harsh chemicals to break down the hair clog. This type of product is used by being poured down the drain, usually emitting a harsh, chemical smell. Be sure not to spill these products in other areas of the bathroom, as the smell is pungent and the formula is toxic. While this can usually work well with clearing very clogged shower drains, it should not be used often as it is bad for the drain and for the environment.
Getting a Professional Involved
Third, there’s the hiring of an actual professional to clear out your drain clog. They have tools such as drain snakes and high-powered chemicals, and they’re capable of clearing out large clogs that might be in your main sewage line. This could be the case if your shower has been consistently getting clogged. The drawback is that hiring help can be expensive, so it’s best to reserve this solution for when no other ones are working.
The Long Lasting Solution
To close out, the last remedy to the problem is one that takes an entirely different approach. This approach is preventative. It stops drain clogs before they happen so that you never have to deal with any size drain clog again. NeverClog works as an in-the-drain apparatus, catching the hair as it falls down the drain and using a safe enzyme formula to break down the hair, then reintegrating it into the wastewater.