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How to Unclog a Shower Drain

Introduction

In this guide, I will explain how to remove buildup in the shower drain.

What you need

  1. How to Unclog a Shower Drain, How to Unclog a Shower Drain: step 1, image 1 of 1

    • Begin by putting on a pair of disposable gloves to protect your hands from what is inside your drain and from the chemicals in drain opener.

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  2. How to Unclog a Shower Drain: step 2, image 1 of 3 How to Unclog a Shower Drain: step 2, image 2 of 3 How to Unclog a Shower Drain: step 2, image 3 of 3

    • Remove the stopper from your shower drain, if possible.

    • Follow this link to determine how to remove the specific kind of drain stopper you have.

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  3. How to Unclog a Shower Drain: step 3, image 1 of 2 How to Unclog a Shower Drain: step 3, image 2 of 2
    Tool used on this step:
    Tweezers
    $4.99
    Buy

    • Once the drain stopper is out of the way, use your fingers, tweezers, or almost any long thin object to pull out hair and larger items clogging the drain.

    • Dispose of anything you were able to remove from your drain.

    • If you cannot remove your drain stopper, skip ahead until step 7.

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  4. How to Unclog a Shower Drain: step 4, image 1 of 2 How to Unclog a Shower Drain: step 4, image 2 of 2

    • If you are unable to lift out the hair and larger items in your drain, consider using a plunger.

    • Cover the drain with a plunger and run the water in your bathtub or shower until it covers at least half of the plunger.

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  6. How to Unclog a Shower Drain: step 5, image 1 of 2 How to Unclog a Shower Drain: step 5, image 2 of 2

    • Without breaking the seal of the plunger on the drain, push the plunger sharply down and up a few times.

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  7. How to Unclog a Shower Drain: step 6, image 1 of 3 How to Unclog a Shower Drain: step 6, image 2 of 3 How to Unclog a Shower Drain: step 6, image 3 of 3

    • Push down on the plunger again, but pull up sharply to break the seal.

    • This will hopefully dislodge what is clogging the drain. Any residual items may be removed as in step 3.

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  8. How to Unclog a Shower Drain: step 7, image 1 of 1

    • The chemicals in drain opener are very dangerous. Wear gloves to avoid the liquid touching your skin.

    • If you are unable to unclog your drain by hand, consider using liquid drain opener.

    • The drain opener you purchased should have instructions on the back which will tell you how much of the drain cleaner to use.

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  9. How to Unclog a Shower Drain: step 8, image 1 of 2 How to Unclog a Shower Drain: step 8, image 2 of 2

    • Slowly pour the liquid drain opener down the drain, but avoid pouring the liquid on your shower floor and drain stopper.

    • If you were unable to remove the drain stopper, lift the stopper up as much as possible and follow the steps above.

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  10. How to Unclog a Shower Drain: step 9, image 1 of 1

    • Wait at least the time stated on your bottle of drain opener.

    • Different drain openers have different wait times, ranging from 10 minutes to 10 hours.

    • Regardless of the instructions, the longer you let the drain opener sit in your drain, the more effective it will be.

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  11. How to Unclog a Shower Drain: step 10, image 1 of 2 How to Unclog a Shower Drain: step 10, image 2 of 2

    • After an appropriate amount of time, run hot water down the drain to flush out any remaining blockage.

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Conclusion

To reassemble your drain stopper, follow the steps you took in step one in reverse order.

2 other people completed this guide.

Author

with 2 other contributors

Kathryn Breitenstein

Member since: 09/29/15

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Cal Poly, Team 10-7, Green Fall 2015 Member of Cal Poly, Team 10-7, Green Fall 2015

CPSU-GREEN-F15S10G7

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