If a shower is draining slowly or failing to drain, it can quickly become a serious issue. Here, we look at how you can unblock a shower drain yourself, as well as what to look out for and how to prevent blockages from occurring.
Call A Professional
If your shower is blocked, sometimes it is necessary to handle the situation yourself. However, wherever possible the best advice is to call a professional. It is easy to damage your shower or to make the situation worse and cause a flood. You should only unblock a shower yourself in an emergency, or when no support is available.
Signs Of A Blockage
There are several signs of a blockage in your shower. You may notice that the shower is slow to drain and that there are unpleasant smells coming from the drain. In some cases, you will be able to see stagnant water in the drain, and perhaps in the shower itself. If a blockage is severe, flooding may occur as the water cannot drain away.
To safely unblock a shower, assess the situation. If the blockage is mild and there is no standing water, pour boiling water down the drain to loosen the clog. If this does not work, try a solution of one part vinegar and one part baking soda and leave to sit for a couple of hours before rinsing through with boiling water. Again, if this is not successful, you can use a plunger to try and shift debris in the drain, such as hair.
The best way to treat a blocked shower is to ensure it stays unblocked in the first place. Make sure to regularly clean your drains (around once a month at least), and that there is no hair or product build-up. This can reduce the chances of a blockage occurring.
Unblocking a shower yourself should always be a last resort. Have you found that your showers are becoming blocked more frequently, or that other issues such as mould and mildew keep appearing? If you want to explore more long-term solutions to showers that are cleaner and easier to maintain, then Advanced Showers can help. Get in touch to discuss how we could help you to find the best shower solution for your property.
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