A shower that fills your ankles is one of the more obvious drain problems. It is also one of the easier ones to start on at home, because the usual cause is hair and soap gathered within arm's reach of the drain opening. This page explains how to tell a simple hair clog from a deeper problem and what to do about each.
Why showers and tubs clog
Hair. The main cause. Hair washes down, catches on the stopper or the first rough spot in the pipe, and wraps around itself. It is held there by soap residue.
Soap scum. Bar soap and some body washes contain fats that combine with minerals in the water. The result is a sticky film that coats the pipe.
Stopper mechanisms. Pop-up stoppers, trip-lever plungers and lift-and-turn stoppers all have parts that gather hair beneath the visible surface.
Products. Bath bombs, oils, sand, pet hair from washing animals and small items can build up.
A shared line. If the bathroom sink, toilet or other fixtures are also slow, the problem may not be the shower. See main line clog.
A blocked vent. Drains need air to flow. A blocked vent can cause slow drains and gurgles throughout the house.
Safe things to try first
- Remove the cover or stopper. Most shower drains have a cover that lifts off or is held by one screw. A pop-up tub stopper often unscrews or lifts out.
- Pull out the hair. A pair of pliers, a bent piece of wire made for the purpose, or a plastic drain tool with barbs lifts hair mats. Wear gloves.
- Clean the stopper and the cover with an old toothbrush and household cleaner.
- Plunge. For a tub, block the overflow opening with a wet cloth and use a cup plunger with a few inches of water. For a shower drain, cover the surface and push and pull steadily.
- Run hot water for a minute or two afterwards to move loosened residue along.
Chemical drain openers are a poor choice here. In a tub or shower, they can leave you standing in a pool of strong chemicals if they do not work, and they sit in the drain where the next person to open it can be exposed. If you have already poured one in, tell the provider.
Tub overflow and the second opening
A tub has two drain openings: the main drain and the overflow, usually a plate partway up the wall of the tub. Both lead to the same line. If the water level rises while you plunge, check that the overflow is blocked. Otherwise the plunger will draw air through it and do nothing. Occasionally a clog sits in the overflow pipe itself, or the stopper linkage behind the plate is covered in hair. Removing the overflow plate shows the linkage.
When it is time to call
- The cover and stopper are clean, and it is still slow
- The plunger does nothing
- The water is slow in the shower and the tub
- The bathroom sink or toilet is also slow
- Water rises from the shower or tub when a toilet is flushed or the washing machine drains
- A gurgling sound comes from the drain
- A sewage smell rises from the drain
- The clog returns within days or weeks
- You are not comfortable removing the cover or stopper
Water backing up into the tub or shower when another fixture is used usually points to the main line. Stop using water and see the sewer backup page.
What a provider usually does
- Looks at the visible parts first, including the stopper, overflow and trap area.
- Uses a hand auger, a small cable with a tip for catching hair, down the drain or through the overflow.
- Clears the trap arm and the branch, which is usually where a stubborn hair clog lies.
- Flushes with water to check the flow and move debris along.
- Checks neighboring fixtures to see if the problem is wider.
- Suggests a camera inspection if the clog is deep, repeats or affects more than the shower. See sewer camera inspection.
Preventing the next clog
- Fit a hair catcher. A simple mesh or silicone strainer stops most hair at the drain. Empty it after each use.
- Brush hair before showering to reduce loose hair.
- Rinse with hot water after a shower and use liquid soap in place of bars, which tend to leave more residue.
- Clean the stopper every month or so.
- Wash pets elsewhere, or use a catcher that fits closely.
- Avoid putting oils and sand in the tub.
Guest bathrooms and seasonal homes
Rarely used showers and tubs behave differently. The water in the trap can evaporate, which lets sewer gas up into the room. A slow guest-bath drain after months of disuse is often just dry residue; run water for several minutes and see. If the smell stays after you have run water, or the drain is still slow, it is worth a call. A seasonal home with several bathrooms is worth checking drain by drain when you arrive.
What affects the price
The provider sets the price. For shower and tub clogs, the main factors are how far the clog is, whether the stopper mechanism needs work, the equipment used, and the time of the visit. Ask for the price before work starts. The cost page lists questions for comparing quotes.
Serving Bonita Springs and nearby towns
This page is for Bonita Springs ZIP codes 34133, 34134, 34135 and 34136. Calls from Estero, Naples, Fort Myers, Cape Coral, Lehigh Acres and North Fort Myers can be connected too. See also clogged drain repair.
Call now and tell them it is the shower or tub.
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