How to clean a shower drain and clear slow water
To clean a shower drain, take off the drain cover, put on gloves and pull out the hair you can reach. Use a plastic drain tool for hair further down. Then pour in half a cup of baking soda and a cup of white vinegar, wait 15 minutes, and flush with very hot tap water. Wash the cover and put it back.
What do you need?
- Rubber gloves
- A screwdriver, if the cover is screwed on
- A plastic drain tool with barbs (sold at hardware stores)
- Baking soda and white vinegar
- An old toothbrush
- A trash bag and paper towels
How do you clean a shower drain, step by step?
- Take off the cover. Pop it up, twist it off, or remove the screw. Some tub stoppers lift out once you open them.
- Pull out the hair. Wearing gloves, pull out what you can see. Wrap it in a paper towel and put it in the trash.
- Go deeper with a drain tool. Push the plastic tool down the drain, twist it, and pull it up slowly. Repeat until it comes up clean.
- Scrub the cover. Clean the cover and the drain ring with an old toothbrush and soapy water.
- Flush. Pour half a cup of baking soda into the drain, then a cup of vinegar. Let it fizz for 15 minutes, then run very hot tap water for a minute.
- Test it. Run the shower and watch whether the water drains at the normal speed.
Hot tap water is enough. Pouring boiling water into a drain can soften some plastic pipes and fittings.
What about chemical drain cleaners?
Use them with care, if at all. They're harsh on skin and eyes, and some can damage older pipes. Never mix them with vinegar, bleach or another drain product, and never use a plunger or drain tool right after pouring one in, because it can splash back. If you used one and the drain is still blocked, tell the plumber what's in there.
When is it a plumber's job?
- The drain stays slow after the hair is out.
- Water backs up into the tub when you run the sink or flush the toilet.
- The drain gurgles or smells like sewage.
Those point to a blockage further down the line. Old pipes can be fragile, so don't force a tool past resistance. If you rent, tell your landlord or property manager about a drain that stays clogged, and check your lease for how.
How do you keep a shower drain clear?
- Use a hair catcher over the drain and empty it after each shower.
- Brush long hair before you shower, so less of it goes down.
- Flush the drain with hot tap water once a week.
- Do the baking soda and vinegar flush once a month.
The tub around the drain is in our bathtub guide, and the rest of the shower is in our shower cleaning guide.
Want the bathroom cleaned?
Book House Cleaning online. If there's a part of the bathroom you want attention on, ask about it when you book and put it in your booking notes. A clogged drain is a plumbing job.
FAQ
How do you get hair out of a shower drain? Take the drain cover off, put on gloves, and pull out what you can reach. For hair further down, use a plastic drain tool with barbs: push it in, twist and pull it out slowly. Throw the hair in the trash, not back down the drain.
Does baking soda and vinegar clean a drain? It helps loosen soap scum and freshens the drain once the hair is out. Pour in half a cup of baking soda, then a cup of vinegar, wait 15 minutes, and flush with very hot tap water. It won't clear a real clog on its own.
Why does my shower drain smell? Usually hair and soap scum rotting in the drain. Clean out the hair and flush it. If a smell comes back from a shower that's rarely used, run water for a minute to refill the trap.
When should I call a plumber for a shower drain? When the drain stays slow after you've cleared the hair, water backs up in another fixture, or you hear gurgling. If you rent, tell your landlord or property manager first.
Book a cleaning
Our service area: every Philadelphia neighborhood, plus the Pennsylvania suburbs within about 30 miles of Center City, in Montgomery, Delaware, Bucks and Chester counties. Book online at phillyscleanteam.com/book-now, or call or text (215) 798-7576, 9 AM to 9 PM, every day.
