Beyond Drano: Alternative Ways to Unclog Shower Drains in Fort Worth, TX

Inspect the Clogged Shower Drain

Our Fort Worth plumbers recommend first looking inside the tub drain to see if any buildup of hair, soap scum, or visible debris is the cause of the slow drain. Use rubber gloves and pliers to pull it out if you see anything. If the debris is out of reach, use a penlight or flashlight to illuminate the pipe from a different angle and try to see where the clog is. Often, clumps of hair and soap buildup are the causes of slow shower drains.

Try Using a Plunger

For a deeper clogged shower drain, try using a plunger. A plunger is one of the most common bathroom tools and sometimes the most underutilized. It can be used for any drain, even to unclog shower drains. Fort Worth homeowners should first plug the overflow opening with a wet cloth. Next, fill the shower with a few inches of tap water to cover the plunger's suction cup. Simultaneously, place the plunger over the drain, creating a strong suction and seal.

Start plunging vigorously, moving the plunger up and down for a full minute or two, ensuring the plunger remains in contact with the drain throughout the process, and applying steady pressure. Then remove the plunger, shine a light down the drain, and see if that helps. Repeat this a few times to see if it unclogs the shower drain.

Utilize a Drain Snake or Drain Auger

If the clogged shower drain still hasn't cleared up, try using a plumbing snake called a drain auger, or wire snake or wire coat hanger. A wire snake is a long, flexible metal cable with a hook to grab debris down a drain. It can also help loosen blockages that can be flushed down with warm water. Insert the head of the snake into the drain and rotate it while pushing it in. You may feel resistance or hear odd sounds when you hit the blockage. Wiggle it around while applying gentle pressure. Then slowly pull the wire snake out of the drain, discard any debris, and flush the tub with warm water. A drain snake can be found at your local hardware store and isn't expensive.

Mix Baking Soda and White Vinegar

Another method that doesn't involve harsh chemicals is mixing a cup of vinegar with baking soda to unclog shower drains. Residents may use this technique to treat foul odors. The good news is that these household ingredients combined form a safe chemical reaction that breaks up and loosens challenging clogs and removes bad smells. Mix the equal parts of both ingredients, letting the mixture bubble and fizz. Then pour it down the shower drain and after a few minutes, rinse with hot water and repeat.

Pour Boiling Water Down the Drain

As a last do-it-yourself method, boil some water and carefully pour it down the clogged shower drain. The hot water will help break up any clogs or debris trapped in the grain. However, only do this if you have metal pipes, such as copper, iron, or galvanized steel, because boiling water can damage any PEX or PVC pipes, or rubber seals. The method is simple enough. Just boil some water, put it into a heat-resistant cup, and pour it slowly down to unclog shower drains. Fort Worth homeowners can also do this step and repeat the other steps to see if that helped resolve the problem.

By following this guide, you will quickly unclog shower drains by yourself. However, if the plumbing issue persists or repeats, it may be a sign of a more severe blockage deeper down the line. In that case, you should seek the help of an experienced plumber in Fort Worth.

Call a Professional Plumber

If all else fails and for challenging shower drain clogs, call a local Fort Worth plumber for quality plumbing for all your bathroom issues. Plumbing experts have heavy-duty equipment to tackle the peskiest hair clogs in your bathtub drain. There is no risk of damaging your drain pipes, which gives you peace of mind.

Mr. Rooter Plumbing Unclogs Bathroom Sinks in a Jiffy!

At Mr. Rooter Plumbing of Fort Worth, we use specialized tools like motorized plumbing snakes and hydro-jetting to unclog bathroom sinks with expertise. Our methods include:

• Motorized Plumbing Snake: A shower clog sometimes needs more power and accuracy to clear the blockage. We use motorized drain snakes to clear stubborn clogs and fix your slow-draining shower. These tools are threaded into the bathtub drain and pulled out, removing the bathtub clog.
• Hydro-Jetting: For more challenging bathtub drain clogs in Fort Worth, we use our HydroScrub® Jetting equipment. It can unclog shower drains and is a thorough drain cleaner, helping to prevent any future clogs. It pushes pressurized water through the pipes, blasting the hair blockage away.

Got a Slow Shower Drain in Fort Worth? Call the Pros at Mr. Rooter Plumbing Today!

You deserve to shower in peace without dealing with dirty, clogged drains. Our team at Mr. Rooter Plumbing of Fort Worth will diagnose any shower drain blockages and fix larger blockages to unclog bathroom drains so they work efficiently and how they should.

Are you ready to get your drains flowing again? Call Mr. Rooter Plumbing to schedule a convenient appointment time. We proudly serve our local customers in and around Fort Worth, including service areas like Mansfield, Arlington, and Haltom City.

Contact us today to speak with a knowledgeable customer service representative!