Shower Draining Slowly? Clear It Tonight
- About 20 minutes
- 8 parts and tools
A shower that drains slowly turns a relaxing wash into standing in ankle deep water, and it only gets worse if you leave it. The good news is that a slow shower drain is almost always hair and soap scum caught in the strainer or just below it, and you can clear that tonight with no chemicals and no plumber. Set aside about 20 minutes. You will need a screwdriver, a drain stick or a pair of needle nose pliers, and a willingness to look at something unpleasant. That last part is the hardest part of this job.
What's probably wrong
Work through these causes in order, because they are listed from most likely to least likely.
Hair and soap scum in the strainer and the trap is the number one cause, by a wide margin. Hair catches on the strainer grate, soap scum glues it in place, and the mat grows until water can barely pass. This builds up over weeks and months, so the drain gets a little slower each shower until one day you notice you are standing in water. If you have long hair in the household, or if nobody has cleaned the drain in months, this is almost certainly your problem.
A partial clog deeper in the trap arm is the next most likely cause. The trap is the U shaped bend just below the drain. It holds water on purpose, to block sewer gas from coming up. That standing water also catches hair, soap, and skin oils, which settle and narrow the passage. A clog here drains slowly but does not stop completely, which matches the symptom exactly.
Buildup on the pipe walls is a slower, longer term cause. Soap scum and mineral deposits coat the inside of older pipes and gradually narrow them. This matters most in homes with hard water and older plumbing. It does not cause a sudden slowdown, but it makes every small clog worse, and it explains a drain that keeps slowing down again soon after clearing.
A venting problem is less common but worth knowing about. Plumbing vents let air into the drain system so water can flow freely. If a vent is blocked, drains gurgle and empty slowly. A vent problem usually affects more than one fixture, though, so if only the shower is slow, the vent is probably not the cause.
A main line problem is the least likely cause for a single slow shower, but it is the one you must not ignore. If the shower, the toilet, and a sink are all slow or backing up at the same time, the blockage is further down the system, past where those fixtures join. That is not a tonight job with a drain stick. Read the pro section if you see that pattern.
Fix it tonight
Start by removing the strainer. Most shower strainers are held by one or two screws in the center or around the edge. Unscrew them and lift the strainer out. Some strainers just lift out with no screws. Put the screws somewhere safe, because they are small and they love to fall down the drain at the worst moment. With the strainer off, look down the drain with a flashlight. You will probably see the clog right there, a dark mat of hair sitting just below the opening.
First, pull out what you can reach. Use a plastic drain stick, which is a flat barbed strip made for this exact job, or use needle nose pliers. Push the stick gently past the clog, twist slightly, and pull back slowly. The barbs catch hair and drag it out. Repeat until the stick comes back mostly clean. Do not force the stick hard or shove it deep. You are clearing the top of the trap, not exploring the whole pipe. If you are using pliers, grip the visible mat and pull steadily. Work in small pieces rather than yanking, because a big yank can push part of the clog deeper.
Second, flush with hot water. Run the shower on hot for two or three minutes and watch how fast the water drops. Hot water melts soap scum and carries loose debris down the drain. If the water now drains at a normal pace, you are most of the way done. If it is still slow, repeat the drain stick pass once more, because there is often a second layer of hair below the first.
Third, try a plunger made for the job. A standard cup plunger works on a shower drain if you can get a seal. Smear a little petroleum jelly around the rim of the plunger cup to help it seal against the shower floor. Cover the overflow opening if your shower has one, though most stall showers do not. Fill the shower base with about an inch of water, place the plunger over the drain, and plunge firmly 10 to 15 times. The pressure pushes and pulls the clog and often breaks it free. Bail or drain the water and check the speed. This step is surprisingly effective on clogs that sit just past the trap.
Fourth, use a hand drain snake only if the first three steps did not work. A small hand auger, the kind sold for sinks and tubs, can reach a clog a foot or two down the pipe. Feed it gently into the drain, turning the handle clockwise as you go. When you feel resistance, you have reached the clog. Work the snake back and forth a few times, then pull it out slowly and clean off what it caught. Do not use a large power auger on a shower drain. The pipes are smaller than a main line, and an aggressive auger can damage them or get stuck.
Fifth, clean and replace the strainer. Scrub the strainer grate with an old toothbrush and hot soapy water. Rinse it, put it back, and screw it down snugly. Run the shower for a full minute and confirm the water drains as fast as it comes out. If it does, you are done. As a habit, clean the strainer every two to four weeks from now on. A two minute strainer cleaning prevents the 20 minute clog job, and it is the easiest maintenance task in the whole bathroom.
One thing to avoid tonight. Do not pour chemical drain cleaner into the shower drain. It rarely dissolves a hair clog completely, it can damage older pipes and the finish on the shower base, and it turns the drain into a chemical hazard for anyone who works on it later, including you if you end up using a snake. Manual removal is faster, cheaper, and actually solves the problem.
Parts and tools
When to call a pro
Call a plumber if more than one fixture is slow or backing up at the same time, because that points to a main line blockage past the individual fixtures. Call a pro if the drain is completely stopped and plunging plus a hand snake did not move it. Call a pro if you smell sewage from the drain, or if water backs up into the shower when a toilet flushes or a washing machine runs. Those are signs of a deeper system problem. Call a pro if the drain pipe itself is visibly damaged, or if you have already cleared the same drain twice in a month and it keeps slowing down, because that pattern suggests buildup or damage further down the pipe that needs a camera inspection.
What a pro typically costs
These are broad typical ranges, not quotes. Your area will change the number. A plumber visit to clear a shower drain typically costs 150 dollars to 350 dollars. A camera inspection of the drain line, if the problem keeps coming back, typically costs 200 dollars to 500 dollars. Clearing a main line blockage typically costs 300 dollars to 800 dollars, depending on access and severity. A simple shower clog sits at the low end of these ranges, because it is usually a quick job with basic tools. If a plumber quotes a main line price for a single slow shower with no other symptoms, get a second opinion first.
FAQ
Why does my shower drain keep clogging?
Hair is the main reason, and it catches on everything below the strainer. A mesh hair catcher that sits over or under the strainer grate catches most of it before it goes down. Empty it after every few showers. Households with long hair should clean the strainer weekly rather than monthly.
Does baking soda and vinegar clear a shower drain?
Not really. The fizzing looks impressive, but it does not dissolve a mat of hair, which is what most shower clogs are. Manual removal with a drain stick is faster and actually works. Hot water flushing afterward helps with soap scum, and that part is worth doing.
Is it safe to use a plunger on a shower drain?
Yes, with a standard cup plunger and a good seal. It is one of the safest drain tools you can use, because it only uses water pressure. Just make sure the plunger is clean, and do not use one that has been used in a toilet, for obvious hygiene reasons.
How do I stop this from happening again?
Clean the strainer every two to four weeks, use a hair catcher, and avoid letting heavy conditioner, body oils, and soap scum build up unchecked. A quick strainer rinse after your shower, while you are already there, takes seconds and prevents most clogs before they start.