Have you noticed lately that your shower is slowly draining excess water, or that the drain is completely clogged? We’ve all dealt with shower drain issues before, but it shouldn’t be a regular occurrence. Before attempting to fix the problem on your own, it’s important to diagnose the underlying cause. Here are a few common reasons why your shower drain might be clogged:
- Hair and dead skin: When you shower or bathe, hair and skin cells will inevitably collect in your shower drain. Luckily, this is an easy fix. Most grocery stores sell hair catchers that fit over your drain to prevent additional clogging.
- Hygiene products: Believe it or not, your shampoo, conditioner and body wash contain chemicals that can clog your shower drain over time.
- Soap scum and hard water: Like your hygiene products, minerals found in hard water and soap scum can stick to the inside of your shower drain and eventually form a clog.
No matter the cause, there are a few simple home remedies that you can try. Pour a pot of boiling water down the drain to break up any debris. If that doesn’t work, try pouring equal parts of baking soda and vinegar into the drain, let the mixture sit for 15-30 minutes and then rinse with boiling water. You can also manually remove the clog with a drain snake, pliers or your own hands (don’t forget to wear gloves). If these remedies don’t do the trick, it might be time to call a professional. Luckily, the plumbing team at Gilman is here to help! Give us a call at (804)-329-1800 or use our online scheduling tool today.