Can you unclog a shower drain with a plunger?

Question

I'd rather not buy any chemicals unless i have to. can i just do it with a plunger?

Answer 1

Another option is to get a pressurizable drain cleaner. it's a rubberized bladder with a water hose connection on one end and a small hole in the other. When you turn on the hose, AND have the bladder inserted in the drain pipe, the bladder expands and seals off the pipe, the water flows through the bladder and into the drain line, applying pressure to the clog.

If this is a shower drain, then you probably have a hair mass stopping things up. A plunger probably won't do much good, Try taking a coat hanger (the ones with the paper bar) and GENTLY running the end down into the drain after removing the cover (be sure not to drop the screws into the drain!). The hooked end of the clothes hanger may be able to grab into the mass of hair and allow you to extract it.

Good luck !

Answer 2

The shower drain may be 'commoned up' with the drains from your wash basin and bath if they're in the same room.
It won't be commoned with your toilet outflow at this stage so disregard the idiot who talks about 'pooh.

If you have a basin and/or bath in there then put the plugs securely in place and bung up the small overflow holes. This is to maintain the pressure in the drainpipe so that the plunger is more effective. This is important.

Partly fill the shower basin with nice cool water so that the drain pipe is as full as it will get and so that the rubber bit of the plunger is fully under water when resting on the plughole.

Give the plunger a very sharp firm plunge. Hear the blockage move and see the water drain away.
Repeat if required.

No chemicals necessary.

Answer 3

Take the cover off and try and make your own "snake" to see if you can't pull some of the stuff out, usually just hair.

Plumbing snakes come in many different shapes, sizes and lengths. Most snakes consist of a flexible wire shaft with some sort of "auger" head on the end. Also included is a method to turn the snake while it is winding its way through the pipe. Turning the snake as it goes serves two purposes: the first is to help it get around bends and the second is to help it securely grab whatever it is that is blocking the pipe. For most purposes, a 15'-20' snake that is around 3/8" in diameter will do nicely.

Wear gloves, and protective glasses. be careful cause it is possible to have the snake get stuck too.

Sometimes just by pulling stuff out slowly you can unplug this yourself.

Perhaps an easier solution might be a pressure instrument. Pressure bags come in a number of different sizes. To make them work, all you need is a garden hose and a source of water. You screw the pressure bag on the end of the garden hose, and put it into the end of the pipe and turn on the water.

When the clogs in the sewer line involve the entire house, or everything is backing up, it might be a wise thing to call a professional. If it's a frozen line out at the street, or you've got roots that have climbed into the pipe, that's the time to get somebody who has the equipment.

But, for a small investment of a few dollars, you might be able to buy some tools that can bail you out of some simple problems and save you some money.

Answer 4

Yes it worked quite well for me. I tried Drano and it only worked a little but one day I saw the plunger sitting next to the toilet and figured I'd give it a try. It brought up some nasty stuff that I had to scoop up and flush but my drain has been clear ever since. You will have to use it when there is water in the tub so the rubber seals better.

Answer 5

Yes,but first i would take a wire clothes hanger,take it appart to where it is just a straight wire.Gently put it through the shower drain opening and move it around a little bit.It might even come out with a lot of hair and stuff.Now you might want to use the plunger if this didn`t help

Answer 6

I have unclogged shower drains and sink drains with a plunger. Best to use those little red ones, though not the funny-shaped black ones.

Answer 7

You can try but if it doesn't do the job, you will have to take the trap off underneath the shower and clean it out. There should be an access panel for this. The biggest nuisance to clog showers up is hair from washing. Haidressers get the same problem.

Answer 8

I think the only way will be to buy a product for this Harpic is good if you buy the one for cleaning the drain´s. Most of the time it´s the hair that get all block in there . So try one of the products from Harpic

Answer 9

try to reach your fingers in the drain and see if there's a bunch of hair or gunk clogging it up. use tweezer or something if you have to. if anyone with long hair showers there, long hairs get wrapped around everything. you can try to plunge, but if there are hairs there, it may not do anything. try it and if it doesnt work get some drain stuff from a hardware store.

Answer 10

try if you must but never put chemicals in standing water i did this and then plunged and it ate the enamel of my bathtub!!!!!!! take a screwdriver and take off the screen on the bottom of the floor even though there are small holes you will be amazed at how much hair can get through and be clogging your shower!!!