How to Clear a Clogged Shower Drain: 8 Methods

In my experience, it is always worth avoiding the expense of employing a plumber if you possibly can—unclogging a shower drain yourself often isn’t as difficult as some might think. The vast majority of clogged shower drain problems can be solved by using some fairly simple and straightforward methods and tools.

Once you have unclogged the shower drain, you should work on preventing or reducing the chances of it happening again—see my suggestions at the bottom of the page. Below are my eight suggested methods for how to clear a clogged shower drain.

8 Ways to Unclog a Shower Drain

1. Pour boiling water down the drain.
2. Try using a plunger.
3. Use baking soda and vinegar (the natural alternative to chemicals)!
4. Take the drain cover off and pull out the clog by hand.
5. Use a hook.
6. Use a plumbers’ snake (also sometimes called a "toilet jack" or an "electric eel").
7. Use chemicals.
8. Call a plumber.

I'll go into each of these methods in detail below. I have taken into consideration the amount of expense and involvement needed for each approach. I discuss the easiest and cheapest methods first and then explain more involved and expensive ideas. (The only exception to this order is perhaps the chemical option, which is quick, easy, and affordable, but can cause some damage to your pipes, especially if done repeatedly.)

In my experience, unclogging a shower drain often requires a combination of more than one of these methods.

This can sometimes break down the soap or grease that is holding the clog together and clear the blockage.

How to unclog your drain using boiling water:

• Boil water on the stove.
• Pour the boiling water down the drain.
• It's best to use a funnel or something to contain the water as you pour. If you have any expense shower or bathtub accessories, you don't want to spill boiling water on them.

Note: Used on its own, this method may not work, especially if you are dealing with a serious blockage that contains a lot of matted hair and has built up over time. However, it may partially clear the blockage and work fully when used in conjunction with another method listed below.

The nature of the blockage, where the clog is in the drain, and the design of your drain will determine how successful plunging will be. If the clog is deep and made of hair, for instance, you might struggle to get enough suction for plunging to be effective.

How to unclog your shower drain using a plunger:

• Try adding petroleum jelly to the edge of the suction pad to get a better seal.
• Add water to the shower so that the end of the plunger is submerged.
• Plunge vigorously.

Note: Plunging is another method that usually has a low success rate when it comes to showers, in my experience, but it is always worth a try, as the time and costs involved are minimal.

This is a more natural solution than using cleaning chemicals.

How to unclog a shower drain using baking soda and vinegar:

• Pour a cup of baking soda down the drain.
• Wait for a few minutes.
• Pour a cup of vinegar down the drain too.
• Wait for a couple of hours to see if the hair clog gets dissolved.
• Clean out the drain by pouring boiling water down it.

Note: Although this method is ecologically preferable, and won't cause damage to plastic pipes, you may still end up having to resort to chemicals.

This method has a fairly good chance of success, but it involves using your hands, so I advise wearing rubber gloves.

How to unclog a shower drain by hand using tools:

• First you need to remove the drain cover.
• Sometimes there is a screw in the middle that you have to take out.
• Other times you can pry the drain cover off using a screwdriver.
• Look inside the drain and locate the clog.
• Use a flashlight, if necessary.
• If the clog is within reach, pull it out with your fingers.
• If it is not in reach, go to method number 5.

Note: This is a great method for fixing clogs caused by small objects or hair, but is not very effective at fixing clogs caused by mineral build up. You may still need to use chemicals or resort to another method.

This is one of the oldest methods for fixing these problems and has a fairly high success rate.

How to unclog your shower drain using a hook:

• If you can’t reach the blockage by hand, then try fishing out the clog with a piece of wire.
• Improvise a tool with a wire coat hanger, fashioning a hook at the end of it.

Note: If you have a clog caused by mineral buildup, this might not be the best method for unclogging your drain.

This is another cheap method for fixing clogs that will not require you to spend much at all. This method also works more often than not. It has a fairly high success rate.

How to unclog your shower drain using a plumbers' snake:

• Push the snake down the drain until you reach the clog.
• Turn the snake’s handle and bring it back up.
• Run water to test the drain and verify that the clog is entirely removed.

Note: Clogs caused by roots require more than just a plumbers' snake and many clogs will not even require that this tool is used.

Most hardware stores and supermarkets sell strong chemical cleaners designed to unblock drains. Follow the instructions carefully.

How to unclog a shower drain using chemicals:

• Follow the directions on the packaging and make sure not to use too much. The amount you use will vary.
• Wear gloves and goggles.
• Don't mix your chemicals. This could cause poisonous gas.
• Pour chemicals down the drain.

Note: Don’t resort to chemicals lightly, as they can cause damage to your drainage pipes, especially if you use this method repeatedly. Using chemicals is normally a quick, easy, and affordable method, however. You can minimize their future use by avoiding future blockages (see bottom of page)!

If you don’t want to start taking your drain apart and are uneasy about using chemicals, or they don't work, then you will have to call out a professional plumber. It’s by far the least affordable option and clearly the last resort, if you are looking to save on expense.

That said, it is also the least trouble.

A clogged shower drain is usually caused by a lump of knotted hair, dirt, grease, and/or soap. The hair is often wrapped around parts of the drain and therefore can be difficult to move.

The problem occurs much more frequently in homes where one or more of the shower users has long hair, as short hair is much less likely to get caught in the drain system.

The first time that you realize that you have a problem is when you find yourself standing in a deep puddle of water in the shower because the water isn’t draining like it should.

Unfortunately, once the drainage problems have begun, they will usually only get worse over time, unless action is taken. The sooner that you deal with the problem, the easier it can be to resolve.

Prevention is almost always better than cure, of course, so don't forget to minimize the chances of your shower drain getting clogged again. You should certainly consider buying a drain protector, if you haven't already got one, to catch hair and other things from clogging the drain.

A secure soap dish can help too, as soap can help to create clogs by sticking knots of hair together into larger clumps. (It goes without saying that loose soap sliding around on the floor of the shower can also cause accidents due to slipping.)