OT: how do you clear a slow shower drain?

[mtquinn]

Draino? Bleach? Hot water? I want to try home remedies before I call in the plumber.

Thanks!

 

[Julia Says]

If it is stopped up with hair/gunk (which is what always slows mine down), I straighten out a wire coat hanger, and stick it down in there and pull the gunk out. It is NASTY stuff that comes out of there. I use a hanger from the dry cleaner which has a little hook at the end where the cardboard tube fits over it.

My drain has an attached stopper which I have to remove with a pair of pliers before I can get at the drain itself.

 

[michellejed]

I got this long plastic stick like thing from Minards for $3.99, it has barbs on each side.it is a little bigger around then a pencil.

Stick this down the drain to get all the nasty hair stuff up.

 

[Kellydelly]

Your best bet is to clean the drain with a gadget like the previous posters mentioned. Bleach will not do a darn thing, and Drano may not either.

 

[japajsm]

Not sure if I got this from the Dis or another board, but add Palmolive Dishwashing Detergent to some boiling water. Slowly pour it down the drain, wait a bit and then run hot water. I usually use a tea kettle full of water and about a third to a half bottle. This has always worked for me.

 

[jaci-h]

Pouring bleach & letting it sit overnight works for us, usually. But we have to cover the sinks up because my kitty sleeps in them, and i'd prefer not to see what sleeping in bleach does to the poor guy!

 

[bouldertcr]

Plunge it with a toilet plunger. "Gunk" will come up. Just simply clean it out. Usually works like a charm!

 

[phamy76]

Draino? Bleach? Hot water? I want to try home remedies before I call in the plumber.

Thanks!

we bought this drain cleaner at Home Depot and LOVE it. I don't remember the name, I just remember it's about 1 gallon and a gray bottle. We pour 1/4 of the bottle down the drain. Let sit for 1/2 hr and pour 2 pots of boiling hot water down the drain to clear. We have to do it about once a year.

 

[SnowWtch]

Anyone ever use a SuperSnake? It's supposed to be used for clearing a slow drain. I have long hair and shed like a cat so it usually slows down every month or two. Saw this product at Target and was wondering if it works.

 

[luvsmickeymouse]

Plunge it with a toilet plunger. "Gunk" will come up. Just simply clean it out. Usually works like a charm!

I do this for my tub and all my sinks. Works like a charm every time!:

 

[dimimi]

I got this long plastic stick like thing from Minards for $3.99, it has barbs on each side.it is a little bigger around then a pencil.

Stick this down the drain to get all the nasty hair stuff up.

This is what I do too. Nasty...but it works. If I remember to clean the drain out daily I wouldn't need to do this!

 

[r&kmommy]

We get a gallon of this stuff recommended by our friend (he's a plumber) - it's at home depot, can't remember what its called but you can't miss it - it's theonly stuff stored in a clear plastic bag on the shelf. It has lye in it so you need to wear safety goggles if there's standing water. But basically this stuff melts the funky crap down the drain. Let it sit overmite and flush with a teakettle of boiled water in the morning. Safe for all pipes :0) it's pricey, I want to say $9 for a gallon but honestly I would pay 100 times that to not have to snake the ick out of my drain. The mere thought makes me want to vomit.

Good luck, OP!

 

[pal-mickey]

I've used salt and baking soda. I'm not sure of the amounts, I think it is 1 cup of each, putting the baking soda down first. Then I take a tea pot of boiling water and pour it over the drain. The baking soda will bubble up and the salt is supposed to clear the gunk in the drain.

 

[camsmomE]

This works- every time- no matter why it was clogged in the first place...

dump 1/2 a small box of backing soda in the drain and some mounded on top. pour 4-5 cups of white vinegar (the really cheap stuff) right through the baking soda and let it foam up for a while. After about 10 minutes, go back and run some warm water down the drain. voila!

 

[dfchelbay]

You may want to try my DH's remedy. He wets the shower a bit and plunges it like a mad man....violently plunging it up and down. You'll be amazed at the crud that will come up to the surface...gross

 

[Disney Commando]

We get a gallon of this stuff recommended by our friend (he's a plumber) - it's at home depot, can't remember what its called but you can't miss it - it's theonly stuff stored in a clear plastic bag on the shelf. It has lye in it so you need to wear safety goggles if there's standing water. But basically this stuff melts the funky crap down the drain. Let it sit overmite and flush with a teakettle of boiled water in the morning. Safe for all pipes :0) it's pricey, I want to say $9 for a gallon but honestly I would pay 100 times that to not have to snake the ick out of my drain. The mere thought makes me want to vomit.

Good luck, OP!

At Lowes they sell in a Qt, a product called Floweasy Drain Opener it is Virgin Sulfuric Acid. It actually burns right through the hair and stuff, should not use if the water is still in tub, you have to take the drain plate off (will eat the chrome) and you will smell sulfer until you run water to flush it (has to be cold water run for 15mins)

I would not recomend it if you older lead pipes, it may eat a hole on exposed threads, but if you have PCV (plastic) pipes going to the main, this stuff works awesome The bottle is also in a clear plastic bag.

 

[WDWFWfan]

This works- every time- no matter why it was clogged in the first place...

dump 1/2 a small box of backing soda in the drain and some mounded on top. pour 4-5 cups of white vinegar (the really cheap stuff) right through the baking soda and let it foam up for a while. After about 10 minutes, go back and run some warm water down the drain. voila!

I agree...this is the home remedy recommended by our plumber and it works with a slow drain, but I've never had success in it clearing a clogged drain.

Baking soda + white vinegar + some boiling hot water = happy drains.

 

[3boymthr]

I agree...this is the home remedy recommended by our plumber and it works with a slow drain, but I've never had success in it clearing a clogged drain.

Baking soda + white vinegar + some boiling hot water = happy drains.

Yup, I just did this a few days ago and voila! my drain ran clear again. It was amazing and really cheap! And the best part it's safe for both you and your plumbing

ETA to help clear the drain, when I ran the water to wash the vinegar and baking soda mixture down, I kept the plunger handy to clear any residual stuff but it wasn't needed.

 

[dd50]

This works- every time- no matter why it was clogged in the first place...

dump 1/2 a small box of backing soda in the drain and some mounded on top. pour 4-5 cups of white vinegar (the really cheap stuff) right through the baking soda and let it foam up for a while. After about 10 minutes, go back and run some warm water down the drain. voila!

I have done that with great success.

 

[apnep]

I would just go get a $10 snake at the Lowe's or HD and run it through the drain. You will pull up a ton of hair and gunk and yes, it will smell, but your drain will be clean.

I would use caution pouring draino and other commercial drain cleaners down the pipes...you could corrode the pipes over time.

Good luck!

Ang