Effectively Remove Clogs in Your Bathroom Plumbing
When you are standing in a pool of water by the time your shower ends, you know there is a clog building up somewhere in the drain. At first, the pool of water is small. However, as the clog grows bigger the drain will run slower and the depth of the pool will increase. If you let it go too long, the water will quit draining all together. At that time you may need to call a plumbing company to clean the drain. Long before that happens, however, you can implement a few preventive maintenance ideas to help take care of clogs when they are small.
Basic Causes of Shower Clogs
Understanding what causes a clog is the first step in preventing them from occurring. Hair, soap, shampoo and other products slip down the drain. Soap scum tends to build up and combine with the hair to make a clog. Usually clogs occur in the bends underneath the shower or tub which are fairly close to the surface.
If you catch them early enough with the following methods, you can effectively prevent many shower clogs and avoid the need to call a plumber.
Use a Plunger
One of the best-kept secrets for unclogging tub and shower drains is the plunger. Whenever water starts to drain slowly, pull out the plunger and go to work.
Pour Hot Water in the Drain
Once a week pour three to four gallons of boiling water down the drain. The hot water helps dissolve the soap scum and grime and carries it down the pipes.
Vinegar and Baking Soda
Dump baking soda in the drain then pour vinegar into the drain. The chemical reaction may help dislodge clogs and dissolve grime.
Environmentally-Safe Drain Cleaners
Once a month use an environmentally safe product such as Roto-Rooter Pipe Shield®, a preventive drain maintenance product that will provide a protective coating on your pipes to help prevent grime from building up in the first place.
Carefully Use Chemicals
There are many chemicals on the market that are designed to help remove clogs in your drain. Many of these chemicals are very dangerous and can harm you if ingested or spilled on your skin. They are also hard on the environment. On the other hand, there are many chemicals recommended by plumbers that you can use that are safe for you and the environment.