Asked on Oct 18, 2015

What to use in a slow draining shower drain to make drain faster

Sherial
by Sherial
Shower is draining slow, what can I do to make it drain faster?
  19 answers
  • Pat Keadle Gougler Pat Keadle Gougler on Oct 18, 2015
    Go to the PLUMBING department at Lowes. They have a drain opener that comes in a bottle inside a plastic bag-very caustic. Price about $10. Pour about 1/2 down the drain and wait 15 min. Works great!!
  • Marla Marla on Oct 18, 2015
    It might be a simple fix and you just need to pull the stopper out and clean the hair out of the drain. It's gross but it's amazing how much gunk collects under that stopper. You can use a baby bottle washer too or a metal coat hanger to get down in there further.
  • Janet Pizaro Janet Pizaro on Oct 18, 2015
    Home Depot sells a tool that is a thin plastic made especially for clearing clogs.Hair etc.
  • Janet Pizaro Janet Pizaro on Oct 18, 2015
    oops tool sorry
  • Susan Susan on Oct 18, 2015
    Pour about a tablespoon of bleach down about 3 times a day until it drains good
  • Susie Susie on Oct 19, 2015
    Once you have it clear you can prevent clogging again by pouring a kettle of boiling water down once a month. It's also better for the environment long term and won't rot your pipes like some of the caustic products.
  • Tara Kotry Tara Kotry on Oct 19, 2015
    Make sure there is no hair stick in your drain, them half a bottle of professional liquid plumber should help. Follow the directions on the bottle.
  • It's hair! You need to get a spiky tool to pull it out. You can get this with the liquid plumber, but you really don't need the liquid after you pull out the hair ball (warning..disgusting).
  • Rhonda Smith-Payne Rhonda Smith-Payne on Oct 19, 2015
    The best solution I have found to unclog drains: Get a box of BAKING SODA and a bottle of WHITE VINEGAR. Pour baking soda into drain, then add vinegar. The drain will bubble up and clear. It may take a few tries if the clog is bad...just run water after adding the baking soda and vinegar...repeat if needed. An economical and enviormentally friendly solution.
    • Beth Beth on Oct 19, 2015
      @Rhonda Smith-Payne This is the best method I have found; use it in all my drains every so often to keep them clean, odor free and running properly. After the baking soda & vinegar do their thing, I follow with some boiling water. Works great!
  • Take the drain guard off and clean out the hair.....gross! Instead of using chemicals which eat away at the pipes I use a plunger. It works beautifully!
  • Michelle Michelle on Oct 19, 2015
    All the boiling water and baking soda in the world won't disolve hair, which along with soap residue and grease is whats down there. The strip of spikey plastic is the tool for the job. I got mine at the dollar store, any big box or harbor freight will have em. After you remove the hair, then BS/boiling water or vinegar will finish the job.
  • Duv310660 Duv310660 on Oct 19, 2015
    Always have a close look at the problem before you decide on an appropriate solution.
  • Jennifer Jennifer on Oct 19, 2015
    I agree with all of the above! IMPORTANT clean the hair out first, that may take care of it, but the baking soda, vinegar boiling water will clean the drain and you will be running clean again. No chemicals needed.
  • End1181845 End1181845 on Oct 19, 2015
    Had the same problem. Tried all the above tricks. Finally called a plumber. Showed me a trick w/ the plunger: Since the drain WAS draining, I wasn't plunging fast enough with a plunger that kept a tight seal over the drain, while keeping a rag in the overflow outlet (usually near where the drain stopper is under the faucet--stuff an old wash rag in that). Plunge several times very quickly and sure enough the drain cleared right up. Good luck!
  • Go to your local home or hardware store for a ZIP IT which is about $3 for hair removal. This works great, it's pretty gross, but it is the easiest way to get hair out of the drain. The ZIP IT tool is a plastic 2' piece of serrated plastic that you fish into the drain and pull back out. Try this first.
  • LLinda Vermillion LLinda Vermillion on Oct 19, 2015
    Use Drano!
  • Ann Ann on Oct 20, 2015
    I was out of town and needed a quick fix to a very slow drain (staying for free at a friend's 1 bathroom place). First I tried boiling water, then I found the bleach. After pouring down more hot water I slowly poured 1/2 the bleach down the drain...couple of hours later it drained just fine, and the old tub was cleaned also. Later she called me and kept thanking me for fixing her slow emptying drain. I used what was on hand because there were no stores close by.
  • Mogie Mogie on Oct 05, 2022

    We got a pack of 5 plastic hair getters. Sorry I don't have a better word for this just woke up.

    When I am in the shower I simply use one to get the hair that is clogging the drain. They are reusable (I have had mine for almost 4 years).

    Amazing all the hair these get out and the best part is that the pack cost about $5.