How to Prevent Shower Clogs?

by Kevin Smith Author

There's nothing like getting in the shower and taking a relaxing 10 minutes or so under the warm water. Unfortunately, there's one major drawback to this otherwise enjoyable activity: the abundance of hair that can fill up your shower drain.

Over time, hair clogs can build up and turn your relaxing shower into an ankle-deep submersion in standing water, which isn't a great way to relax at all. Even if the water doesn't back up immediately, it will, and when it does, you'll be left trying to pull out a rather unsightly bit of hair and other drain gunk.

Before you find yourself needing to call for shower plumbing service in Pittsburgh, PA, here's what you can do to minimize the chance of a backup in the shower!

Brush Your Hair

Before you get in the shower, it's important to brush your hair and get all of the loose hairs free. It might seem like a small thing, but when you're spending a lot of time in the shower, your hair can clump together as it gets wet and fall into the shower drain.

If you've got the kind of drain that's filled with several small holes, loose hair can clog the drain in a hurry. Instead, brush it away and make sure that your shower is filled with nothing but relaxation!

Cover the Drain

If you've brushed your hair and it's still not making a difference in the shower, one great option is to put a permeable cover on the drain. A permeable cover will allow water to pass through undeterred, but will keep hair from getting through and backing up your shower drain.

If you've got a sunk-in shower drain, fitting it with a cover that has holes in it will work perfectly for your needs. If your drain is level with the floor of your shower, that's not a problem. Just stick a fabric softener sheet over it and take care of it that way!

Use Baking Soda

Baking soda and vinegar wasn't just a fun project in science class when you were a kid. It's actually very helpful for cleaning drains without resorting to harsh chemicals. If your drain is moving slowly, pour some baking soda down the drain and add in the vinegar to create a quality cleaning solution that can attack the clog and get things moving again!

When all else fails, shower plumbing service in Pittsburgh, PA, is here to help make clogs disappear so you can get back to enjoying your shower. But before you get to that point, a few smart tricks can help save you time and keep you out of standing water. After all, that's for the bath, not the shower!