Shower and Bathtub Drains: 3 Common Clog Causes

San Jose Rooter Shares Advice On Everyday Plumbing Challenges

Taking a well-deserved shower to clean away your difficult day is no fun when you look down and notice that you’re ankle-deep in backed up water! Well, dear reader, this is a tell-tale sign that your shower or bathtub drain is clogged and in need of plumbing repair. Eventually, two questions will cross your mind: “How did this happen?” and, “What can be done?”

air – the Big One: Even the most healthy of manes will shed in tub, either on its own or with a little help from shampooing and rinsing. Over time, compound this by the number of people using the facilities and that’s a lot of hair in your drain! A build-up of hair will prevent water from draining and has the potential to damage the pipes.

Shampoo residue and soap scum: Ironic as it is, the very substances used to keep us clean have the potential to stop our drains. Soap and shampoo remnants will cling to the side of the pipes, narrowing the opening. Drainage begins to slow down and will eventually stop.

Dead skin cells: A fact of life is that we shed skin cells. Whether naturally or due to abrasiveness (think of washing with a loofah or washcloth), these cells are going to get into the drain and eventually the pipes. Again, this will build up over time and prevent water from draining.

What You Can Do
These three ingredients combine for a recipe of clogging. To help combat the problem, try the following drain cleaning techniques:

  • Use a fine-mesh drain to strain the elements. Don’t forget to remove the leftover residue after each bath or shower, otherwise drainage will cease!
  • Pour boiling water down the drain. This will help melt soap scum and flush it down the drain.
  • Pour bleach down the drain. A safer alternative to the harsh chemicals found in over-the-counter products, bleach helps get rid of hair clogs. Pour ½ cup of concentrated bleach down the drain and allow it to sit for an hour or two before flushing with water.

If These Don’t Work or The Clog is Serious, Call a Plumber

If you’re unable to clear your bath drain using the methods above, it’s time to call a San Jose plumbing company for professional assistance. Fortunately, Gogo Rooter is available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week to fix your challenging job quickly using state of the art tools and trained professionals. Call us today at (408) 282-7026 and program our number into your phone!

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