How to Unclog a Shower or Tub Drain
Almost always hair. Here's how to clear it without reaching for a chemical drain cleaner.
Before you start: this is general information, not a diagnosis of your specific situation. Shut off water where instructed, take your time, and stop if anything looks different than described here. If you're not comfortable at any point, stop and call us — that's what we're here for.
- 1Remove the drain cover or stopper (usually unscrews, twists off, or pops out with a flathead screwdriver).
- 2Look for a visible hair clog right at the drain opening — a bent wire hanger or a cheap plastic drain hair tool (barbed plastic stick) pulls this out surprisingly well.
- 3If that doesn't do it, plunge the drain with a few inches of water in the tub/shower pan, same technique as a sink.
- 4For a stall shower without standing water room, a wet towel stuffed around the plunger edge helps create a seal.
- 5Reinstall the drain cover and run water for a minute to confirm it's actually draining at normal speed, not just slowly.
Skip chemical drain cleaner here too — it's hard on pipes and often doesn't fully clear a hair clog anyway. If the drain is still slow after this, or it's a recurring problem, that usually means buildup further down that a plunger can't reach — call us.
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If this isn't a DIY day, call, text, or book online — same flat-rate honesty either way.