Why is my Tub or Shower Draining Slow? How Can I Fix it?

It seems to be a frustrating inevitability of bathtubs and showers. Over the years, the drain just slows to a crawl, and you end up having a half-shower-half-bath standing shin-deep in water. But this problem isn’t actually inevitable, and a slow draining bathtub is pretty easy to fix too.

What’s Happening?

The first step to fixing a problem is understanding why it happens in the first place. Humans are mammals and mammals are hairy. People tend to think of dogs and other furry critters as major shedders, but we actually lose and replace our fair share of hair as well. A lot of that hair comes out when we brush or comb it, but a substantial amount is lost when we shampoo and shower. Where does that hair go? Down the drain.

Usually, when hair goes down the drain it follows the water into the sewer system and doesn’t cause any problems. However, sometimes that hair will snag on something on its way down, and it’ll get stuck. Maybe a bit of soap scum will then get stuck to the hair. More hair will get trapped by the soap scum and the first hair and so on and so forth until your drain is clogged by a nasty ball of hair and grime.

Slow draining bathtub – how do you fix it?

Dissolving all that soap scum is your first step. In order to do that, you’ll need a combination of baking soda and vinegar. These grade-school volcano chemicals are surprisingly powerful cleaners when used together.  Powder the tubs with baking soda first. You’ll want to use a good quarter cup (around 45 grams). Then wash the baking soda down the drain with vinegar. The more foaming action the better. When the reaction stops, use a couple litres of very hot water to flush the chemicals and the soap scum away. That was the easy part.

Next you’ll need to unscrew the plug so that you can access the drain. Pulling out the hair ball is not fun work. It can be smelly, and it often looks pretty disgusting. It might be worthwhile to have an expert come and clean out the clog if you’re easily grossed out.

Never Again.

This is the reaction most Albertans have after clearing out a hairball from their pipes. But if you really don’t want to have a repeat of this chore in a year or two, you’re going to need a hair snare. Hair snares work by preventing your lost hair from ever getting down the drain. Instead of having to pull out a clump of soap scum and hair once a year, you’ll need to throw out the hair the snare traps after every shower. That hair needs to be going into the garbage. If you just rinse the hair from the snare using water and let it go down the pipes, nothing is accomplished.

A slow draining bathtub is annoying. Fortunately, it’s also pretty easy to fix and prevent. By using a hair snare, you can help stop problems before they begin. Do you need help unclogging or tub’s drain? Is your plumbing running less than perfectly? The experts at Plumbing Paramedics are here to help! Call us today at (587) 316-9808.