Snake Drain — Employ a Drain Snake for Stubborn Clogs

Beginner60 mins

Part of project

Unclog a Shower Drain: Quick Guide with Standing Water · Step 3 of 3

Helpful?

In this video

Insert the hooked end of the homemade drain snake into the drain opening and rotate it to catch hair and debris.

Goal: Remove Clog

Used in this video

Homemade drain snake (Drain Snake Type: Wire Hanger) · optional — Snaking drain

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FAQs

What type of plunger should I use for a shower drain, and is the specified VEVOR drain auger necessary?

For shower drains, a cup-style plunger (also known as a sink plunger) works best as it creates a good seal on flat surfaces. While the VEVOR auger is a solid recommendation, any flexible drain snake with a good hook or corkscrew end will generally be effective for most shower clogs.

What safety precautions should I take when trying to unclog a shower drain, especially with standing water?

Always wear sturdy rubber gloves to protect your hands from bacteria and grime. Eye protection is also advisable to guard against splashes during plunging or snaking. It's crucial to avoid using chemical drain cleaners, as they can cause serious burns and damage pipes.

I've plunged several times, but the water isn't going down. What am I doing wrong, or what should I try next?

Ensure you have a complete seal with the plunger; sometimes adding a little more water to fully submerge the plunger head helps. If there's an overflow plate in the shower/tub, cover it with a wet cloth to prevent air from escaping. If plunging fails, it's time to move on to the drain snake, as the clog is likely too deep or solid for just a plunger.

The project estimates 60 minutes. What if it takes much longer, or I can't get the clog cleared?

The 60-minute estimate is for typical clogs using the recommended tools. If you've diligently followed the steps for over an hour and the clog persists, it might indicate a more complex issue deeper in your plumbing. At this point, it's best to contact a professional plumber to avoid potentially causing further damage.

Transcript

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all right so we've taken the stopper out and what you're going to want to do is you're going to take your homemade snake here with the hook side down you're going to go ahead and put it down here and you may have standing water here that's okay you can still do this in fact if you have standing water this would probably help out and you're going to use this part as the handle the little part that juts out and you're going to use it like this and kind of just turn it like that and you may see the water start to go down if you have standing water and then you just kind of lift it out here

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