The walk-in shower has enjoyed great popularity in recent years. The special thing about this shower is the built-in shower channel, which creates a modern, minimalist look. But it is precisely this shower drain that causes some difficulties when cleaning. But blockages and odors don't stand a chance with the next trick!
Clogged walk-in shower? This is how you clear the drain again!
Don't let the sleek look of the floor-level shower channel fool you: Most models do not have a hair strainer insert and therefore require regular cleaning. Especially with regular use, blockages occur after just a few months. If the water no longer drains or drains very slowly, then it is time to clean the shower drain.
In contrast to round point drains, the installed drain can be used with just a fewCleaned with home remediesbecome. This is because the hair collects along the length of the shower drain and is difficult to remove. Together with soap residue, they form a sticky film that sticks to the bottom of the cover. These can usually be easily removed without chemicals. Proceed as follows:
Clean the shower drain with these tricks
- Remove the cover. This is placed loosely on the drain and does not need to be unscrewed.
- Wire coat hangers against hair in the drain:Fish out any hair wrapped around the rail with a wire coat hanger. Wipe the rail with kitchen paper and remove any soap residue.
- Use depilatory cream on hair in the siphon:You can remove the hair in the siphon with a pipe cleaning cable, for example. But you can also use depilatory cream. Simply pour this generously directly into the siphon and leave it to work for about 2 to 3 hours. Then rinse with warm water.
- Vinegar and baking sodaUse only for the drain: If the drain is severely clogged, you can use a proven home remedy. Shake half a bottle of white table vinegar down the drain, then add two teaspoons of baking soda. Quickly remove the foam with a soft cleaning cloth. Vinegar can attack metal surfaces and leave unsightly stains.
- Clean the gutter cover with a special mild cleaning agent and rinse with warm water.
- It is best to drain the shower immediately afterClean showers. Soap residue can then be removed particularly quickly and easily.
- About an hour after cleaning, rinse the drain thoroughly with hot water. This allows any remaining dirt to be removed.
Cleaning the walk-in shower: Clearing blockages from round point drains
Not all walk-in showers have a floor-level shower channel. Many owners choose a round point drain because it is much easier to maintain. On the one hand, because you can install a hair strainer insert there. On the other hand, because the hair does not wrap around the shower drain, but remains easily accessible in the siphon. With a point drain, the grate is unscrewed and then two tablespoons of baking soda are added to the siphon. Then rinse the drain with hot water. This home remedy will clear the blockages caused by soap residue and then all that remains is to loosen the hair. You can use an old toothbrush for this purpose.
Do not use these cleaning products under any circumstances!
Under no circumstances should you use these cleaning agents on a built-in drain:
- Tile cleaner and toilet bowl cleaner with hydrochloric acid
- Drain cleaners that contain formic acid
- Cleaning agents against mold have no place in the drain.
- Tile cleaner with phosphoric acid
- Rust removers containing hydrochloric acid
- various chlorine bleach solutions
Walk-in shower: prevent blockages
The drain is most often blocked by hair. The longer the hair, the harder it is to remove. But if you don't feel like complicated cleaning programs and would rather save yourself the trouble, you should first brush your hair vigorously and only then take a shower. The same goes for pet owners who wash their pets in the shower.
Remove odors with these home remedies
If the walk-in shower smells bad, it may be due to deposits in the drain. These often first become noticeable through a bad smell and only then do they clog the drain. So if you act quickly, you can prevent the blockage and remove the odors quickly and easily.
Use denture cleaner that you shake directly into the drain to get rid of the odors.
Alternatively, you can also dissolve dish tablets in water and shake them down the drain. It works even better if you shake 3 liters of hot water immediately afterwards.
Baking soda can also have a similar effect. By the way, vinegar is also regularly used to remove odors in the household, but in this case you should avoid it. Acetic acid can attack stainless steel surfaces and leave unsightly rust stains.
How often to clean the walk-in shower?
You don't necessarily have to wait until the drain is clogged. Clean the shower drain once a month, remove hair and wipe the stainless steel parts. You should also flush the drain with hot water regularly, at least once a week.
When cleaning, don't forget to remove the coverTo remove limescale and dirtand also clean the joints around the shower drain. These are often affected by household remedies and hot water and need to be replaced every few years.
