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Kitchen & bathroom

Why is my shower draining slowly?

A slow shower is almost always a hair and soap-scum plug in the trap or the first section of waste pipe. Lift the grille, remove the visible mass with pliers, then use a wire hook or Zip-It tool to pull out the deeper build-up. Flush through with hot water and detergent.

Hair binds with soap and shower gel residue to form a dense fibrous plug that water passes through slowly. It builds over months, so the slowdown is gradual — which is why people tolerate it far longer than they should.

Shower trays with a hidden trap under the tray need the waste grille unscrewing. If access is impossible, the run can be cleared from an inspection point or with a mini-jetter.

If several bathroom fixtures are slow at once, the problem is not hair in one trap — it is the branch or stack they share, and needs professional clearing.

Still not sure? Just ask us.

We're a small, family-run team based in East Grinstead, on call 24/7 across East Grinstead and a 20-mile radius. No obligation — tell us what you're seeing and we'll tell you straight what it is.

0330 1331 347

Related service: Blocked Shower & Bath Unblocking

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