The shower is one of the most used appliances in many households, often being used morning and night.
But while it’s nice to enjoy a refreshing soak, the constant use can lead to blocked drains over time – particularly without regular cleaning.
If you notice water accumulating at the bottom of your shower tray while you wash, or find the water is slow to drain, then this could be a sign of a drain blockage.
Blockages are most commonly caused by a build-up of hair, soap scum, dead skin cells and hard water deposits.
If left untreated it can cause nasty odours and a possible build-up of limescale and mould.
The best thing to do to avoid this problem is to clean your shower regularly.
But if you’ve already got a blockage to deal with then you may be able to clear it relatively cheaply with two natural items.
Shower experts Mira Showers suggest using a mixture of baking soda and vinegar to unblock your drain.
You can buy baking soda for just 65p at Aldi, while a bottle of white vinegar costs just 35p, so altogether you can tackle the problem for a mere £1.
An expert at Mira Showers said: “White vinegar is a known saviour for various cleaning tasks, and drain unblocking is no exception. Follow this method to unblock your drain using baking soda and vinegar.
“First, fill a cup with baking soda and pour it down your drain. Wait two to three minutes, then follow with a cup of white vinegar. The mixture will start to bubble.
“Put the plug in and leave the mixture to work for around an hour. After an hour, pour hot water (not boiling) down the drain.
“The vinegar and baking soda solution should loosen any hair or soap scum, and the hot water can then flush out the pipework and clear the blockage.”
They added: “If it doesn’t fix the problem, repeat the process once more. Bear in mind that while this is a more ecologically friendly method of clearing your shower drains, it is still reasonably caustic, so don’t overdo it.”
