This is one of the most common problems that most homeowners face when using showers. A clogged drain can create a lot of issues such as the bathroom having a mess of shampoo and soap water, or your hair and other unwanted particles floating all over.
It’s really bothersome and requires immediate fixation. If you’re looking for ways how to take out the shower drain cover that is grouted in or a square shower drain that needs to be removed, then there are various ways of doing so. Still, if you’re interested in a quick and easy approach to resolving the issue, then this article covers that and more.
Table of Contents
How To Remove Square Shower Drain Cover: Step by Step Guide
Before you even start working on the problematic shower drain, grab a container to keep the screws and other parts safe. You’re going to need a few tools for this job: These include, a drain snake, lubricant, flathead screwdriver, and two sets of needle nose pliers.
Get Rid of Any Clogs
Start by turning on the shower for a few minutes and checking out the way the water drains. If it drains slowly, then you should clear the drain first before removing it. Otherwise, you may end up snagging the drain or breaking the fixture.
Inserting a drain snake to remove the hair, oil, or other obstruction-causing debris is the quickest and most efficient approach to unclog your shower drain. In case you don’t have a drain snake, you may try pouring hot water, baking soda, and vinegar down the drain.
Lubricate the Drain
It might be difficult to pry your shower drain free, especially if it has been stuck in place for a long time. However, you can make the whole process easier by fully lubricating your shower drain with WD-40 or a silicone-based lubricant. Avoid attempting to improvise by adding cooking oil or any other fatty things, since this might lead to the drain becoming blocked in the future.
Pour some oil down the drain to cover the sections you can’t see, then generously coat all the exposed parts of the drain. Before going on to the next stage, give the lubricant around 10 minutes to work.
Remove Any Screws
Next, carefully inspect your shower drain to check for any fasteners such as screws. If there are, take them out with a flathead screwdriver. Note that you will need them to repair or install a new shower drain, so store them safely in a container. Also, avoid dropping any screws down the open drain since it won’t be feasible to get them out.
Loosen the Drain
Place two sets of needle-nose pliers in the drain’s openings, usually on opposite sides. Take care not to scratch or damage the drain, especially if you’re intending to reinstall it later on.
Put your pliers in the drain and crank it counterclockwise to release it. Continue rotating it until the screw is entirely removed and avoid pushing against resistance to avoid causing damage. You might want to spray some more lubricant on instead, and then wait 10 minutes before trying again.
Take the Shower Drain Out
To remove the shower drain, simply pinch two opposite apertures of the drain with the needle-nose pliers and draw it upwards while maintaining a strong grip. If you intend to fix the drain rather than replace it, then try to be careful when doing this. If you notice that it is rather hard to remove, it could be due to clogs/obstructions or it might require extra lubrication. So consider lubricating the drain and inspecting it for clogs before taking it out.
Finally, clear out any remaining obstructions and thoroughly clean the drain as well, eliminating any rust. If the drain is seriously rusted or broken, you should think about replacing it.
How to Unscrew a Shower Drain
Knowing how to unscrew a shower drain is one of the most important steps in the process. Note that you will need to unfasten any screws holding a drain model in place before you can unscrew the shower drain.
After removing the screws (where necessary) the next thing is to determine which direction to unscrew the drain. You may take it out by loosening it by turning it to the left, or counterclockwise. The opposite way around will tighten it and can make it extremely hard to remove. Make sure you have two sets of needle-nose pliers on hand as you won’t be able to unscrew them with your hands.
How to Remove a Shower Drain Cover Without Screws
To remove a shower drain cover without screws, then you must first determine the type of shower drain cover it is. The most common kind is a lift-and-turn cover, which you can take off with your hands quite quickly. Just lift the cover upward before loosening the base by turning the screw counterclockwise until it becomes easy to remove.
Toe touch drain covers are also generally easy to take off. All you need to do is press the cover to open it and the lift and turn it counterclockwise. Use a flathead screwdriver to remove any screws that are at the base.
If you have a push-and-pull drain, you can remove it by pulling it up into the open position will allow you to remove it. When it is wide open, turn the knob counterclockwise to remove it. After that, you may remove the drain cover with a flathead screwdriver.
Once you’re done with the drain cover, follow the steps discussed above to take off the drain.
Bottom Line
We’ve covered some of the most straightforward steps to removing the tiled shower drain. The good news is that they are all easy to apply and involve a few common household DIY tools.
As such, you don’t have to spend your hard-earned money on a plumbing firm in order to complete the task. Hopefully, this article will help you solve your issue quickly and easily.
