Getting Rid of Calcium Buildup in Shower Drains

Is your shower drain starting to clog more frequently? Do you notice gurgling noises when the water goes down, or water pooling up around your feet? These frustrating symptoms likely point to a calcium buildup problem.

Calcium and other mineral deposits from hard water can slowly build up in shower drains over time, leading to major clogging issues. Thankfully, removing calcium buildup is very doable as a DIY home project. With some simple ingredients and tools, you can break down those nasty clogs and restore proper drainage.

What Causes Calcium to Clog Shower Drains

Before learning how to remove shower drain calcium, it helps to understand what causes it form.

Hard Water and Mineral Buildup

The main culprit behind calcium clogs is hard water, which contains high amounts of minerals like calcium and magnesium. As hard water from your home's pipes flows through the showerhead and down the drain, the heat causes the minerals to solidify and leave deposits behind.

Over weeks and months of showering, more and more minerals stick to the drain and pipes. Eventually, this calcium buildup accumulates to the point where it severely slows or blocks water from draining properly.

Soap Scum and Hair Buildup

On top of issues with hard water, soap scum residue and strands of hair often stick to calcium deposits. This further exacerbates shower clogs from a gross sticky mess coating pipes and drains.

Conditioners and other thick hair products are especially problematic. As they wash down the drain, these coatings bind to calcium scale and captured hair to create dense clogs.

Problems Caused by Clogged Shower Drains

Ignoring a calcium clog might seem harmless at first. But over time, a slow draining shower can turn into a soggy, damaging mess with serious issues.

Standing Water and Odors

As the drain gets more clogged, you'll find yourself standing in ankle-deep water by the end of every shower. The excess moisture soaking into bath mats can breed mold and mildew growth.

Stagnant water filling p-traps also leads to rotten egg smells from sewer gas leaks. Breathing this air raises health issues.

Pipe and Shower Damage

Prolonged clogs put added stress on pipes and seals. The weight of standing water pressures systems and joints. Mineral scale also erodes fixtures over decades.

If neglected long enough, leaks can develop behind walls and under floors. Repairing water damaged drywall or replacing leaky pipes grows more costly over time.

Bacteria and Infection Risks

As disgusting as it sounds, the warm, wet environment of clogged shower drains can promote bacterial growth. Everything from E. coli to Legionella pneumophila bacteria can colonize and pose major health risks.

Fungal infections also Increase when people shower in stagnant, bacteria-laden water. Athlete's foot and plantar warts on feet come from contaminated showers.

Methods to Remove Shower Drain Calcium Buildup

Now that you know the grimy details, it's time to learn methods that dissolve calcium and clear shower clogs. Options range from homemade remedies to commercial drain cleaners and professional plumbing augers.

Baking Soda and Vinegar

One overnight trick is to mixequal parts baking soda and vinegar into a cup. Pour the foamy blend down the shower drain before bed. As it reacts and bubbles overnight, it helps break down mineral scale and organic gunk clogs.

For tougher calcium jobs, flush the drain weekly with straight undiluted vinegar. The acetic acid dissolves calcite salts. Let it soak 5-10 minutes before running hot water.

Liquid Drain Cleaners

Hardware store drain removers and enzyme cleaners help eat away all sorts of blockages. Look for formulas with sulfuric or hydrochloric acid listed to target calcium and limescale.

Caution: these commercial cleaners use potent chemicals and acidic mixes. So only apply as directed while wearing gloves and eye protection.

Physical Drain Snakes

Sometimes the clog needs a bit of physical persuasion too. Handheld plastic drain snakes are inexpensive and easy to control for DIY use. Feed the coil end down until hitting and dislodging gunk.

Rent a motorized auger from hardware stores for deeper blockages. As the spinning end chews through major obstructions, run lots of hot water to flush debris.

Preventing Calcium Clogs from Returning

While removing existing calcium deposits, also take steps to prevent this annoying blockage from quickly coming back after all your hard work.

Install a Water Softener

Water softeners are the ultimate solutions for preventing ongoing hard water issues like calcium clogs, scale build-up on fixtures and glass shower doors. These systems filter out magnesium, calcium and other minerals.

Models that use salt to remove calcium are affordable DIY options. More advanced softeners substitute potassium chloride instead of sodium chloride salt.

Regular Drain Maintenance

Get ahead of calcium buildup instead of always reacting to clogs. Monthly, pour a vinegar and baking soda mix down the shower drain before bed. Use a enzyme-based foaming cleaner weekly for upkeep too.

Also make sure drain covers trap hairs and debris. Clean out accumulated gunk regularly so it doesn't snowball into huge obstructions.

Replace Old Shower Parts

If your drain assembly contains corrosion holes or loose parts, it's best to replace the works. Old pipes and joints covered in mineral scale are nearly impossible to fully clean.

Consider upgrading to a drain with hair catch cup to filter out debris. Channels that narrow down to standard piping diameter also maintain speedy water flow.

DIY Home Remedies for Stubborn Clogs

For extra tough calcium obstructions that resist liquid cleaners, break out the big guns. Arm yourself with various home remedies to break down even the most stubborn of shower clogs.

Boiling Water Flush

Bring water to a rapid boil on your stove. Carefully transport the pot to the shower and dump the contents down the drain. The intense heat helps liquefy thick gunk while flushing some away.

For best results, first remove the drain cover and stopper assembly so water contacts the clog directly. Just be extremely cautious to avoid scalding splatter.

Wire Clothes Hanger Snake

Unravel a slim wire hanger and bend one end to create a small hook. Feed the length down your drain and scrape at the clog to break it into pieces small enough to flush away. It's a bit messy, but works great in a pinch.

Citric Acid Treatment

food-grade citric acid powder is naturally acidic for eating away calcium carbonate. Mix some into a paste-like solution with just enough hot water to dissolve it fully. Funnel it down the drain for 15-20 minutes before rinsing.

Professional Drain Cleaning Services

Some home remedies help manage minor clogs. But for severe calcium blockages or tricky hidden obstructions, call for professional backup:

High-Pressure Water Jetting

Plumbers have industrial strength water pumps on their vans to blast clogs loose at up to 5000 PSI. The extreme jet flushes invasive grease and calcium chunks free with ease.

Techs snake a small waterproof camera on a flexible cable down the entire length of your pipes. This helps pinpoint the exact location and size of the blockage to target removal efforts.