Shower and tub drains block for one dominant reason: hair binds with soap scum into a dense mat that sits just above the trap. It builds slowly, which is why the drain gets gradually slower for weeks before it finally stops.
Need this looked at?
Tell us your town or ZIP code and what is happening. We route the call to an independent contractor covering that area.
Call (888) 855-8790
How a contractor actually diagnoses it
- They pull the stopper or strainer, because the mat is frequently within reach of it.
- They check whether the tub and the nearby toilet or sink share the symptom — if so, the fault is on the branch, not in the tub.
- They use a small hand auger or hair-removal tool through the drain opening.
- If that fails they go through the overflow plate, which gives straighter access to the trap arm.
Three ways this actually fails
Hair and soap mat above the trap
The overwhelmingly common cause. Soap scum makes hair sticky and the mat becomes self-reinforcing.
Hard-water scale narrowing the pipe
In hard-water areas scale reduces the effective diameter over years, giving the hair mat somewhere to anchor and shortening the interval between blockages.
A shared branch blockage
When the shower fills only while the washing machine drains or the toilet flushes, the fault is downstream of both and the shower is just the lowest opening.
Signs this is urgent rather than annoying
- Water rising in the shower when the toilet is flushed or the washing machine drains
- Standing water that does not clear overnight
- Sewage smell rather than a musty or soapy one
What it costs
Published third-party ranges shown so you can sanity-check a quote. Not our prices, not an estimate, not a quote.
| Job | Published national range | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Bath, tub or shower drain | $100–$250 | HomeGuide |
| Tub or shower clog | about $225 | Angi |
| Tub, typical | $165–$250 | Forbes Home |
Published national ranges, shown for educational context only. These are not quotes and they are not our prices. Sources disagree with each other — that spread is real. Only the contractor who sees your line can price your job.
Full cost guide, by fixture and by method →
Questions people ask
How do I find clogged shower and tub drain near me?
Call the number on this page and give us your town or ZIP code. We match it against partner coverage and connect you with an independent licensed contractor who works that area. We do not charge you anything — the contractor sets their own price.
Why is it slow rather than blocked?
Because a hair mat restricts flow long before it stops it. A shower that takes twice as long to drain as it used to is telling you the mat is there and growing.
Can I use a chemical hair dissolver?
They do work on hair better than on grease, but they are hard on older metal traps and on rubber seals, and repeated use is worse for the pipe than the clog. If the drain blocks repeatedly, dissolving it monthly is treating the symptom.
What is the overflow plate for?
It is a secondary inlet near the top of the tub that stops it overflowing — and it gives a straighter route to the trap arm than the drain opening does, which is why contractors often work through it.
Does a hair catcher actually help?
Yes, more than almost anything else. A cheap strainer over the drain prevents the single most common cause of this blockage.
Why does the shower fill when the washing machine drains?
Because they share a branch that is blocked downstream of both. That is a branch or main line problem and it will not be solved at the shower.
How much does it cost?
Published national ranges run about $100–$250 (HomeGuide), with Angi putting a tub or shower clog around $225. National context, not a quote.
Should the strainer come out?
Most unscrew or lift out. If it is a lift-and-turn or trip-lever type it may need the linkage removed first, which is easy to reassemble wrongly — worth leaving to the contractor if you are not sure.