An idea how this shower drain works?

An idea how this shower drain works?

Author
Discussion

GE90

Original Poster:

359 posts

119 months

Tuesday 10th December 2019
quotequote all
Hi

Our shower is slow to drain. No problem I thought, I’ll take the cover off the drain and clean out. However, I’m faced with this, with no obvious drain pipe leading away from it. Seems to have some type of spindle in the middle!

Any ideas how this works and how I can clean please?

Many thanks.


anonymous-user

53 months

Tuesday 10th December 2019
quotequote all
Something about it will unscrew or lift out and there will be a bowl either with or without a float underneath it which traps all the crap. Also, get a toothbrush and clean out the black ste from round the edges.

Aluminati

2,475 posts

57 months

Tuesday 10th December 2019
quotequote all
The keyway would indicate not to unscrew it, it will loosen the trap underneath.

Where are the other elements that sat in it ?

jontykint

789 posts

128 months

Tuesday 10th December 2019
quotequote all
The middle comes out somehow, we used to have similar.
Stick your fingers in the bowl and pull it up by the outlet slots at inside the bottom of it.
There will be 2 parts to it

When you do get the middle out, however it does it, please show us all the shower gel gunk, hair and hell knows what else is clogging it up.

Ours was absolutely rank, and once it was cleaned it got cleaned every week after that !!

sparkythecat

7,898 posts

254 months

Tuesday 10th December 2019
quotequote all
Get your porky digit down it and hook out the central tube.




finlo

3,731 posts

202 months

Tuesday 10th December 2019
quotequote all
Too mank for my stomach, i'd be pouring a load of bleach down there leave overnight then flush with a kettle of boiling water.

sparkythecat

7,898 posts

254 months

Tuesday 10th December 2019
quotequote all
Unfortunately bleach won't dissolve hair, which is what causes most blockages.
You need caustic soda for that. Most of the proprietary drain unblocking solutions you can buy contain caustic soda.

thebraketester

14,192 posts

137 months

Tuesday 10th December 2019
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Drain unblocker is what you want. It works great. One shot if you can get it.

Alucidnation

16,810 posts

169 months

Wednesday 11th December 2019
quotequote all
jontykint said:
When you do get the middle out, however it does it, please show us all the shower gel gunk, hair and hell knows what else is clogging it up.
Seriously??

jackofall84

537 posts

58 months

Wednesday 11th December 2019
quotequote all
It looks very very similar to ours. That very central part with the 4 noggins pops out, dip your fingers in the hole and lift from the underneath.

blueg33

35,580 posts

223 months

Wednesday 11th December 2019
quotequote all
sparkythecat said:
Get your porky digit down it and hook out the central tube.



This. Looks like our old matki trap. Not the best design.

Be careful if you use OneShot. It eats metal pipes and fittings so older houses may not be suitable.

Demelitia

678 posts

55 months

Wednesday 11th December 2019
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Using a cable tie with backwards facing barbs cut in to either side of it can be used once a week to snag hair trapped in the drain and drag it out, with the added bonus of pulling any mank that’s stuck to it out. That’s if you can’t get to the blockage with the centre section pulled out.

Your Dad

1,925 posts

182 months

Wednesday 11th December 2019
quotequote all
Identical unit to one we have in our en suite, just pull the middle section out and you'll have two pieces that slot together.

Separate them to clean, and then slot back together when done and reinsert into the section that's fixed into the shower tray once you've cleaned that.

strath44

1,358 posts

147 months

Wednesday 11th December 2019
quotequote all
Don't be tempted to unscrew it, those key points are for installation and form the main seal, the hair trap should lift by hand / finger

cbmotorsport

3,065 posts

117 months

Wednesday 11th December 2019
quotequote all
thebraketester said:
Drain unblocker is what you want. It works great. One shot if you can get it.
This.

We have the same waste on a shower tray and it blocks occasionally. this stuff poured down it and left overnight sorts it every time.

https://www.wickes.co.uk/Kilrock-Kil-block-Bathroo...

sparkythecat

7,898 posts

254 months

Wednesday 11th December 2019
quotequote all
blueg33 said:
sparkythecat said:
Get your porky digit down it and hook out the central tube.



This. Looks like our old matki trap. Not the best design.
Top spotting there!
Give yourself 10 Man Points.

It's actually the Mk11 Matki trap. A lot better than the Mk1, which had an strange unnecessary restriction in it that caught all the hair and blocked very easily.


Mr Pointy

11,147 posts

158 months

Wednesday 11th December 2019
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blueg33

35,580 posts

223 months

Wednesday 11th December 2019
quotequote all
sparkythecat said:
blueg33 said:
sparkythecat said:
Get your porky digit down it and hook out the central tube.



This. Looks like our old matki trap. Not the best design.
Top spotting there!
Give yourself 10 Man Points.

It's actually the Mk11 Matki trap. A lot better than the Mk1, which had an strange unnecessary restriction in it that caught all the hair and blocked very easily.
Thanks.

We now have McAlpine fast flow shower traps, miles better and very easy to clean

jontykint

789 posts

128 months

Wednesday 11th December 2019
quotequote all
Alucidnation said:
jontykint said:
When you do get the middle out, however it does it, please show us all the shower gel gunk, hair and hell knows what else is clogging it up.
Seriously??
Yea, why not, stick it in the Dirty takeway's thread hahaha

GE90

Original Poster:

359 posts

119 months

Wednesday 11th December 2019
quotequote all
Well, thanks everyone!

I have an admission - my wife had removed the inner part to clean, so I didn't realise that part should have been present.

Anyway, with that removed it still wasn't flowing well, so before seeing the recommendations to use a cleaner I resorted to the kitchen waste plunger, which actually seems to have worked.....!

I guess some cleaner would be the a good idea anyway.

Many thanks again!