Calcium buildup in shower drain and the most effective ways to get rid of it

If you notice white, cement-like buildup on your shower drain, this is a sign that your tap water is hard. Do not be naive to think that this is only an aesthetic problem and not pay attention to it.

Magnesium and calcium deposits can not only damage some metals (this problem is more common with steel pipes, as opposed to copper pipes and PVC) but also become a breeding ground for mold and bacteria.

We have collected valuable tips for dealing with calcium accumulation and preventive cleaning methods – read on and increase the comfort of your life with us.

What causes calcium deposits in the shower drain?

What is the white stuff in my shower drain? — You ask. If tap water is hard, it means that it contains a large number of dissolved minerals, most of which are compounds of calcium, magnesium, and potassium.

When water drains or evaporates, these dissolved minerals form a cement-like white coating, which can often be seen on a shower head, faucet, shower drain, and even a kettle.

Our body also feels the composition of the water after washing: from hard water, a soap film may appear on the code after a shower, which causes irritation, and the hair becomes dull and as if glued together.

But if the body has the ability to regenerate, ignoring this problem can lead to serious drain pipe blockages or metal corrosion, as well as permanent pollution of the shower stall.

Shower drains have a P-shaped trap that keeps sewer gases from seeping into your home. These siphons are easily experiencing drain clogs by calcium buildup and can cause severe blockage.

How do I get rid of calcium buildup in my shower drain?

It’s easy to remove calcium buildup, there are several ways to do this – from household chemicals to a homemade cleaning mixture. Consider them in order.

1. CLR Cleaner

CLR is an all-purpose cleaner capable of removing stubborn stains, rust, soap scum, and calcium buildup. This tool quickly copes with various contaminants, but its disadvantage is that it is an aggressive chemical. Due to its high acidity, CLR should not be overexposed to the surface of the shower drain – it can damage it.

Your choice is not limited to the CLR. There are many different lime drain cleaners on the market made for this purpose, such as Lime-A-Way Bathroom Cleaner or Green Gobbler Drain Clog Dissolver.

2. Means of own production: pour baking soda and white vinegar.

If you avoid using harsh chemicals, you are understandable, as some of them emit toxic fumes and are unhealthy. But in this case, there is an alternative – a homemade remedy made from products that can be eaten: white vinegar, baking soda, and water.

Add a piece of thick cloth and a sponge to this and your shower drain cleaning kit against buildup in the shower is ready!

Step 1. Drain the stagnant water.

If your shower drain is clogged, this is often accompanied by stagnant water in the sewer (depending on the neglect of the situation). Try to remove the water by cleaning the drain with a plunger. If this does not help, clean the drain with a brush to mechanically remove the layer of plaque. After that, remove all stagnant water.

Step 2. Mix the solution: white vinegar and baking soda.

You don’t need to mix the components separately, it is better to pour them into the shower drain one by one so that the reaction immediately starts in the right place. Take white vinegar and baking soda.

You need a 1:1 ratio, so we advise you to pour half a cup of white vinegar and half a cup of baking soda into the drain in succession. It has long been noted that such a mixture with baking soda is extremely effective in the fight against calcium buildup in pipes.

Step 3. The trick with a cloth.

Wet a thick piece of cloth liberally with water and cover the drain hole for a quarter of an hour immediately after adding the reaction mixture of vinegar and baking soda. This is necessary so that the gas that is formed during the reaction does not go into the bathroom. Water particles in the fabric create a good barrier to the passage of gases, making the cloth almost airtight.

In addition, we recommend that you ventilate the room after cleaning. Or turn on ventilation in the process.

Step 4 Fill with hot water and remove calcium buildup.

After 15 minutes, carefully remove the cloth from the drain and discard it. After that, flush the drain with plenty of boiling water to wash off clogged drain mineral deposits (some people say a gallon of hot water is enough, and some say a bucket is not enough). Hot water will remove the remnants of the reagents and additionally remove lime buildup.

Step 5 Clean the calcium buildup around the drain hole.

It does not happen that buildup in the shower is collected only in the drain hole, and the area around it remains clean. For this last step, take some more white vinegar (about a tablespoon), pour it onto a sponge, and gently rub any traces of calcium buildup from the shower drain cover and from the surrounding area.

You can also soak the shower head in the same mixture of white vinegar and baking soda, then scrub it with a brush in baking soda and rinse with hot water.

It is worth saying that sometimes the pollution is so serious that it is impossible to cope with it on your own, besides, it starts to stink of sewage. Such a large blockage with calcium deposits can only be fixed by a plumber by disassembling the calcified drain pipes.

How to prevent calcium buildup

To prevent calcium buildup which comes with problems and money spent on calling a plumber, take preventive measures to avoid buildup in the shower.

How often should lime buildup be dissolved?

If you have determined that the tap water in your home is hard, then you will need to clean the drains and appliances from lime buildup approximately every month. Don’t wait for plaque to show visually – just clean the drain from calcium buildup regularly every 3-4 weeks.

If the water is soft or not very hard, then calcium buildup in your shower drain occurs less often, and it will be enough to stonecrop once every six months. Soft water is not so rich in minerals, but they are present there.

How to make the water softer? Is it available to avoid mineral buildup?

Use of soft water

There are several devices that can help turn hard water into soft.

Filter for hard water in the shower

Water softening showerhead is now commercially available. A shower head has a filter cartridge that does not allow various mineral deposits and chemical compounds to pass through.

You can buy a new shower head with a built-in cartridge or purchase one separately.

This happens before the water is heated, and only soft water will fall into the shower drain. However, the tube of the shower itself can still clog just as often.

FAQ

What is the white stuff in my shower drain?

If you notice a white, chalk-like buildup in your shower drains, it’s calcium buildup. It is formed by the mineral deposits of tap water, such as calcium and magnesium deposits. Do not ignore this mineral buildup – if you do not get rid of calcium buildup in time, it can cause a blockage.

Can you pour CLR down drain shower?

Of course, depending on the amount of plaque, we recommend using a concentrated solution for large accumulations of lime, and for small ones, dilute the product in water 1:1.

If you are afraid of damaging the shower drains by using chemical drain cleaners, then use the method of adding to your shower drain pour half of a cup of white vinegar plus the same amount of baking soda.

Conclusion

We hope that one of the suggested methods in this article has come in handy for you to effectively clean shower drains from lime.

Do not be lazy to prevent the formation of plaque because simple but regular cleaning can save your drain pipes and health, as well as make the shower cabin attractive to look at.