How to clear a choked shower drain
Hair and soap build-up tend to collect under the grating or cover, just above the floor trap. For a choked floor trap, HDB says to remove the solid materials, and to engage a licensed plumber for serious cases.
- Stop the water. Turn off the shower and run no more water until the drain clears.
- Put on gloves. They keep your hands clean while you handle hair and soap sludge.
- Lift the grating. Lift the round grating or the linear drain cover, easing it up gently if it sticks.
- Pull out the hair. Remove hair and debris by hand or with a drain hair tool, and bin it rather than pushing it further down.
- Flush and check. Pour a bucket of water through and check that it drains freely.
- Refit the grating closed. Put the grating or cover back so it sits flat and closed.
If it still will not drain, the choke may be deeper, and choked drain clearing by a plumber or handyman is the next step.
Linear drains and floor traps
A linear drain is a long, narrow channel in the shower floor with a removable cover. Water runs along it to an outlet that leads to a trap below. With a linear drain choke, hair can catch along the channel as well as at the outlet, so lift the whole cover and clean its full length.
HDB's floor traps page says water overflowing from a floor trap comes from solid matter or grease blocking it, and that you should keep the grating closed to prevent chokes. If the bathroom will not be used for a long time, such as during an overseas holiday, HDB suggests sealing the floor trap cover temporarily. It also suggests installing an anti-mosquito device.
HDB's toilet fittings page says a jammed sliding shower door needs hair and solid particles removed from its moving parts or sliding track. For a routine that keeps these areas clear, see bathroom maintenance to prevent chokes.
What not to pour down the drain
HDB's floor traps page says not to pour cooking oil or discard food waste and solid items down the floor trap or sink. In the bathroom, bin the hair you pull from the grating instead of rinsing it away.
When the pipe is the problem
HDB's pipes page says you maintain the sanitary branch pipes in your flat, and the Town Council is responsible for maintaining the main sanitary pipes. HDB adds that slow or no discharge of wastewater can come from wear and tear or a floor trap choke from solid waste: remove the solid waste, and engage a plumber for repairs where necessary.
HDB's page on HDB Branches and Town Councils says Town Councils maintain the common property of HDB residential flats, and that you can contact your Town Council about routine maintenance.
Who can clear it and what it costs
PUB says all regulated water service and sanitary plumbing works must be done by PUB Licensed Plumbers, except the simple plumbing works handymen may do. That list includes clearing any blockage in any floor trap, clearing and flushing any discharge pipe or floor trap carrying used water from a sanitary appliance to the sewerage system, and replacing any floor trap grating or cover. Since 2018 it has been an offence to engage a plumber not licensed by PUB for regulated works.
FROM THE HOMEZYPRO DIRECTORY
Published choke clearing rates
For the most common unit (per job), the lowest published choke clearing rates from 22 companies run from S$50 to S$150 per job (middle rate S$80), to clear one choke in a toilet bowl, floor trap or sink. The middle figure is a real published rate, not an average. Each figure is one company's own advertised rate with its conditions, not a quote.
See 22 published choke clearing rates and sources
| Company | Service as listed | Rate | Source |
|---|---|---|---|
| Kiasu Plumber | Remove kitchen sink choke | From S$50 per job | kiasuplumber.com |
| SG1 Plumber Singapore | Floor-trap Choke Cleaning | S$50 per job | sg1plumber.com |
| AquaHero Plumbing | Clear Clogged Floor Trap | S$60 per job | aquahero-plumbing.sg |
| EZ Plumber SG | Clear Clogged Floor Trap | S$60 per job | ezplumber.sg |
| Plumber - Singapore Plumbing 24hrs | Supply Labour to Clear Toilet Bowl Choke | From S$60 per job | singaporeplumbing24hrs.com.sg |
| Sin Plumbing Singapore | Clear clogged floor trap | From S$60 per job | sinplumbing.com |
| Uncle Plumber | Clear clogged floor trap | From S$60 per job | uncleplumber.sg |
| GD Plumbing | Clogged toilet bowl / Clearing toilet bowl choke | From S$70 per job | gdplumbing.com.sg |
| Hdbplumber Service SG | Clearing toilet bowl choke | From S$79 per job | hdbplumberservice.com.sg |
| Ace Plumbing Specialist | Clogged toilet bowl / clearing toilet bowl choke | From S$80 per job | aceplumbing.sg |
| Active Plumbing Singapore | Clearing toilet bowl choke | From S$80 per job | activeplumbing.sg |
| Home Plumbers Singapore | Clear a toilet bowl choke | From S$80 per job | homeplumbers.com.sg |
| PlumbersGuru Singapore | Basic unclogging starts . Complex jobs with grease traps or root intrusion cost more. We | From S$80 to S$150 per job | plumbersguru.com |
| PW Plumbing Services | Toilet Choke Clearing | S$90 to S$150 per job | pwplumbing.com.sg |
| SR Power Plumber Pte. Ltd. | Clearing toilet bowl choke / clogged toilet bowl | From S$90 per job | srpowerplumber.com |
| Huat Plumbing | Toilet Bowl Choke Clearing | From S$100 per job | huatplumbing.sg |
| Prima Technologies Pte. Ltd. (Prima Services) | Toilet Bowl Choke Clearing | From S$100 per job | primaservices.sg |
| Sk Plumber | Toilet bowl choke clearing | From S$115 per job | sksplumber.com |
| Best Plumbing | Clogged toilet bowl / Clearing toilet bowl choke | From S$120 per job | bestplumbing.com.sg |
| Summer Plumbing Service | Clogged toilet bowl / Clearing toilet bowl choke | From S$120 per job | sgplumbing.com.sg |
| NILE Plumbing | Clear Choke (Sink/Basin) | From S$150 per job | nileplumbingsg.com |
| Siam Engineering Pte Ltd | Choke Clearing & Drainage | S$150 per job | siamengineeringsg.com |
22 companies publish a choke clearing line, all per job. Their lowest published rates run from S$50 to S$150 per job, with S$80 per job in the middle. The table shows each company's lowest choke line, so it mixes toilet bowl, floor trap and sink chokes.
5 of the 22 lines name a floor trap, at S$50 to S$60 per job. No line names a shower or linear drain. Most lines are printed as "From" rates, so ask what the final price includes. The floor trap choke cost guide covers floor trap jobs in more detail.
To compare other plumbing work, try the plumbing cost estimator or see plumbing costs.
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See plumbing companies in the directory with their published prices, the areas they say they cover and their sources.
Compare plumbersWhen to stop and call a professional
Call a licensed plumber if water still will not drain after you clear the grating, if it backs up from another drain, or if it smells after cleaning. For smells, HDB's floor traps page says to remove trapped particles and flush, so try that first. If you find the shower drain blocked again soon after a clean, the choke may be lower in the pipe. If the toilet is slow too, see how to unclog a toilet.
When you ask plumbers for a quote, cover these points:
- Which drain is choked, and whether other drains are slow too.
- Whether the grating or cover needs replacing, and how that is priced.
- What happens if the choke turns out to be in the main pipe.
Questions
Why does my shower drain keep choking?
Hair, soap build-up and other solid matter keep collecting under the grating and in the trap. HDB says floor trap chokes come from solid matter or grease, so keep the grating closed and keep cooking oil and solid items out. If it chokes again soon after a clean, ask a licensed plumber to check the pipe.
Can I use a drain cleaner on a shower floor trap?
Only as its label says. Follow the product label and the manufacturer's instructions, including any stated contact time, wear the protective equipment the Safety Data Sheet prescribes and ventilate during and after use. Never combine drain products. Try lifting the grating and removing hair and debris by hand first.
Does a handyman need a PUB licence to clear a shower drain?
No. PUB lists clearing any blockage in any floor trap among the simple plumbing works a handyman may do, along with replacing a floor trap grating or cover. Work beyond that list, such as relocating a toilet bowl or repairing concealed water pipes, needs a PUB Licensed Plumber.
How much does it cost to clear a choked shower drain?
22 companies publish a choke clearing rate, from S$50 to S$150 per job, with S$80 per job in the middle. These lines cover choke clearing in general, and none names a shower drain. 5 of the 22 lines name a floor trap, at S$50 to S$60 per job.
Why does my shower drain smell?
Trapped particles in the floor trap can cause it. HDB says to remove trapped particles and flush, and to seal the floor trap cover temporarily if it will not be used for a long time. If the drain still smells after cleaning, call a licensed plumber.
When is a choked drain the Town Council's problem?
When the choke is in the main sanitary pipes. HDB says the Town Council is responsible for maintaining the main sanitary pipes, while you maintain the sanitary branch pipes in your flat. If several drains back up at once, or your neighbours have the same problem, contact your Town Council first.
Prices come only from the sourced company rates in the HomezyPro directory, shown with each company and its source.
Practical guidance for planning a home job in Singapore. Company prices come from the HomezyPro directory, each linked to its source; rules and safety points link to the agency or manufacturer that sets them. This is not a site inspection, a quote or professional advice for your home.
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