Standing water in the shower after use

Symptoms

• Water pools at your feet and takes a long time to clear
• Pooling has gotten worse over recent weeks
• Water eventually drains fully, just slowly
• No backup from other fixtures

Likely causes

• CommonBuilding hair and soap scum clogA gradual clog narrows the drain opening before fully blocking it.
• PossibleShower pan not sloped correctly toward the drainCan cause pooling even with a completely clear drain, especially in older or poorly installed showers.
• PossiblePartial clog in the trap below the shower floorSlower to notice than a surface clog but has the same effect.
• Less commonLow-flow drain design combined with a high-flow showerheadSome drains simply can't keep up if water use is very high.

What to do

1. Clean the drain and clear any visible hair using a zip-style drain tool, since this is the most common and easiest fix.
2. Time how quickly the water clears both before and after cleaning to measure improvement.
3. If cleaning doesn't help much, check by eye (or with a marble) whether the shower floor is actually sloped toward the drain.
4. If the floor seems flat or pooling occurs away from the drain even when it's clear, that points to a pan or slope issue rather than a clog.
5. For a suspected clog deeper in the trap, use a hand-crank drain snake to check further down.
6. If it turns out to be a pan slope issue, that typically requires redoing the shower floor, which is a larger renovation project best done by a professional.

Tools and parts

• Plastic zip-style drain tool
• Hand-crank drain snake

When to call a pro

Call a plumber or contractor if the shower pan itself appears poorly sloped, since that's a bigger repair than a simple drain clog.

Safety