Shower drain trap... is it really needed?

[berty3000]

Hi all,

My shower cubicle has one of those round metal discs connected to a plastic cylinder, which sits in a removable trap where the shower drains. It can all be removed, leaving a bigger trap and the hole to the drain pipe.

This thing gets really disgusting and I hate having to clean it. Girlfriend has long hair. Very annoying.

Is it possible to do without the metal disc, insert, and removable trap if I put one of these over the hole? It isn't in a position where it will ever be stood on. It will prevent hair going into the drain, which can be removed after each shower, and I'm not worried about smells coming up the drain because of the way it is set up at my house.

https://www.amazon.co.uk/OXO-Good-Grips-Shower-Protector/dp/B003M8GMUY/ref=mp_s_a_1_12?dib=eyJ2IjoiMSJ9.aoXgDamPV_n1HwpWZbxViujoIsMQeLujIfDGLKqH4Y8Rp6gMX4G3clF0QmzeDtrgOHcqd1S0TSnByp9GMhvzsS_7kBu2osWEmM8hEnynn2bE-b_5oOX5W2Hr8Iwc5mlmGKQxTOJkp-cJj7wfUSOPSPSy_8lg2XS3I5M1q1Vdb9b84GI2osiq3fytghY1YY9aRFhNND35C6SaMg2Ny4UCNw.6b3ML97LoTFspLcqGAh3i6fgg3WiFsfNVC-I25VxFSY&dib_tag=se&keywords=Shower+Drain+Hair+Trap&qid=1710451387&sr=8-12

 

[robinbanks]

This thing gets really disgusting

But it's mostly just an accumulation of your own skin cells, hair, soap, conditioner.. All stuff that has been a part of you, or has been growing on you anyway

When doing those jobs I find it easier to just realign perspective on what one considers disgusting, a process which got easier after having kids and seeing them poop themselves out the nappy, up the back of the baby gro and out the neck hole. In the library. You hold em up and they just giggle as they drip. They don't think about it too hard and it really is a blissful way to be

--

By all means put a protector mat hair catcher whatever thing down to keep the drain free of clogging hair; that's the thing that causes all the problems, that and conditioner - she likely uses way too much in one go and huge blobs of it disappear down the drain to help glue everything together into a blockage. Perhaps convince use of the same amount of product but in two passes, half at a time. Let her clean the blocked drain a few times and it may encourage a change..

..but there shouldn't be any need to remove the trap internals that prevent sewer air entering the property; that really does smell foul, and most people aren't so happy with the notion of having a house full of everyone else's poo particles - if not for you, keep the trap for your guests' sake.

Consider also that the trap is doing a good job right now, catching stuff before it can become a blockage that is much harder to access. If you can put something that catches the majority of that visibly so you can deal with it as it forms (your Amazon mat) then leave the trap as backup to catch anything that makes it past, then you're maybe only cleaning that out once every year plus, but if you just have a hole you wash everything down, come the day you've got to faff about clearing something buried under a wall/floor you'll wish for the days of just pulling a trap out, binning the contents and rinsing/reinstalling

 

[berty3000]

Thanks for the great reply, Robin. Helpful on a number of levels!

With the sewer fumes, it's not going to be a problem because the shower drain pipe goes out to an external drain which is a surface grid with its own trap (combined sewer).

Also, there still seems to be a trap at the shower even once those items are removed. See pictures. The hole has water sat in it which also sits in part of the outlet (I can't see what happens otherwise).

Main question from me is - this thing from amazon won't fit over the metal disc I have. If I don't have the metal disc but leave the removable white basket in the main trap, will this help capture stuff still in addition to the amazon thing? The metal disk thing is difficult and annoying to clean.

Thanks

 

[Harry Bloomfield]

With the sewer fumes, it's not going to be a problem because the shower drain pipe goes out to an external drain which is a surface grid with its own trap (combined sewer).

Even so, the trap under your shower, prevents drafts and cold air being blown up the pipe, along with some of the smell of the water sat below the grid.

 

[berty3000]

Even so, the trap under your shower, prevents drafts and cold air being blown up the pipe, along with some of the smell of the water sat below the grid.

Is the hole with water in it that you see in the photos the trap on its own - or does it need those inserts I've shown to perform as a trap for the purpose of fumes etc?

 

[Loofah]

You hold em up and they just giggle as they drip. They don't think about it too hard and it really is a blissful way to be

 

[Mottie]

a process which got easier after having kids and seeing them poop themselves out the nappy, up the back of the baby gro and out the neck hole.

Yep. A 'code brown' as we called it!

 

[robinbanks]

Is the hole with water in it that you see in the photos the trap on its own - or does it need those inserts I've shown to perform as a trap for the purpose of fumes etc?

The shower trap that I have that is most similar to yours does use that white thing dipped in the standing water as the one way valve, yes

 

[aveatry]

No that mesh will do nothing the hair will snake straight down it and possibly block pipes further down.
As some one who has less hair than my partner looses each shower I would say that you need to maintain that trap cleaning assess ability otherwise that block is going to happen further down the soil pipe which is going to be nastier and costlier to clear out.
The system you have is doing exactly what it is designed to do, you love her - you lover her log hair, just keep yanking out that gunge - remember some of it is yours too.

 

[jj4091]

I think you will find it a lot easier and less repulsive if you do it weekly and use one of these https://www.google.com/search?q=tea...8BGMcBGIAEmAMAkgcEMTIuMaAHnWU&sclient=gws-wiz

 

[Bod ...]

This thing gets really disgusting and I hate having to clean it. Girlfriend has long hair. Very annoying.

I have three girls that i have to unblock the bath for. Its like pulling a dead rat out.



Imagine having a job that have to deal with other people's..

 

[robinbanks]

I have three girls that i have to unblock the bath for

Perhaps introduce them to the notion of self sufficiency in this regard?

 

[Bod ...]

Perhaps introduce them to the notion of self sufficiency in this regard?

Are you talking that introduce my daughters or customers to the idea?

Wish me luck.

 

[robinbanks]

Well, you ain't gonna be around forever; your little darlings might have pull their own hair out of their own plug holes at some point!

 

[pcaouolte]

These things work well: https://www.amazon.co.uk/Flexible-Sink-Cleaning-Brush-Unblocker/dp/B0CCCTKMP5