How to remove shower drain?

[djm2121]

Hi everyone

Just looking to get some advice in regards to my shower drain that's draining slowly

Moved in about 12m ago and recently noticed the shower draining slowly

I've tried to remove the grate to get access an auger in there but haven't been successful. Tried leaving in WD40 at the rim, tried turning out out with pliers and hitting with a screwdriver and mallet. So I've given up on turning the grate and now considering removing and replacing the entire thing

At the moment, the square section of the drain cover appears to be surrounded by silicon and not grout. Is this as simple as cutting the silicon to remove the whole drain cover, get the auger in and clean the drain and replacing it with a suitable similar sized cover and silicon?

The dimensions of the square portion is 90mm x 90mm and I think the diameter of the circular section is 80mmdrain cover 

Pretty new to home ownership/DIY, so any advice or comments would be very much appreciated!!

Thanks!!

[JacobZ]

Hi @djm2121,

Thank you for your question and welcome to the Bunnings Workshop community, it is fantastic to have you with us.

Considering you are happy to replace the full grate I'd suggest we try some slightly more aggressive methods to attempt the removal of the circular central piece. 

If it comes out intact, you won't need to replace it, but if it gets damaged, you can always replace it with a new Kinetic 80mm Chrome Plated Square Floor Grate.
 

Put the handle of an adjustable wrench centred on the middle slot. Take another adjustable wrench and tighten it around the handle. Now you have a bar lever at right angles to the grate which you can try turning or tapping lightly with a hammer. This may break or bend the middle bars, but if not, this may give you enough leverage to turn the grate to break its connection and allow you to lever it out.

If this doesn't prove effective you can always use a utility knife to cut the silicone around the square section of the grate to remove and replace it with a new one. When using a knife, please ensure you wear suitable protective clothing including gloves and a long-sleeved work shirt to prevent any unnecessary lacerations.

Let me know what you think and if you have further questions please don't hesitate to ask.

Jacob