My first attempt so please bear with me.
By the time I finish a shower I'm in ankle deep water. Tub drains, but slowly. Can't get the drain out so removed the plate below the faucet and ran the snake through there. Got around all the bends and went the length of the snake -- about 20 ft. Didn't run into anything -- snake came back relatively clean. Toilet in same bathroom doesn't seem to have any problems. Got any suggestions? Thanks for listening.
Ralph Clark

Good morning Ralph,
Since you can't snake from a tub drain the overflow plate is the only way you can get in.
Let's do the shower first and see if it helps the tub. Shower clogs consists of rotting hair matted in with grease from the soap.
The shower branch needs to be snaked and flushed out clear. Let me show you how. First remove the strainer,(TIP: put the screws in the soap dish. They will be hard to replace if they go down the drain.) Now work your snake past the trap and 10 or15 feet beyond. When you pull the snake back it should have the hair that was clogging your shower on the auger tip. Now pour 1/4 gallon of bleach down in the trap and let it set over night. Next morning pour a pan of boiling down the shower to clear what's left and make your drain smell nice.
Good luck, tom

Speedball1,
Thanks for the speedy reply. You're dealing with a real novice here. The shower drain and the tub drain are one in the same. Seems that the only option is to go down the overflow opening (after taking the plate off). And I've tried that to no avail. What am I missing? Is there some way I can get the drain stopper out -- in a way that I can use it again?
Sure appreciate your help.
Ralph

Hey Ralph,

You can not snake a tub from the drain, period. You will run into a tee you can't get past. You must go down the overflow plate. You will hit the trap about18" down. Crank and work your way around the return bend of the trap and put out about 15 feet more. When you pull the snake back it should have the hair that was clogging your tub on the auger tip. Now pour 1/4 gallon of bleach down in the trap and let it set over night. Next morning pour a pan of boiling down the shower to clear what's left and make your drain smell nice. Good luck, Tom