Bathtub drains often get clogged up after weeks, months, and even years of hair, dirt, fuzz, and bits of soap building up in the bathtub pipes. Whether you’ve noticed it is taking your bathtub longer and longer to drain or your bathtub is filled with water and completely clogged, these tips may help you unclog your bathtub drain quickly and cheaply.
Hot water – If your bathtub drain is not completely clogged (as in the water still drains, just very slowly). Turn on the hot water and let it run for a few minutes. Depending on the severity of the clog, the hot water may begin to dislodge the built up hair and scum in the drain pipe. This method won’t work if your bathtub is full of backed up water.
Plunge it – Much like the clogged toilet, you can use a standard plunger to unclog your bathtub drain. If your bathtub has an overflow hole or overflow plate, you’ll need to cover it with a wet towel or rag. Hold the wet rag over the overflow plate while plunging the drain. The rag prevents the created suction from seeping out the overflow opening. Again, depending on the clog you may be able to unclog the drain quite well with the plunger. Pull out the clog when it is close to the surface opening as much as you can.
Snake it – If you have a cable auger (sometimes called a snake), you can use that to unclog your bathtub drain. If you have an overflow plate, remove it and clear away any debris. You’ll slide the auger through the overflow opening and keep pushing it down about 2 feet or so. Even if you feel some resistance, keep working it down. Some augers come with handles and cranks to make retrieving the cable easier.
Drain cleaners – Household drain unclogging chemicals can often work wonders on a clogged drain. They can flow deep into the drain reaching clogs that augers may not reach. You can purchase them at a wide variety of stores and there are many brands and types to choose from. Usually you’ll pour half or all of the bottle down the drain depending on the instructions on the bottle. After about 15 minutes or so, run hot water into the drain for a few minutes. This method is not recommended if your bathtub is backed up or filled with water already.
If none of these options work and your bathtub still drains water slowly or not at all, it may be time to call a plumber as your clogged drain may be severely backed up.
You can minimize the severity of drainpipe clogs by always keeping the screen or drain hole grate in place whenever bathing or showering. Always clean this after each use and once a week remove it to clean out debris and hair caught just below the drain opening. Run hot water down the drain from time to time and keep a bottle of drain cleaner handy for occasional use. Preventing drain clogs in the first place can save you time and money in the long run.
