How to unclog a bathtub drain (5 best ways) (2023)

The best ways to free a bathtub drain

You have aSlow drain bathtub? Have you noticed that the water in your bathtub isn't draining as quickly as it used to? Or maybe you noticed that your feet were covered with water in the shower? That means you have a clogged drain and you need to unclog it before it gets worse.

Here are the steps you need to follow to find outhow to unclog the bathtub drain

What causes a bath or shower to become clogged?

Behind the scenes, owning a home means dealing with clogged showers and slow-draining bathtubs. The reason for this is that anything that goes down the drain can leave residue and build up over time. Gradually, a mass of soap, hair, and dirt builds up, preventing water from flowing down the drain normally. This causes the shower (or tub) to drain slowly and unless you clear the clog, little or no water can get through.

Before you begin to attach the bathtub drain

Make sure you have the right tools to clean drains. Each of these methods to unclog a slow bathtub drain requires its own set of tools. What you need:

• blanket or towel
• Old clothes (it's useless to soil good clothes)
• Bucket
• screwdriver
• Gloves
• Needle nose pliers or tweezers
• snake, claw or perch

We'll go through the different onesWays to solve drainsfrom the simplest to the most difficult. That way, you know you're taking the right steps at the right time. These are pretty simple things you can do to fix a slow bathtub drain, and most people get lucky with any or all of them.

Let's fix that clogged drain!

Use hot water to unclog the bathroom drain.

You'll be surprised how often this works. Of course, most people will move on to the next one, but this one is surprisingly effective and unclogs the tub.

1. Remove the sump drain plug and check for visible obstructions (inserts). Strands of hair and other debris like soap scum can block the keg, and a simple onePipe cleaners like this one, or some kind of hook, can come in and remove the blockage.
2. Fill a kettle with water and bring to a boil.
3. When the water boils, pour the water down the bathtub drain. Remember that you are holding boiling water and splashing could burn you.
4. Turn on the water and see if the drain runs faster.

This method can dissolve any soap scum and debris in the pipes. Before doing anything else it's always a good idea to try it as it works quite often.

If this does not unclog the pan, continue to the next step.

How to Unclog a Bathtub Drain Using Baking Soda and Vinegar (No Harsh Chemicals)

Before using harsh chemicals in the drain, you can use this home remedy to clean your bathtub or shower drain. This method is easy. With the plug and strainer out, follow these steps to naturally clear your drain without chemicals.

1. Remove the cap to access the drain and check for any visible blockages.
2. Pour 4-6 cups of boiling water down the drain. This is to remove anything that might come loose from boiling water.
3. Pour 1/2 cup baking soda down the drain and then 1 cup white distilled vinegar down the drain over the baking soda.
4. Give the baking soda and vinegar solution 5 minutes to work its magic. While you wait, put a kettle on to boil.
5. Pour boiling water down the drain. This will react with the white vinegar and baking soda, removing clogs and debris from the clogged drain.

If this does not unclog the tub, continue to the next method to unclog a clogged drain.

How to unclog a bathtub drain with standing water using a plunger

When you can't pour water down the drain because the tub is so clogged it won't come out, it's time to use some force.

Your next step will be to use aPistonstrying to suck up and remove clogs in your tub. There are special sink plungers that you can use for sinks and bathtubs that are smaller than a toilet plunger.

That's goodBecause the spout size fits most drains and the accordion style plunger is better for unclogging sink and shower drains.

1. Fill the tub with water up to a few inches. You must do this in order for the plunger to be properly primed in the drain.
2. Plug the overflow hole. To do this, it may be necessary to loosen the overflow plate and put it aside. The overflow hole should then be closed or covered with a towel to keep the air pressure constant.
3. Use the plunger on the drain cap. Spend some time dunking down the drain but be careful if something comes loose it can climb up and fall into the tub. Do a few dips (10-15 times) and see if anything comes out.
4. If nothing comes out of the tub, apply a little more force to see if anything comes loose.
5. When you remove the clog, dirty water will start leaking out.
6. Run some water down the drain to make sure it's flowing properly.
7. Replace overflow plate.
8. If that doesn't work, move on to the next method.

At this point, it looks like what's clogging your tub is pretty good, so we'll need to use a few more tools to see if we can clear the clog.

How to unclog bathtub drains with a drain claw or plumbing snake

If your drain is stubbornly clogged, using a claw or snake may help. These items are relatively inexpensive and can be purchased at any hardware store or on Amazon. The drain claw tends to work better as it's easier to use in this situation. However, it's always good to have a plumbing snake as a household tool. You can use a hanger, but it's not as pretty or easy.

Here are the steps to free a drain with a drain clamp.

1. Removed tub drain plug and strainer to gain access to plumbing.
2. Insert the drain clamp as far into the drain as possible. Remember that your drainpipes will bend and there will be a siphon in the bend. So you need to push the resistance.
3. Keep squeezing the trap to ensure thorough cleaning.
4. Once you've successfully slipped the claw through the trap, you can start pulling the claw out of the drain and it will grab any blockages that may have appeared in its hooks.
5. Thoroughly clean the snake or claw after removing the dirt; Otherwise, it may not work for you next time.
6. Test the drain by running the water down to see if the water drains faster. If the water runs smoothly, it's done.
7. If the water doesn't drain faster, read on.

Click here to find a plumbing snake

How to unclog a bathtub drain with chemical cleaners

Since you've already tried to naturally and physically unclog your bathtub drain clog, the next step is to purchase a chemical drain cleaner to try and unclog the clog.

*Warning: When using chemicals such as chemical drain cleaners it is important not to mix different types as this can cause problemsunwanted chemical reaction. These chemicals can give off toxic fumes in your home, so be sure to follow the manufacturer's instructions.

Step 1: Put on your protective gear.

You must wear goggles and gloves and even a mask. inhale these chemicalsdrain cleanerIt can induce vomiting as I speak from experience. Since this will cause a chemical reaction, it's a good idea to ventilate the room well by opening the windows in the area to allow air to flow.

Step 2: Read the product instructions.

When purchasing a chemical for your plumbing, it's good to know what type of plumbing you have. Is it, for example, plastic pipes, copper pipes or something else? Make sure the chemical cleaner you use is the right one for your tube types; You could do damage and have a bigger problem on your hands.

Step 3 - Follow the instructions

Assuming you've already removed all of the standing water (make sure you do that first!), follow your dry cleaner's directions for adding the right amount of product down the drain. Don't assume that using more is better or that using less makes you more likely to do so. You should make sure you follow the manufacturer's instructions exactly as you are dealing with harsh chemicals and it's important to get it right.

Step 4: Wait

After flushing the chemicals down the drain, it's important to let them sit for the recommended amount of time. You have to make sure the chemicals have enough time to do their job. Giving it less time than the manufacturer recommends can result in it not having the right effect.

Step 5 - Flush the drain

When the wait time is up, you should run cold water down the drain (unless the product's instructions tell you otherwise) and watch how quickly the water comes out of the tub. If the water drainage hasn't improved significantly, there may be a bigger problem and it's time to move on to the last step.

Call a professional plumber

If you've tried all of the above ideas and nothing has fixed your bathtub drain problem, it's time to call a professional plumber. You did your best and you can be proud. Of course, calling a plumber is a last resort, but if none of these ideas for removing stubborn clogs have worked, it's time to call a professional.

Use the linkbelow to find a trusted plumber in your area to assess what happened.

Click here to find a professional installer near you

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Final thoughts on unclogging a bathtub drain

There are several ways to clear the bathtub. It's best to start at the beginning and work your way up.

If after trying all the options there is still no water movement, this is the caseTime to call the expert.but whyTrying these methods usually solves it 90% of the time.Much luck!

Click here to find a professional installer near you