Unclog a Bathtub Drain

Instead of spending your money on a plumber, try to clear the clog yourself. This article will show you several ways of doing that. You may need to use two or more techniques to completely unclog a drain, so don't give up if the first try doesn’t work.

10 Second Summary

• Use a drain claw for hair and soap buildup. Remove the strainer or stopper first, then insert the claw.
• Try a chemical drain cleaner. Put on some gloves and follow the instructions on the label carefully. Flush the drain with cold water afterwards.
• Try baking soda. Remove the stopper and pour boiling water into the drain, followed by baking soda and vinegar. Wait 15 to 20 minutes, then flush with more hot water.
• Use a toilet plunger. Remove the stopper and any gunk. Fill the tub with some water, then cover the drain hole with a plunger. Pump the plunger to create suction.
• Clean the strainer or stopper if the water is draining slowly. Remove it first, then clear out any gunk.

Steps

Using a Drain Claw

1. Remove the strainer. Hair and soap often accumulate underneath the strainer, which is located in or over the drain. Though many strainers can be removed manually, some have screws that will need to be removed, too. Remove the screws with the proper screwdriver.
   • If you do not know which type of screwdriver to use, match the screwdriver to the screw head.
   • The size and shape of the screwdriver head should easily fit into the screw.
   • Turn each screw surrounding the strainer until all are loose. Then, place the screws in a safe location while you unclog the drain.
2. Remove the stopper. Some drains have tub stoppers instead of strainers, and these are also located in the drain. These are easier to remove because they are not held down with any screws. Simply remove the stopper by twisting and lifting it.
3. Remove excessive gunk around the strainer and stopper. A lot of gunk may have accumulated on the strainer or stopper over time. Clean any hair or soap scum; you may have to scrub the strainer and stopper depending on how dirty they are.
4. Insert the drain stick down the drain. When the drain stick is inserted deep enough, it will hit a drain trap, which is a curved part of the drain. Keep pushing the drain stick through this trap. The stick is flexible and will bend.
5. Pull out the drain stick. The claw has many small interlocking hooks, so it will grab hair and allow you to pull gunk out. Clean the gunk off of the drain stick if you want to save it to use again in the future. Hair and soap can build up in as little as a few months, so having a drain stick often comes in handy.
6. Test the bathtub to see if it is unclogged. Water should now go down the drain properly. If this method did not work, try another method.
7. Replace the cover or stopper the same way that you removed it. If the drain claw worked, you can now replace your strainer or stopper. Strainers will need to be screwed back onto the top of the drain, whereas you can just place the stopper back in the drain.

Using Chemical Drain Cleaners

1. Buy a chemical drain cleaner from the store. Chemical drain cleaners unclog drains with chemicals such as potassium hydroxide or sulfuric acid. When properly used, they will clear most drain clogs. Choose a type of drain cleaner from your local hardware or discount department store.
   • Make sure the product is intended for your system; on the back of the cleaner, it will say what types of pipes it is suitable for.
   • Buy a product intended specifically for bathtubs.
   • If you are confused about where the cleaners are located or which one to buy, ask an employee for help.
2. Read the instructions on the back of the cleaner. These are the manufacturer’s instructions, and all drain cleaners will have slightly different ones. Some may require you to wear protective goggles, pour in only a certain amount of liquid, and so on. Reading the instructions on the back is crucial to using the chemical drain cleaner safely.
3. Remove any standing water from the bathtub. You may need to use a bucket or large cup to remove any water remaining in your bathtub.
4. Pour the required amount of cleaner into the bathtub drain. Drano, for example, requires you to pour half of a bottle (32 oz) down a clogged drain. On the other hand, Crystal Lye Drain Opener requires you to only pour 1 tablespoon. Be careful to not splash the chemical cleaner as you open the bottle and pour the chemicals into the drain.
   • Clean up any spills immediately.
   • Wear gloves at all times when handling any chemicals.
5. Wait for results. Many cleaners say 15-30 minutes will suffice, so let the chemicals sit in the drain for this amount of time. Set a timer to accurately keep track of time.
6. Flush the drain with cold water. The drain should be working after you have waited 15-30 minutes. Turn on the cold water faucet in the bathtub, and the water should immediately disappear down the drain.
7. Contact a professional plumber if the drain has not been cleared. Mixing different chemicals can be dangerous, so do not try a different chemical cleaner if the first has not cleared the bathtub drain. At this point, you should call a professional plumber for assistance.

Using Baking Soda

1. Clean the strainer or stopper. You will find that hair and soap residue may have accumulated underneath the strainer or stopper, which is located in or over the drain. Remove any screws securing the strainer, and remove the stopper by twisting and lifting it. Scrub any gunk or hair that has accumulated.
2. Boil water in a tea kettle. Fill the kettle to the top with water, since there’s no exact measurement of how much water you should use. Allow the water to come to a boil. You can use a large pot to boil water if you do not have a tea kettle.
3. Pour the boiling water directly into the drain. This may instantly unclog the drain. Remember to avoid splashing the hot water, as it could burn you. Now, turn on the bathtub to see if it is now draining normally.
4. Pour ¼ cup of baking soda and 1 cup white vinegar into the drain. If pouring hot water into the drain did not unclog it, use baking soda and vinegar to remove excessive gunk.
5. Wait 15-20 minutes. Allow the baking soda and vinegar to sit for 15-20 minutes. You can use a timer to keep track of the time.
6. Boil more water in the kettle. Once again, fill the kettle up with water and bring it to a boil.
7. Pour hot water directly down the drain. The water will react with the baking soda and vinegar to unclog the drain. Test the bathtub to see if this method unclogged your drain, and try another method if this one did not work. Using baking soda and vinegar does not use any chemicals and generally works for small clogs, so this may not work every time.

Using a Toilet Plunger

1. Scrub the strainer or stopper to remove any gunk. Remove any screws securing the strainer with the proper screwdriver. Twist and lift the stopper to remove it. Scrub the strainer and stopper to remove any hair and soap scum.
2. Fill the bathtub with a few inches of water. You want to fill the tub with just enough water to submerge the plunger; water is how the plunger gets suction.
3. Use the plunger to suction out any obstructions in the drain. Place the bowl of the plunger over the drain, and press and pull it rapidly. You will have to use some force here, and be careful—you may get splashed. Most likely, dirty water and gunk will rush out of the drain while you are plunging it.
   • After about 10 plunges, check to see if there is dirty water and gunk coming out of the drain.
   • Consider adding more force if nothing is coming out of the drain.
   • Keep plunging until the water drains when you remove the plunger.
   • If no obstructions are coming out of the drain, you may need to use a different method.

Cleaning Strainers and Stoppers

1. Remove the strainer. The buildup of gunk on strainers and stoppers often causes slow drainage. Remove any screws around the strainer with the proper screwdriver. Then, place the screws in a safe location while you clean the strainer. Stopper are easier to remove because they are not held down with any screws, so simply remove the stopper by twisting and lifting it.
   • Most bathtub drains have either a strainer or a stopper.
   • This method is usually effective on small clogs, so if your drain is badly clogged, it may not be as effective.
2. Clean excessive gunk around the strainer and stopper. A lot of gunk may have accumulated on the strainer or stopper. Clean any hair or soap scum; you may have to scrub the strainer and stopper.
3. Replace the cover or stopper the same way you removed it. Strainers will need to be re-screwed back onto the top of the drain, whereas you can just place the stopper back in the drain.
4. See if it worked. Turn on your bathtub to see if the drain now works properly. If not, you will need to try another method.

Tips

• Use rubber gloves when working with the drain.
• Avoiding mixing many chemicals together. This could be dangerous.

Things You’ll Need

• Toilet plunger
• Bucket
• Screwdriver
• Drain stick
• Baking soda
• Vinegar
• Salt
• Cold water
• Chemical cleaner
• Rubber gloves
• Kettle

Warnings

• If you use a liquid drain cleaner, and the drain is still clogged, be sure to tell your plumber, so that they can take the appropriate precautions.
• If you should use a liquid drain cleaner, wait a few hours before you decide to take a bath. Remnants of the drain cleaner can seep up from the drain and into your bathwater. Flush the drain well with clear water.
• Use care when handling any liquid drain cleaners. They contain chemicals that can burn your skin.

Related Articles

• Unclog a Toilet
• Unclog a Kitchen Sink
• Unclog a Bathroom Sink That Drains Slowly
• Unblock a Drain

Sources and Citations

See also

• Clean a Dishwasher Drain
• Unclog a Kitchen Sink
• Plunge a Sink
• Make a Basement French Drain
• Clear a Clogged Drain with Vinegar
• Use a Plunger
• Unclog a Sink Naturally
• Make a Pop up Drain Stay Closed
• Restore Water Flow To a Clogged Kitchen Drain
• Unclog a Garbage Disposal

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