Clogged bathtub drains can be an inconvenient burden. Luckily, there are numerous DIY strategies you can try before consulting with a plumber.
First, open and remove your tub’s overflow cover plate as well as its stopper to reveal a mess of hair and soap scum in your tub. Next, boil some water before pouring it down the drain to help unclog it further.
If these DIY strategies don’t work, you can seek professional help from Clover Services, and they will assist you with your concerns.
1. Clean the stopper and strainer
Hair and soap scum can sometimes accumulate under the strainer or stopper of a tub drain, necessitating removal, and thorough scrubbing. Since many strainers are held in place by screws, cover these screws with tape to avoid accidental drops down the drain.
Stoppers should also be removed carefully; typically, they should be easier to dismantle than attachments with screws. If the stopper contains a set screw, make sure it is removed first before attempting to remove the whole stopper.
2. Plunge
For optimal results, wear rubber gloves and use a trash bag when inspecting drains to look for hairballs or any other source of obstruction that might be blocking up the flow.
Remove the tub stopper and plunge vigorously up and down several times. Add some petroleum jelly around the edge of the plunger for added lubrication if this doesn’t work – or hire an expert who specializes in hydro jetting, which uses high-powered water pressure to clear out your pipes and drains.
3. Boil water, then add vinegar and baking soda
If the clog persists despite cleaning the stopper, boiling water might help. Boiling helps melt grease and dislodge blockages from pipes.
After the toilet, tub drains receive the highest usage in any home and are especially susceptible to hair and debris clogging up their drains. If these methods don’t work, then professional help should be sought by calling in a plumber.
The last resort may seem obvious, but sometimes DIY solutions just aren’t enough. Put one cup of hot water down the drain before mixing half a cup of baking soda with one cup of vinegar in an equal mixture and giving them time to react before pouring more boiling water down it.
If this doesn’t clear the clog, then investing in either a drain snake or an auger might be necessary. Both options can be found at hardware stores and easily fitted into an overflow hole for use.
4. Drain claw or stick
If the plunger and hot water have failed to unclog your bathtub drain, more advanced DIY clog-removing strategies may be necessary. A drain snake or heavy wire coat hanger bent into a hook are effective solutions that can clear clogs deep within pipes.
Once the strainer and stopper have been removed, insert a hook into the drain. Push and pull until you feel something has grabbed on it – if this occurs, continue pulling until all clogs have been broken up and cleared away.
If this doesn’t work, try using a commercial clog remover – but keep in mind they can be caustic and may cause irreparable damage if used incorrectly; always follow the manufacturer’s instructions carefully!
5. Hydro jetting
Hydro jetting utilizes pressurized water to quickly clear away clogs. It is non-invasive, requires no harsh chemicals, and is safe for the environment; however, before beginning this method, it is crucial that plumbing professionals inspect pipes to make sure that they are strong enough.
Plumbers will feed a hose-like device equipped with a special nozzle down your drain to unclog it. The front of this nozzle contains multiple water jets which spray forward, sideways, and backward to effectively clear out clogs and clean your pipe system.
Hydro jetting may be your solution if your drain has become blocked with sediment or smells foul; reach out to local plumbing experts immediately to begin this process! They’ll use video inspection equipment to assess its severity as well as any materials present that could have contributed to its creation.
