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Clearing bathtub drain


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Blocked bathtub drains are a common issue that few households escape, particularly when there are long-haired people in residence. Plumbers take time and money, so it’s only natural that you might prefer to learn how to unclog a bathtub drain yourself. 

Hair is by far the worst bathtub drain-clogging offender, alongside soap build-up and residue from bath oils and conditioner, so this isn’t as off-putting a job as unclogging a toilet. However, if your bath has drained slowly ever since it was first installed, the issue is likely to be down to the gradient of the pipework beneath or a more serious sewerage issue, which is when you’ll need to call in a professional. 

This guide will tell you how to unclog a bathtub drain in simple, expert steps; you can take similar steps to unclog a shower drain.

How to unclog a bathtub drain

Prevention is often better than cure. ‘If you find your bathtub is constantly getting clogged, then make a few changes to stop it happening again,’ says David Cruz, plumbing expert at MyJobQuote . ‘A simple strainer will prevent hair clogging the drain. And regular drain cleaning with a ready-made cleaner or even just hot water can help keep soap residue at bay.’ It’s worth adopting the same tactics to avoid the need to unclog a sink, too.

If you are currently experiencing a blocked bathtub, the experts recommend simple bathroom cleaning tips are often the best way to deal with the problem. Here’s how to unclog a bathtub in five steps – we’ve ordered them by ease, so work through step-by-step until your bath empties in a timely manner. 

You will need:

1.

Remove obvious obstructions

If you have a traditional drain stopper on a chain, accessing the drain opening on your bathtub will be a breeze. However, most modern baths support some form of integrated drain stopper – be it pop up, click-clack (a.k.a. toe-touch) or trip-lever. In this instance you will need to remove it to gain better access to the drain. The majority screw off, but some may require a screwdriver to pop the drain stopper. 

Once you have taken the drain stopper out of the equation – and you may find a clog of hair/gunk comes with it – take a good look down the drain, using a torch if required. If you can see any obvious obstructions, use your fingers, small tongs or a wire coat hanger to drag them free.  

2. Boil the blockage away

Assuming there is no standing water in your bath, the next easiest solution for unclogging a bathtub is the good old boiling water trick. ‘Pouring boiling water down the drain will help you get to the areas that may be out of reach. Boiling water is ideal for clearing grease and soap that has stuck together – the heat will activate it and help get things moving,’ explains Chris Wootton, Managing Director, of cleaning service Poppies .  

Just a liter or so of boiling water should suffice. Once it has cleared, try running the faucet to see if things have speeded up. If not, it’s worth trying one more kettle full before moving on to step three. 

3. Use a plunger

Before using a plunger you will need to plug the bath’s overflow to create the necessary vacuum. Most overflow covers screw off, then you can simply plug the hole with a damp face cloth or large slab of putty (like Blu Tack).  

‘To execute the plunger technique properly, remove the drain stopper and fill the water up by a couple of inches. Take a sink plunger, not a toilet plunger, and place this directly over the drain before pumping it up and down a few times, taking pauses to see if the water begins to drain,’ says Trinity Owhe, Design Expert, Victorian Plumbing . ‘Repeat this a few times until, with luck, the blockage is gone.’

4. Add baking soda and vinegar

Cleaning with vinegar and baking soda is a good way to clear a blockage in a bathtub drain. 

‘Baking soda and white vinegar are a great home remedy for unclogging a bathtub drain. Pour some bicarbonate soda into the drain and let it sit for 15 minutes before pouring white vinegar down the drain,’ says Trinity Owhe, Design Expert, Victorian Plumbing. 

‘The chemical reaction that occurs creates a strong foam-like substance that might dislodge any blockages and will also help neutralize unpleasant odors. Once the mixture stops fizzing be sure to rinse this away with water,’ she adds.

5. Invest in a plumber's snake 

If your blockage is still refusing to budge, it’s time to tool up and learn how to use a drain snake or one of the range of tools, readily available from hardware stores or online, designed to delve deeper into your drain. Plumber’s snakes, hair snakes and long, flexible pipe-cleaners are all brilliant for breaking through blockages further down the pipework underneath your bath.  

‘A metal plumber’s snake that is about 9ft long is best for accessing any obstructions that can’t be removed by hand. They’re easy to use and very effective,’ says Ben Chalk, Chartered Construction Manager, GIR Services .  

(Image credit: Future PLC/Linda Clayton)

What can I pour down my bathtub drain to unclog it?

Boiling water should be your first port of call. ‘Baking soda and vinegar are also great natural alternatives to chemical solutions. Pour a cup of baking soda down the drain, wait a few minutes for it to set, then pour a cup of white vinegar down the drain,’ advises Chris Wootton, Managing Director, of cleaning service Poppies.

‘The mildly acidic solution should break down more severe clogs and following up by pouring boiling water down a few hours later should help clear any lingering debris. In the event this doesn’t work, you may need to resort to chemicals or unblocker – there are lots of reasonably priced and effective drain unblockers on the market,’ adds Chris.   

Linda graduated from university with a First in Journalism, Film and Broadcasting. Her career began on a trade title for the kitchen and bathroom industry, and she has worked for Homes & Gardens, and sister-brands Livingetc, Country Homes & Interiors and Ideal Home, since 2006, covering interiors topics, though kitchens and bathrooms are her specialism. 

How to Unclog a Bathtub| Mr. Rooter Blog

You roll out of bed and make your way into the bathroom. You’re ready for a refreshing shower to start your day off right. But as you lather up your hair, you realize the water is creeping up around your ankles. Before your next shower, you need to unclog that bathtub drain! (Not to mention those grimy bath toys the kids play with.)

Chemical drain cleaner may come to mind first, but this is a harmful way to unclog drains for a few reasons. First, repeated use of harsh chemicals can damage your pipes and lead to trouble later on. Second, pouring toxic substances down the drain pollutes the municipal water supply.

It’s much better to use natural methods and home remedies to unclog a bathtub drain. Here are the top suggestions from Mr. Rooter Plumbing, a Neighbourly company.

Tips on How to Unclog a Bathtub

You have a few options for unclogging a bathtub drain without chemicals.

Remove easy-to-reach gunk
Start by removing the stopper. If your tub has a pop-up drain plug, insert a screwdriver under the cover, loosen the screw, and remove the plug. As you lift it out, you may find that hair and other debris have accumulated here. If you’re too grossed out to remove this gunk by hand, bend a wire coat hanger into a hook using needle-nose pliers. Then, fish out any foreign material from the drain with this handy tool.

Sometimes, simply removing and cleaning these parts will get things moving. Send a blast of hot water down the drain to finish the job. If the tub still backs up, the blockage is located further down, and you’ll need to try other home remedies to unclog the bathtub drain.

Pour boiling water down the drain
Boil a large pot of water and pour it slowly down the tub drain. The goal is to dissolve the soap scum and dislodge the hair buildup. Pouring a cup of baking soda followed by one cup vinegar can also loosen things up.

Use a plunger
With the stopper removed, you can clear the drain with a plunger. First, you should plug the overflow drain to create a vacuum. To do this, remove the cover plate below the bathtub faucet and insert a washcloth or hand towel into the hole so air can’t escape.

Next, set the plunger over the drain and fill the tub with a few inches of hot water. Apply several thrusting motions to attempt to get things moving.

Use a plumber’s snake
If the clog remains despite your efforts with a plunger, it’s time to break out the heavy artillery. An auger, or plumber’s snake, features a long, flexible cable with a coiled spring at one end and a hand crank on the other. You can purchase or rent one for the job.

Insert the cable into the drain and turn the crank until you reach the blockage. Push and pull the cable to help it become embedded in the clog. Then, turn the crank in the opposite direction to pull the cable back out. If the coiled spring comes up empty, try inserting it into the overflow drain to clear blockages that lie beyond the drain trap.

Contact Mr. Rooter Plumbing for Help Clearing Clogged Drains

While you should be able to unclog the bathtub yourself, you may not have the time, patience, or capability to do the job yourself. Fortunately, Mr. Rooter Plumbing is here to help. We offer quick, affordable drain clearing to get your tub flowing smoothly again.

To schedule services with one of our courteous plumbers, please contact Mr. Rooter Plumbing today!

This blog is made available by Mr. Rooter LLC, for educational purposes only to give the reader general information and a general understanding on the specific subject above. The blog should not be used as a substitute for a licensed plumbing professional in your state or region. Check with city and state laws before performing any household project.

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90,000 how to eliminate the blockage in the bathroom with improvised, folk or professional tools

Content

Even the cleanest bathroom can become clogged. Of course, neat owners encounter this problem much less often, but blockage cannot be ruled out. In order to be fully equipped and not to get confused in case of a problem, you need to have several important tools on the farm and carefully study how to clear a blockage in the bathroom.

Causes of mud plugs

Sooner or later, lumps of hair, wool, particles of rags and other substances collect in the pipes, which form a mud plug and prevent the passage of sewage. Also, one of the causes of blockage can be fatty deposits, which contribute to the sticking of household contaminants. In order to understand what to do when the pipe is already clogged, it is important to determine the nature and degree of clogging.

Clogged drainpipe

If this happened in an apartment building, then first you need to find out if it is a local blockage (in the apartment sewer distribution) or a common building blockage (in the sewer riser). When the blockage is local, you can deal with it on your own, but with a common house, you can’t do without a specialist.

It is very easy to determine: it is enough to turn on the water at two points (bathroom and kitchen) and observe: the water does not drain only at one of the points, which means local blockage; stands at both points - the pipe riser is clogged and you can safely call a plumber. And you can deal with local blockage on your own. You just need to follow a number of rules and listen to the advice of experienced people.

Removing blockage mechanically

There are several methods for cleaning pipes from blockage:

Attention! Do not use the thermal method on pipes that may not withstand elevated temperatures.

Sometimes filling out an application to call the master and waiting for him can take several hours. A blockage in the sewer makes it impossible to use both the water supply and the sanitary unit as a whole.

A plunger is always at hand

In the arsenal of a good housewife, all the necessary tools are at hand for any situation. Plunger is one of the most important household items. Without his help, you can not do with blockages in the bathroom or in the sink in the kitchen. Cleaning a blockage in the bathroom with a plunger is a little more difficult than in the sink. When removing such a blockage, it is necessary to close the overflow hole with a plug or a second plunger in order to create a vacuum in the place of cleaning.

Removing a blockage with a plunger

How to properly clean a bathroom pipe with a plunger:

  1. Lubricate the bottom of the rubber cup of the plunger with petroleum jelly.
  2. Align the plunger with the hole in the tubs.
  3. Plug the bathtub overflow with a plug or a second plunger.
  4. Fill with water to cover ¼ cup of plunger.
  5. Make several forward movements.
  6. Remove blockage.

Please note that the bathtub and washbasins are interconnected and the shocks generated by the plunger reach them as well. Be sure to cover the drain holes to prevent the contents from sloshing out.

Plunger allows you to clear the blockage in the pipes without the help of specialists

Tip: sometimes the problem is solved by unscrewing and cleaning the siphon cup.

If the blockage cannot be cleared the first time, repeat the procedure again. Please note that only those blockages that are located close to the drain can be removed with a plunger, if the pipe is clogged behind the siphon, then you should choose another method.

Rope - the effective way

If the plunger is useless, then the problem is much more serious. We'll have to resort to heavier artillery - a plumbing cable. The length of the plumbing cable is usually no more than 3.5 m. In order to clear the blockage in the pipe, it is necessary to insert it into the drain hole.

Slowly turning the handle located on one end of the cable, it is necessary to insert the device until it rests on the blockage with the other end. With a sharp rotational movement, you need to pick up the blockage in the pipe and perform a back and forth movement, thus clearing the clogged pipe.

Plumbing cable with nozzles for clearing blockages in pipes

On the opposite side of the handle, the cable has the shape of a drill, thanks to which the mud plug is loosened and its small fractions immediately pass further along the sewer, and the main part of the blockage clings to the cable and is pulled out. When removing the cable from the drain hole, you should immediately wipe it from dirt so as not to stain all the contents of the pipe.

Attention! Take precautions when working with sewer blockages. Work in thick rubber gloves, wear goggles and a mask so as not to pick up an infection.

Do not work on the cable alone. It is difficult for one person to cope with both the direction of the cable and its rotation in the pipe. In addition, the cable is made of elastic steel, and can spring and injure you.

Chemistry will cope with any blockage

What to do if a pipe that is clogged cannot be cleaned by either the plunger or the cable, and even cleaning the siphon does not give the expected results? In this case, you have to resort to chemicals. With the help of chemistry, you can clean any blockage without applying the slightest effort.

Clog cleaner chemicals require careful adherence to instructions for use

When choosing a drain cleaner, all active ingredients of the selected product should be considered. Some of them are so aggressive that they can only be used in cast iron pipes. And some can be used exclusively for plastic piping.

Very important!!! When working with any chemical preparation, maximum care and protective equipment is required.

To achieve the desired result, it is necessary to pour the amount indicated on the label into the drain hole and wait until it does its job. Then open the warm water and clean the sewer pipe with water from the blockage and the flooded product.

Observe safety precautions when working with chemicals. Avoid contact with skin or mucous membranes. You should also be careful not to get such products on chrome surfaces, otherwise it can not only clean the pipe, but also clean the mixer from the chrome coating.

Chemicals easily cope with almost any blockage in pipes

Also, chemicals are used for preventive purposes, small doses of the substance, diluted with water, are poured into the drain hole and wait a few minutes for the drug to begin to act. Then washed with running warm water. This procedure is carried out at least 1 time per month.

Tip: if you are afraid of harming the environment, use folk remedies to clear the blockage in the bathroom. They are not as effective, but they are safe.

Folk remedies

Whatever people came up with to clear blockages in pipes with the help of improvised means. I poured citric acid, sucked up the blockage from the pipe with a vacuum cleaner (this method is highly not recommended - it leads to the purchase of a new vacuum cleaner), but not all of these manipulations were effective enough. In practice, it turned out that it is best to eliminate blockages in the bathroom with soda and vinegar.

If you don't want to use mechanical pipe cleaners, traditional methods are for you
  1. Cleaning with soda. ½ pack of soda is poured into the drain hole, after 5-10 minutes it is poured with hot water.
  2. Vinegar cleaning. 4 tbsp is poured into the drain hole. l. soda and poured with a glass of vinegar. The hole is closed. In 10 minutes. washed with a liter of boiling water, and then with a large stream of hot water.

There are a lot of various methods invented by ordinary people, each housewife tries to invent her own unique way to clean a clogged pipe in the bathroom, but often these are all futile gestures. For the most part, folk remedies are suitable for kitchen sinks, because they cope better with grease blockages, but cleaning with vinegar is also suitable for the bathroom.

Prevention of blockages

Prevent blockages from having to be cleared

In old, worn pipelines, the likelihood of a dirt plug is increased due to gaps and roughness on the inner surface of the pipe. The best prevention of blockages is the timely replacement of sewer wiring and risers. Also, in order to avoid blockages, it is necessary to install a removable grate on the drain hole, which will trap unwanted contaminants and small things that accidentally fall into the drain.

It is always better to remove dirt from the outside than to take it out of the pipe, while pouring the contents of the sewer pipe into your bathroom and flooding your neighbors.

Get a plunger and a plumbing cable so that they are at hand at the right time

Do not hide the plunger and the cable far away, they should be in an accessible place. In a panic, in the event of an accident and the eruption of the contents of a sewer pipe, there is not always time to remember where you threw the plunger you bought several years ago. You need to act quickly.

How to eliminate the blockage in the bathroom using improvised means: Video

https://youtu.be/2_nrs0ouum4

Cleaning pipes from blockages: photo

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How to clean a pipe in a bathroom.

How to clean the sewer in the bathroom with a cable

The easiest solution to the problem of mechanical removal of blockage from a plastic collapsible siphon is to unscrew the cup and remove the accumulated dirt and debris, substituting in advance a small container where the remaining drains will drain. It will be convenient to get hairballs with a small hook made of wire. Often they form a real network that completely blocks the gap of the watercourse.

How to clean the pipe in the bathroom if the siphon is not separable or difficult to reach? Simple tools in the form of a wire hook, a plunger, or chemicals that dissolve the blockage will help solve the problem. To eliminate the blockage in the pipe, you need a household plumbing cable.

How to clear a blockage in the bathroom with a plunger

Open the water a little so that the area around the drain is wet. Cover the drain hole with a plunger cup and begin to reciprocate without lifting it from the surface. For several such manipulations, it will be possible to break through the cork. Despite the positive effect, we recommend that you first try to clean the siphon with a wire hook. The rules for using a plunger are as follows:

Before you get started, it's good to know when and how to clear bathroom clogs with a plunger to be effective. The most common causes of clogged drains are hair and sand. The sandy sediment will be washed out by the pressure of water, but a lump of hair pierced from one place will definitely get stuck somewhere else, and then you won’t be able to get by with a plunger. By gradually removing the hair plug, you will free the duct for draining. Finish cleaning by rinsing with hot water. You can just turn on the faucet, but it's better to take a bath of hot water and rinse the drain.

Clean the tub with a rope

When using a plumbing rope to remove a blockage in the pipe, there are a few things you need to know that will help you deal with the problem without spending a lot of time. Here they are:

Cleaning the bathtub with chemicals

When there is neither a cable nor a plunger at hand, a Mole-type chemical agent, poured or poured into a siphon, will help eliminate the problem. If this substance is not available, then use a simple folk remedy: pour half a glass of soda into the drain hole and pour the same amount of vinegar. After ten to fifteen minutes, flush the system with hot water. This method will be effective for removing soap and grease plugs only.

The limitation of this method is that:

Flushing with hot water will solve the problem

When soap buildup clogged the lines, flushing the system with hot water will help get rid of the problem. During this time, the soap formations will dissolve and be washed away. Important: do not use boiling water for this procedure because plastic drainage systems are not designed for high temperatures. The method is the simplest possible and has the following advantages:

Prevent the formation of traffic jams

If you want to get rid of traffic jams and no longer face the search for an answer on how to clean the pipe in the bathroom - try to follow the basic rules for using a drain. It is much more profitable to prevent the formation of traffic jams than to eliminate them. To ensure that the sewer network is always in good condition, do the following:

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Masters of the Krot-Service company will undertake this work. With the help of professional equipment, we will eliminate the blockage in the bathroom, shower, hydrobox, jacuzzi. We carry out all types of sewerage cleaning in the apartment, house, office, hotel. We work 24 hours a day, 7 days a week in Kyiv and the region. The main thing: after us you do not have to do the cleaning.

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