Unstopping Your Bathtub Drain
How to unclog your bathtub drain. Your bathtub drain is not invincible. Because globs of hair and grime wash down the drain on a daily basis, it’s likely that your bathtub drain will clog from time to time. It is terribly unappealing to take a shower ankle deep in dirty water. You could call a professional plumber to do their magic and clear the obstruction, but you can save time and money by handling the problem yourself. Here’s how:
A Step-by-Step Process for Clearing Bathtub Clogs
Step 1: Remove the Drain Cover
Removing the drain cover may not be pleasant and is not for the squeamish because you never know what you might find. If there is a pre-installed stopper, you will need to unscrew it before the cover can be removed. Then you need to pry up the drain cover with a pair of household pliers. Once you pull the cover up, you may find the obstruction that was preventing the water from draining right there in plain sight. Clear out the hair and debris and you may have easily resolved your problem.
Step 2: Clearing an Inset Clog
If you do not see the source of the problem when you remove the drain cover, you may have an inset clog that will require you to dig a little deeper. You probably don’t own a drain claw, so head to your closet and take out a couple of wire clothes hangers. By straightening out the hanger wire you can create a claw that will let you go fishing for muck inside the pipe.
Make sure you pull the obstruction out of the drain instead of pushing it in. You’ll also want to clean the hair and gunk you ‘catch’ off the wire before you go fishing for more. Once you think you have cleared out the obstruction, flush the drain with hot water and see if the problem is solved. If the water is moving better but still slow, run more hot water and use a plunger to loosen any debris that you missed during your fishing expedition.
Step 3: Homemade Unclogging Concoction
Many plumbers recommend avoiding toxic chemical products to dissolve obstructions because such liquids can also eat away at your plumbing lines. However, if your drain claw is not long enough to clear out the blockage, you may want to consider making your own solution to eat it away.
Mix one-half of a cup of baking soda with one-half cup of vinegar and pour it down your drain immediately. You will hear the fizzing and that means that the mixture is working. Run the water and check the drainage. You may need to fill the tub with hot water deep enough to cover a plunger and then push your mixture deeper into the drain to help it work.
Step 4: Call in a Plumber
If you are still unable to unclog your bathroom drain, it may be time to call in the big guns to fix the problem. You can save yourself expense and trouble if you have a home warranty that covers your plumbing. American Home Shield provides reliable service technicians that will take care of the problem quickly for the low house call fee you originally determined.
