How To Clean The Drain Of A Bathtub

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A clogged bathtub is frustrating, especially when you want to hop in the shower or take a bath. Fortunately, you may not need to call a plumber to fix your problem. There are several tricks you can use to unclog your bathtub on your own using products you can find at home or the store.

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.^[1]
- 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.^[2]

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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.^[3] 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.

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1
Buy a chemical drain cleaner from the store. Chemical drain cleaners unclog drains with chemicals such as potassium hydroxide or sulfuric acid.^[4] 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.

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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.^[5] 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.^[6]
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.\^[7]
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.^[8]

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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.^[9]
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.^[10] 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.
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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.^[11]
- 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.

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Add New Question

Question

What if I don't have a drain claw to pull hair out?

Kadi Dulude is the owner of Wizard of Homes, a New York City based cleaning company. Kadi manages a team of over 70 registered cleaning professionals, and her cleaning advice has been featured in Architectural Digest and New York Magazine.

House Cleaning Professional

Expert Answer

Get a metal clothes hanger and unravel it. Stick the hook end down into the drain and move it around or twist it to grab any hair. Then, pull that up and remove the hair by hand.
Question

What will dissolve hair in a drain?

Kadi Dulude is the owner of Wizard of Homes, a New York City based cleaning company. Kadi manages a team of over 70 registered cleaning professionals, and her cleaning advice has been featured in Architectural Digest and New York Magazine.

House Cleaning Professional

Expert Answer

If you can't get the hair out, pour baking soda and vinegar down the drain. Let it fizz up and sit for 20 minutes and then pour hot water down the drain. That will typically do the trick and clear out any blockages.
Question

What will clog tough bathtub drains?

Mark Spelman is a General Contractor based in Austin, Texas. With over 30 years of construction experience, Mark specializes in constructing interiors, project management, and project estimation. He has been a construction professional since 1987.

Construction Professional

Expert Answer

It is usually a buildup of hair and soap.
Question

How do I unclog a tub drain that has cat litter in it?

Mark Spelman is a General Contractor based in Austin, Texas. With over 30 years of construction experience, Mark specializes in constructing interiors, project management, and project estimation. He has been a construction professional since 1987.

Construction Professional

Expert Answer

The farthest the cat litter will gather is at the trap. Remove the drain cover and get a powerful Shop Vac to suck out the litter.
Question

How do I clean the hardware in the tub?

Mark Spelman is a General Contractor based in Austin, Texas. With over 30 years of construction experience, Mark specializes in constructing interiors, project management, and project estimation. He has been a construction professional since 1987.

Construction Professional

Expert Answer

You can use a variety of cleaners, just never use an abrasive scrub pad. If you want to be eco-friendly, try using Simple Green. The fixtures usually get soap built up, and this will clean off with a good amount of hard scrubbing.
Question

What do I do if black dirty water comes up when I plunge my bathtub?

Mark Spelman is a General Contractor based in Austin, Texas. With over 30 years of construction experience, Mark specializes in constructing interiors, project management, and project estimation. He has been a construction professional since 1987.

Construction Professional

Expert Answer

This is okay, just keep plunging and checking to see if the water is draining. The clog will usually occur in the trap where water accumulates. The water will get dirty from the buildup of soap and hair.
Question

Will bleach unclog a drain?

Bleach will desolve anything that is organic, such as hair or poop. However, it will not dissolve non organic things, such as a child's toy or small plastic caps. Most home drains are constructed of plastic PVC which can be exposed to bleach safely. The trick is to get bleach to the clogged area. Be sure to use gloves, and open a window so that the fumes do not harm you.
Question

What can I do if, when I run water in the shower, the toilet bubbles water up?

The bubbles indicate that the problem is likely due to a plumbing problem further downstream in the pipes, likely between the house and sewage (rather than within the house). This may need a professional consultation.
Question

How do I get black spots off my toilet?

Wipe it with a mixture of baking soda and vinegar, or diluted bleach.
Question

Can I use something other than baking soda to unclog a bathtub drain?

Bleach can be used to pour down your drains when you notice slow draining. A whole bottle of bleach is much cheaper than Liquid Plumber.

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Video

Use rubber gloves when working with the drain.
Avoiding mixing many chemicals together. This could be dangerous.
A straightened-out paperclip can be used as a substitute for a drain claw, but it is trickier to manage.

Things You'll Need

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

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.

About This Article

Article SummaryX

If your bathtub drain is clogged, it's usually an easy fix. Most of the time, bathtub clogs are caused by a build up of hair and other debris in the drain. To remove the clog, start by unscrewing the tub drain stopper. Depending on the type of stopper you have, you can do this by twisting it off by hand or using a screwdriver. Once that's off, use needle-nose pliers to pull all of the junk out of the drain. You can also use the end of a bent metal coat hanger. If you don't find a clog underneath the stopper, it may be deeper in the drain. To access it, unscrew the overflow plate in your tub, and pull it out along with the linkage and stopper that are attached. Clean off any gunk in the stopper and linkage, then run water down the drain to flush out anything that's left. If your bathtub is still clogged, you can try plunging the drain. Remove the overflow plate if you haven't already, and stuff a rag into the opening to prevent air from escaping as you plunge the drain. Then, place the head of a plunger over the drain, and start plunging until the water starts to drain. Another option you can try is using baking soda and vinegar. Just pour ½ cup (90 g) of baking soda down the drain followed by 1 cup (240 mL) of vinegar. Cover the drain and let it sit for 30 minutes. Then, pour hot water down the drain to flush out the clog. If this method doesn't work, keep reading to learn how to use a toilet plunger or a chemical drain cleaner to solve your problem!

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