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How To Unclog a Bathtub Drain Without Chemicals
My friends know I’m someone who likes to fix things. So even though I’ve retired from making professional house calls, I often get requests to clear stopped drains. Sink, bathtub and shower drains are usually easy to clear, and who doesn’t like to bask in the glory of solving what seemed like an intractable problem?
Tyler Pittenger, the drain specialist for Maryland-based Service Force Plumbing, explained what typically causes bathtub drain clogs and why using chemicals is usually a poor option.
“Most tub and shower clogs are soap scum and hair,” he says. “Many drain cleaners just ‘wash the hair,’ meaning the problem seems solved, but the old hair is still there waiting to collect more detritus and cause another backup.”
It’s better to do the job mechanically, using a plastic drain cleaning tool, auger, plunger or — in a pinch — a length of stiff wire.
Nine times out of 10, the clog is near the drain opening, where it’s easy to reach. When it’s deeper in the drain, some disassembly may be required to reach it. Here, Pittenger offers a word of caution: “If there are additional backed-up fixtures in you bathroom, like a backed up sink or toilet, the blockage is probably farther down the line and trying to address only a bathtub-drain clog won’t affect it.”
What if the bathtub has standing water?
You can usually break up a clog and get standing water to drain by using a plunger. Once all the water is gone, you can get to work removing the debris that caused the clog.
When should I call a pro?
More than one clogged bathroom fixture indicates a blockage deep in the waste line or sewer. If you can’t clear the clog by plunging any of the drains or the toilet, you should call a plumber. There may be a systemic issue, like blocked vents or tree roots in the sewer, that needs professional diagnosis.
