It’s normal for your bathtub drain to become clogged over time with grease, hair, food, dirt, or other things. Yuck! The consequences of leaving your drain clogged are no fun to deal with. Doing so can result in further damages or unwanted plumbing issues, such as leaks. These problems can then lead to expensive repairs, which, obviously, no one wants to deal with. If you cannot unclog your drains on your own then feel free to contact us.
For this reason, we want to provide some tips on how to unclog a drain effectively. This way you can keep your drains clean and clear in order to prevent unwanted issues, which our plumbing services at T&Z can assist with if it comes to that.
FINDING THE CLOG
It’s not always easy to locate where the drainage clog is when you run into this type of issue. Sometimes we can easily mistake a clog for being in one area, when we realize afterwards that it’s actually somewhere else! It’s really just a matter of trial and error, so it’s usually best to clean each drain from different fixtures (toilet, kitchen drain, etc.) until your issues no longer persist. You can hire us to help you out with this if you’re not confident in doing it yourself. When doing so, you’ll need to remove the strainer with a screw or stopper. From here you’ll be able to clean any excess dirt and filth around the drain. Afterwards, it’s best to place a drain stick down the drain, which should be flexible enough to go through the tap and hook onto any clog that may be deep inside your drain. Once you feel the stick hooking onto the clog, you’ll be able to pull out all the filth and dirty substances causing the blockage. Alternatively, if you would rather have professionals to help you with any of the issues listed on this page, then it would be in your best interests to contact a plumber in your area.
CLEANING METHODS
Aside from the drain stick, there are a range of other methods you can use to remove clogs in drains, such as:
Drain-cleaning machine
You can actually buy or rent a drain cleaning machine from the store! This method will make cleaning a clogged drain exceptionally easy. These machines use a powerful combination of chemicals, such as sulfuric acid and potassium hydroxide, which are strong enough to remove hard substances in your drain. Make sure to read the instructions on the back of the machine prior to your purchase or rental, because you want to make sure it’s compatible with your specific type of pipe.
Baking soda
Another powerful cleaning tool you can use for immediate results is baking soda! Who would have thought? For this method, you will have to pour a pan of boiling water into the clogged drain, mixed with a quarter of a cup of baking soda and a whole cup of vinegar. Wait for at least 15 to 20 minutes for the effects to show, then test the drain to see if the clog has cleared.
Toilet plunger
You can also choose to use a toilet plunger to suck out clogs with high pressure. After removing the strainer, place the plunger on top of the drain. From here, apply pressure to the plunger while holding it down for a moment, and then pull it out with full force. You should be able to clear a massive chunk of the clog from your drain using this method. Ah, how satisfying. 🙂
If any issues persist after you’ve tried unclogging your drain using one of these methods, you can give our plumbing services at T&Z a call for professional assistance.