What should you do about your clogged bathtub drain? First a word about prevention. It is imperative that you are using a properly fitted drain cover. This will catch hair, dirt and soap residue before it enters your pipes. Ideally, after showering you can simply empty this preliminary safeguard in the garbage on a daily basis and prevent your bathtub from getting clogged in the first place.
When you notice your bathtub is beginning to drain slowly but water is not accumulating more than a couple inches, you can gently use a bathroom plunger to dislodge the clog that is on the verge of fully blocking your pipes. It is important that you do this in the very early stages of the clogging, as a fully blocked pipe can be seriously damaged from the effects of applying this pressure. This is also a good time to make a mixture of ⅓ cup baking soda and ⅓ cup vinegar and let it sit in the drain for 10 minutes to dissolve the clog. Harsh chemicals are generally not recommended by plumbing professionals, because of damage they can cause to pipes.
If your clog has graduated to the extent that you have many inches of standing water after a shower, you may have a serious blockage, and you’ll need to address the mess at the source: pulling the entire clog from the pipes with a snake or a hooked device. These can be purchased at your local hardware store.
If the clog is too far into the piping system to be reached or if you don’t want to take on this project on your own, call your local plumber who can be trusted to clear clogged drains quickly without damaging your drain pipes.
Posted on behalf of Shawn Bynum, Bynum Plumbing
