A clogged bathtub drain with hair or other materials is one of the most common calls that plumbers receive. A clogged bathtub drain is problematic for many homeowners because it often causes a slow drain or standing water that only gets worse with each use of the shower. In addition, standing water can attract bacteria and other contaminants that are a health hazard.
In most cases, homeowners resort to using a chemical drain cleaner, but not everyone is comfortable dealing with powerful, corrosive chemicals. On top of that, chemical drain cleaners run the risk of damaging your pipes and creating more problems in the future.
Fortunately, as Las Vegas plumbers, we’re here to share our secrets to unclogging a bathtub drain that are simple and effective. Follow these steps to fix your clog and keep it from returning in the future.
What Clogs Your Bathtub Drain?
If you want to prevent your bathtub drain from clogs, it’s important to understand how they become clogged in the first place. Hair clogs are the most common since just a few hairs with each shower will build up over time and stick to the walls of your pipe, catching debris along the way. Installing a hair trap is a good way to prevent this problem in the future.
Hard water and soap scum also leave deposits that clog your drain over time. These issues are harder to prevent, but doing your best to avoid rinsing small flakes of soap down the drain and installing a water softener can help you avoid clogs from scale and scum buildup.
How to Unclog Your Bathtub Drain
Just a few household items are all you need to unclog your bathtub drain:
- Several cups of boiling water.
- Half a cup of baking soda.
- One cup of vinegar.
- Timer.
Once you have your supplies, it’s important to remove as much standing water from your tub as possible. Use buckets or cups to remove the water if necessary. Then you can proceed with the steps.
- Pour a cup of the boiled water down the clogged drain.
- Pour the baking soda down the drain.
- Mix vinegar into another cup of boiled water.
- Pour the water/vinegar mixture down the drain. This will cause bubbling and fizzing, which means the ingredients are working.
- Cover the drain and allow the process to work.
- Set the timer for 10 minutes to allow the formula to work on the clog.
- When the time is up, pour the remaining boiled water down the drain to remove any remaining clog.
After this is complete, check your drain to be sure that the water is running through the pipe freely. If it does, the drain treatment worked and your pipe is free from the clog. This method can also be used on kitchen sinks, bathroom sinks and other plumbing.
Call Sin City Plumbing
We hope this at-home drain cleaner helped you remove the clog in your bathtub drain, but if the problem persists or you still have standing water, don’t hesitate to call in a professional Las Vegas plumber. As a 24/7 plumbing service, we’re always around to correct plumbing problems, including slow or clogged drains, so you can get back to your normal routine. Contact the professionals at Sin City Plumbing to see how we can help!
