How to unclog a bathtub drain without dangerous chemicals

April 29, 2012 - PRLog -- The #1 reason for a clogged bathtub drain is hair. We lose about 100 hairs a day and most while taking a bath or shower. The hairs get caught on the crossbars at the opening of the bathtub drain or on the bracket that holds the stopper.

How to unclog a bathtub with The Drain Claw:

The 1st step to unclog a bathtub drain is removing the hair around the opening to the bathtub drain. Some people use wire hangers or needle nose pliers to try and remove the buildup of hair. Our suggestion is The Drain Claw. It is a drain tool that will slip into the drain without having to remove the stopper. With its 100 small interlocking hooks, all you need is a push and twist motion to grab hair and pull it out to unclog a bath drain. Used monthly, this little tool will keep bath drains flowing without chemicals.

How to unclog a bathtub with a shop vac:

You can use a wet/dry shop vac you can pull up many clogs. You will need to cover the overflow above the bathtub drain with a wet rag. You can also remove the overflow cover and stuff a wet rag into the opening, making sure to hold onto it when using the vacuum. If possible, remove the stopper. Most are held in place with a set screw on the side of the stem under the stopper. After using the shop vac, hair and debris can get caught on the crossbars or bracket at the drain opening. This technique is effective on older homes with drum traps that are impossible to rod.

How to unclog a bathtub with a plunger:

You can also try a plunger if you don’t have a wet/dry shop vac. Make sure to cover the overflow. A small flat bottomed plunger works the best for bathtub drains. Also, removing the stopper can give more room to plunge.

With water in the bathtub, use a pumping action to break up the clog. If this doesn’t unclog the drain, try a pulling action with the plunger. Push down on the plunger and then pull up hard to suck water out of the drain. This pulling action is sometimes more effective than pushing the water. This technique is also good for bathtubs with drum traps.

How to unclog a bathtub with household chemicals:

Another popular trick to unclog a bathtub drain is to pour 1/3 of a cup of baking soda down the clogged drain and then follow that with 1/3 of a cup of vinegar. The reaction will churn up the water and in some cases loosen a clog. For older homes that have a drum trap, this will help with odor in your bathtub drain.

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