Table of Contents
Can I snake my own bathtub drain?
Luckily, it’s not difficult to snake a tub drain. To clear a clogged bathtub drain, you’ll need a plumbing snake, some work gloves and some basic cleaning supplies. Be sure to put the screws where they won’t fall into the tub drain, then pull the stopper from the drain, which should be connected to the overflow plate.
How do you get a snake down the tub drain?
How do you snake a bathtub drain without a snake?
Put in your drain stopper, turn on the hot water and let it pool in the sink. Add one cup of baking soda and two cups of vinegar to the water and remove the stopper. The hot water, baking soda, and vinegar will flow down the pipes and help eliminate minor clogs.
Can you plunge your bathtub?
Steps for unclogging tub drain with a plunger: Remove stopper from the tub drain. Pour hot water into the tub. The hot water will help loosen up the blockage. Pump the plunger up and down about 5 times in each direction to force water down the pipe and hopefully dislodging the blockage.
How do you unclog a bathtub with standing water?
What you will need to do Pour 1 cup of water down your drain. Put the half cup of baking soda down the drain. Mix in the vinegar with your second prepared cup of water. Pour in the vinegar/water mixture down the drain with the added baking soda – Things will begin to bubble/fizz, this is good, it means things are working!.
How do you get a snake out of a drain trap?
The proper way to use a snake is to insert the head into the drain and push very slowly without cranking. If you try to force it, it can bend back on itself and actually come out of the drain. Push gently and slowly, and if the auger is the right one for the job, it should slide smoothly through the pipe.
Why won’t my snake go down the drain?
So, why won’t your drain snake go down the bathtub drain? The answer may be that you are either using the wrong kind of drain snake, or you are trying to force it through a P-trap, or you are forcing the snake cable through the pipe too quickly or the clog is just too darn big.
What can I use instead of a plumbing snake?
You can also make your own drain snake at home with a pipe cleaner or a wire hanger. Cut a 2-liter bottle into a spiral with “teeth” in it, which is a very effective and cheap alternative to store bought drain snakes. Wet and dry vacuums are powerful appliances with a lot of suction.
What home remedy can I use to unclog my bathtub?
Pour ½ cup of baking soda into the drain followed by ½ cup of vinegar. Let the mixture set in the drain for about 15 minutes, then rinse it away with several cups of boiling water. The baking soda and vinegar solution is a natural cleanser that can generally remove partial clogs.
How do you make a homemade drain snake?
Pour 3/4 of a gallon of cold water into a mop bucket, and then add 3 cups of caustic soda. Stir the mixture well, and it will soon begin to fizz. Next, pour it into the clogged drain and leave for 20-30 minutes, then flush it with pure hot water – repeat as necessary.
Is it bad to plunge a bathtub drain?
The water entering the overflow drain goes into a pipe that feeds into the main tub drain. This presents a problem when you need to plunge the tub. Plungers work on suction power, and the overflow drain (which doesn’t close, for obvious reasons) acts as a big air vent that kills the suction.
Is it bad to plunge a shower drain?
However, if no drain cleaning products seem to be working, then the plunger can save the day. A plunger will force pressurized water in both directions, which will help to effectively loosen whatever is clogging your shower drain.
Can using a plunger damage pipes?
Forceful plunging can damage the drain line and cause leaks. Along with clogs that require extra force, avoid plunging obvious major obstructions.
Can you put Drano in a tub with standing water?
As a rule, never pour Drano into an area with standing water. In the drain system, certain kinds of bacteria can be beneficial—good bacteria will gradually break down organic material. If you pour chemicals that kill bacteria down the drain, you’re ultimately hurting your drains.
How do you unclog a bathtub that won t drain?
Here are the ways you can try to unclog a bathtub or shower drain on your own: Put on gloves and remove any visible blockage (hair, etc.) Plunge the bathtub or shower drain with a plunger. Use a plumbing snake to try to dislodge whatever is in your drain. Try dissolving clogs without hazardous chemicals.
Why is there standing water in my bathtub drain?
Clogged Shower Drains & Leak Repair. Shower water which drains slowly – or doesn’t drain at all – is called ‘standing water’, and it’s a sure sign that your shower drain is clogged. A clogged shower drain could be caused by anything from a small blockage to a major obstruction in your main sewer line.
Will a drain snake go through a trap?
It is very hard to force a drain snake cable through the bends of a fixture P-trap underneath a sink or tub, but many people try to get through the trap with the cable straight down the drain opening.
How do you clear a clogged P-trap?
How to Unclog a Sink Partially fill the sink with water, then start plunging. Vigorously work the plunger up and down several times before quickly pulling it off the drain opening. If plunging doesn’t work, grab the cable auger and go to work under the sink. Remove the sink trap with a pipe wrench.
