What can I use to clear bathtub drain?

Author: Willie Paucek  |  Last update: Friday, November 17, 2023

Tried and True: Baking Soda & Vinegar
Bottem said a plumber-approved alternative drain cleaner is baking soda and vinegar. Just pour half a cup of baking soda down your drain, then follow with white vinegar. Let it sit overnight and run hot water (not boiling) down the drain in the morning.

What is the best thing to use to unclog a bathtub drain?

For this home remedy, all you need to do is pour a pot of boiling water down the bathtub drain. Then pour a mixture of one cup baking soda and one cup vinegar into the drain. Insert the drain plug, or close the filter, and wait 5–10 minutes. Finally, flush the drain with another pot of boiling water.

What will dissolve hair in a drain?

If your drain is clogged with hair, baking soda can dissolve hair in a drain. To try this safe and easy method at home - first, pour a cup of baking soda down the drain. Then pour a cup of vinegar (white vinegar) down. Allow the mixture to sit for several minutes.

How do you clear a slow bathtub drain?

Ways to Fix a Slow Draining Bathtub
  1. Baking Soda and Vinegar. Yep, the same science fair mixture famous for explosive papier-mâché volcanoes can be used to clear minor to moderate blockages in your drains. ...
  2. A Plunger. ...
  3. Open the Overflow to Gain Access. ...
  4. Use a Plumber's Snake. ...
  5. Commercial, Chemical Clog Removers. ...
  6. Call a Plumber.

Can Dawn dish soap unclog bathtub drain?

Baking soda, vinegar and Dawn dish soap along with boiling water can safely unclog a drain. Baking soda, vinegar and Dawn dish soap along with boiling water can safely unclog a drain.

How to Unclog your Bathtub Drain in 5 minutes

Why is my bathtub not draining at all?

Common reasons why a bathtub won't drain include soap scum, hair, bath bombs, cosmetic products, and damaged pipes. You can fix such plumbing problems using boiling water, baking soda and vinegar, a plunger, or a plumbing snake.

Can I use Drano in bathtub?

You can use Drano® Clog Removers to unclog a kitchen sink, bathroom sink, shower or clogged bathtub, but DO NOT use them in toilets. For clogged or slow-running drains, apply the product and let it work 15 minutes, then flush with hot water. For tough problems, allow 30 minutes before flushing.

Why is my bathtub not draining?

You Have Clogged Drain Pipes

Of course, the most common reason why a bathtub won't drain is due to clogged pipes. Over time, nearly all bathtub drains will develop clogs. These are most commonly caused by a combination of: Soap residue.

Why you should never use baking soda and vinegar to unclog a drain?

When you are using a baking soda and vinegar solution to clean out your drain, you are actually causing the rubber and plastic that are used for the drain's pipes to be eaten away by the mixture. Over time, this rubber and plastic will break down, causing the drain to become even more blocked.

Will Coca Cola unclog a drain?

You may be surprised to learn that pouring soda down the drain does work for some clogs. To be specific, you need a dark-colored cola (such as Coca-Cola or Pepsi). This type of carbonated beverage usually contains a good amount of phosphoric acid, which given enough time, can eat away at some types of clogs.

Will hydrogen peroxide unclog bathtub drain?

Hydrogen Peroxide – Mix 1 cup of hydrogen peroxide and 1 quart of water. Pour this mixture down your clogged drain and let it sit for 20-30 minutes. Be especially careful as this chemical can cause burns.

Why do plumbers say not to use Drano?

It is Extremely Corrosive For Your Drains

When your pipes are clogged, Drano will sit on top of the clog, continually reacting and generating heat until the clog dissolves. This can put a great deal of stress on your drains as the heat can cause PVC pipes to soften and even break or collapse.

Can bleach unclog a bathtub drain?

Although you can use 1/5 to 3/4 of a cup of bleach to clean and deodorize drains, followed by a good flushing of hot water, it will not clear a clog. Bleach is amazing at sanitizing and killing germs, but it won't eat through hair and soap scum that's trapped in the pipes and causing a clog.

Is it better to snake a drain or use Drano?

Using a snake is also more invasive and time-consuming than using a chemical cleaner is, and can often become a dirty job. When it comes to getting at and removing major clogs or clogs that are deep down in your pipes, however, a plumber's snake is your best bet.

How do you unclog a tub drain when Drano doesn't work?

Use ½-1 cup of baking soda and 1 cup of vinegar, plus a bit of water if you want to dilute things a little bit more. Pour it down the drain and let it sit for 30-60 minutes. Sometimes, this mixture can break up clogs that even Drano can't touch!

Will hot water unclog a bathtub drain?

Use Boiling Water

Sometimes the simplest solutions are the most effective. Boiling water helps break down grease and soap holding the clog together to clear the blockage. This method is easy and only requires one or two steps. Most important is to boil water on a stove using a kettle or saucepan.

What is the quickest way to unblock a drain?

Baking Soda and Vinegar

We suggest that you mix 1/3 of a cup of baking soda with 1/3rd of a cup of vinegar to create your drain unblocking remedy. When mixing the two ingredients, they should start to fizz straight away so you should waste no time pouring the concoction straight down your sink.

Why should you squirt dawn in your bathtub at night?

Because dish soap is meant to break up oils and lift grease and grime from your flatware and utensils, there's no reason why it shouldn't work on the oily soap and human grease build-up accumulating in your tub or shower!

How much dawn does it take to unclog a drain?

Pour or squeeze ½ cup of Dawn® dish detergent down the drain. For a tougher clog, use 1 full cup. Let the detergent work its way down the drain for 30 minutes.

Does boiling water help clear drains?

Boiling water: Sometimes the heat is enough to break up a new clog or melt some of the grease that's built up in your pipes. Plunger: A good old plunger can clear clogs from your toilet as well as your kitchen sink (though make sure you have the right one for each).

What dissolves hair in shower?

Baking Soda And Vinegar Is A Potent Mixture That Dissolves Hair. Allow five minutes for this mixture to undergo a chemical reaction, where it formulates and fizzes.

How can I unblock my bath without a plunger?

  1. Clean and remove the stopper and strainer. Keeping the stopper and strainer clean is a must when you plan to unclog your bathtub with baking soda and vinegar. ...
  2. Pour some boiling water into the drain. ...
  3. Add the baking soda and the vinegar. ...
  4. Wait some time and pour boiling water once again.

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