Clogging of the bathtub happens due to the blocking of the drain by hair and greasy products. It also might happen due to the corrosion of the pipe, in which case you will need to replace the pipe under the bathtub. One can easily repair the drain, without needing any exceptional plumbing skills.
How to Repair a Bathtub Drain
There are many ways of unclogging a drain. You can use basic household equipment like the plunger and perform the leak repair yourself. Or you can combine some chemicals, to drain-out the clogs in the drain. However, first use common sense and pour some hot water down the drain, so that the grease in the clog might melt down and you might not need to use the below methods at all. A partial blocked drain is easier to repair than a complete one. Here, are some easy DIY methods for clogged bathtub drain repair:
The Plunger
There is a natural method and works for the most stubborn clogs. Fill the tub with hot water, and plunge the drain vigorously 10-12 times. If some water is leaking, hold that gap tight with a cloth. Check if the drain is cleared, if not repeat the whole process for few more times. After the drain in unclogged, run down some hot water in the drain to get rid of any grease sticking to the walls of the pipe.
The Snake
You can get a plumber's snake at the supermarket. It is a long and flexible steel cable stuck to a handle. Through the overflow plate, just keep slipping the snake down. First slip it about 3 feet in the opening and then keep turning and slipping it deeper. If you feel any obstructions, keep turning the snake. The snake will break up the clog, or push it further, or the hook on the snake will hold the clog and you can draw-out the clog by pulling the snake out. You might need to repeat the whole process few times, till you completely unblock the drain. Pour some hot water down the drain after you are done.
The Vinegar-Soda Combo
This is a method using chemicals, which is the reason why one should first try the mechanical methods for the environmental safety. Combine half cup of vinegar and half cup of baking soda powder. Pour this mix down the drain, let it sit for few hours. The mixture will break up the clog, after few hours pour some hot water down the drain. You might need to pour the hot water couple of times, to ensure that all the clogs and grease is gone. Later, you can use any of the bathroom cleaning enzyme cleaners which eat up the organic material sticking inside the drain.
Using Commercial Cleaners
There are cleaning products for unclogging the bathtub drain, which are available at the supermarket. These products need to be carefully used, as they contain caustic chemicals. You can wear safety gloves when handling these products, and follow the instructions on the product label carefully. The problem with these products is they cause corrosion of the metal pipes, when removing the clogs.
Replacement
If all the above methods fail, which means you have corroded pipes causing the blocking of the drain, and need to go for bathtub drain replacement. You can fix new pipes and components of the bathtub yourself and save the cost of plumbing, but it is better that you seek the help of a professional plumber.
This was about eliminating the stubborn clogs, in the bathtub drain. One can easily get rid of the clogs using these methods, and perform the repair on your own!
