How To Clean Bathtub Drain

Home Drain Maintenance

Your bathroom should always be in good condition to fully enjoy using it. However, like any other facility in your home, the bathroom is prone to different issues affecting the various components, including clogged drains. Clogged drains are caused by accumulated materials such as heavy dirt, hairs, soap, and other debris over time, resulting in clogs when combined.

Your bathtub drain is susceptible to clogs, which can make it dysfunctional. One of the significant issues that affect bathtub drains is clogging. Poor drain maintenance is the primary cause of complete blockages or slow draining bathtubs. Cleaning your bathtub drain is essential in preventing clogs. This article looks at the different ways you can use to clean your bathtub drain.

Causes Of Bathtub Clogging

Here are some significant reasons your bathtub drain may stop draining effectively or even get blocked entirely.

Trapped hair

Hair build-up is why most bathtub and shower drains clog in many homes. As you take a bath or shower, body hair goes down your bathtub drain. With time, the hair will accumulate in the drain causing a complete blockage or leading to slow draining.

Grease and dirt build-up

It’s also possible for grease from your body and other dirt to accumulate inside your bathtub drain. Depending on the products you use, the amount of grease that washes down your drains differs.

Soap scum

Scum from your soap, conditioner, and shampoo is another typical culprit where bathtub drain clogs are concerned. For reference, you might have noticed white stains on your bathroom walls; this is scum. Over time, it builds up in your drain in the same way.

As the scum washes down your bathtub drain, it solidifies and sticks to the sides of the pipes, eventually causing a blockage. Keep in mind that logging from soap scum is not an instant process; instead, it happens pretty slowly. If combined with hair, the clog becomes even worse.

Foreign objects

It’s also possible for foreign objects to get into your bathtub drain and cause clogs. Some of these items include jewellery and even toys. When such foreign things accumulate inside your bathtub drain, they can cause a problematic blockage. As a result, having a drain cover is crucial in preventing foreign objects from washing down your tub drain.

Septic backup

The other major cause of bathtub drain clogging is a septic backup. If there is a backlog of waste in your septic, it also means that all your drains will not flow effectively. This results in your bathtub draining slowly or failing to drain completely.

Different Ways To Clean A Bathtub Drain

It is essential to clean your bathtub drain and do it correctly to prevent clogs. Here are some straightforward yet effective methods you can apply to clean your bathtub drain.

Clean the stopper and bathtub strainer

Cleaning a bathtub stopper using chemicals is easy; however, you should do it without chemicals as some chemicals are too harsh. Some stoppers feature screws while others do not. So, when you find your bathtub drain slowing down or completely clogged, you need to check your bathtub drain stopper.

Most of the clogs result from accumulated debris and hair. It only takes around five minutes to clean the stopper and strainer. If the stopper and strainer have debris build-up, your bathtub drain will not work effectively.

Flush the drain with boiling water

Boiling water can help clean your drain since it melts all the grease and any other accumulated dirt that is causing slow drainage. Here are the steps to follow:

Step One: Open the drain stopper

Start by opening the drain stopper by unscrewing the stopper or hitting the switch on your bathtub to allow water to drain. If water is flowing slowly or fills up but fails to drain, you should first unclog it before cleaning.

Step Two: Boil two litres of water

Now boil water with a water heater to flush inside the drain. Hot water can flush debris and dirt in your bathtub drain, including soap scum or loose hair.

Step Three: Pour the hot water down your bathtub drain

You can now pour the boiling water directly into your drain if the piping is metal. Repeat this cleaning method a minimum of once a week to eliminate accumulated gunk and soap scum left after your bath.

Remove bathtub drain odours with baking soda and vinegar

Step One: Remove the drain stopper

Bathtubs have different types of stoppers. The type of the stopper depends on the kind of tub you have. To clean your bathtub drain, you must first remove the stopper altogether. If you have a push-pull stopper, you just need to pull it out to remove it. On the other hand, if your stopper has screws, you need to unscrew it first to remove it.

Step Two: Pour in one cup of baking soda and vinegar

Now, pour a cup of baking soda and vinegar down your bathtub drain and allow it to sit for about twenty minutes. The baking soda and vinegar help absorb the unpleasant drain odour.

Step Three: Get rid of the gunk in the drain

Proceed to remove the gunk inside your drain using a bottle brush at least 3.2 cm wide. Stick the end of the brush into the vertical pipe connected to your bathtub drain. Move it up and down as you rotate it to get rid of the gunk inside the drain. Pull out all the accumulated hair and dirt from your drain using the brush.

Step Four: Flush with hot water

Now pour hot water into your drain to flush away the baking soda down your drain. Once you are complete, repeat the steps until your drain is thoroughly deodorised. You can now say goodbye to tub odours.

Clear the bathtub drain using a drain snake

Step One: Remove the stopper

Start by removing the stopper by either pulling or unscrewing it, depending on your bathtub type. To remove the dirt entirely, you should be able to access the vertical pipe running from your drain.

Step Two: Remove the dirt or debris

Now it’s time to remove the hair, and other debris stuck inside your drain. You can use a plastic snake or pliers. Get a plastic snake with teeth on it. Move your tool inside your drain and try to remove any hair or grime inside the drain. Pull the gunk and hair carefully from the drain with the tool. Then use your finger to get rid of the rest. Make sure you have a pair of protective gloves on. Repeat until you have gotten rid of all the accumulated hair or dirt.

Step Three: Rinse and wipe

After you have removed the dirt with your tool, dispose of the waste in your waste bin. Then, run water inside your bathtub and ensure water flows down the drain smoothly. Finally, clean the tub.

Plunge your bathtub drain

Step One: Remove the overflow drain faceplate

Start by removing the faceplate from your overflow hole. The hole features a metallic faceplate that has screws and is under the spout for your tub. Using a screwdriver, carefully remove the screws attaching the plate and then remove the faceplate. If your bathtub has an overflow drain, clear the whole drain that is attached to the overflow faceplate.

Step Two: Put a damp rag in the overflow hole

Now fill the overflow hole with a damp rag to create a suction needed to clear drains using the plunger. Shove a rag or cotton towel into the overflow hole and make it as tight as possible.

Step Three: Fill the bathtub with water

Start by filling your bathtub with water up to around two to three inches (five to seven centimetres) high. Avoid overflowing the bathtub.

Step Four: Plunge the drain

Plunging helps to free your bathtub drain of all the obstructions. Place the plunger over your drain and then press up and down on its handle. After plunging for about thirty minutes, check if your drain is flushing effectively. If it does not, repeat the process until it does. This shows that your bathtub drain is now clean.

The Frequency To Clean Your Bathtub Drain

To ensure that your bathtub drain does not clog, you must clean it regularly. It is advisable to clean it at least once a month to remove soapy sludge and hair build-up. If you have several shower users with hair, cleaning the bathtub drain every week is recommended. However, if you note any issue with your bathtub drain, such as slow draining or complete blockage, you must clean them immediately. Note that clogs can cause severe pipe damage that may be costly for you to repair.

Prevent Dirt Or Debris Build-Up In Bathtub Drains

Preventing your bathtub drain from clogging or slowing down is easier than having to clean it every time. So, it is necessary to devise ways to ensure that your drain tub is always clean. Here are some ways to ensure your drain tub is always clean.

Use a drain catcher

Hair is the leading cause of clogged or slow-draining bathtub drains. The best way to ensure that your hair does not get into the drain is by having a shower drain catcher. The great thing about a drain hair catcher is that it doesn’t affect the water flow and stays intact as it comes with silicon and suction rims.

You can opt for an internal hair catcher. The catchers come in different sizes to fit various drain lines. You can install one quickly, and the accumulated hair will be hidden from view. However, you must clean them after every bath. There are also external screens you can place over the drain.

Clean the bathtub drain regularly

Create a habit of cleaning your bathtub drains regularly before problems occur. Use any of the above methods and enjoy using your bathtub without any inconveniences.

Re-evaluate your toiletries

In a bathtub drain, soap scum may be inevitable. However, some types of soaps, lotions, shampoos, and body washes can clog your drain more than others. Avoid products with large amounts of exfoliating materials, oatmeal, or thick lotions since they get caught up in drains and clog your bathtub quickly.

Don’ts When Cleaning Bathtub Drains

There are several things you need to avoid when cleaning your bathtub drain. One of the things to avoid is using cleaners with harsh chemicals because they can cause severe damage to your pipes. They might look like an excellent solution, but with time, they cause more problems than the clog you are trying to remove from your drain.

Even if you find that the label indicates that the cleaner is safe for your pipes, don’t trust that marketing gimmick. The best option for you is to choose a bathtub drain cleaner containing all-natural ingredients. All-natural cleaners have natural enzymes that help in breaking clogs without causing no damage to your piping system.

Need Help Cleaning Your Bathtub Drain?

If you need to clean your bathtub drain, you can do so using any of the above methods or hire the services of the best cleaning company near you. Working with a bathroom plumbing company is the best option since they have excellent skills to clean your drain safely. They apply only the recommended cleaning methods, tools, and drain cleaners in the process.

These plumbing companies save you time since they can do the job within a few hours. They also create a schedule on when to clean your bathtub drain, so you can ensure that the drains will never clog or get dirty. The companies are also fully insured, so you are covered in case of any issues that might occur as they clean your bathtub drain.

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