How to Keep Water in a Bathtub When the Stopper Doesn't Work

Use a substitute stopper until you can buy a replacement.

While relaxing in your hot tub after a long day's work, you notice that the water level is slowly beginning to recede. Upon further inspection, you find a small crack in the top of your bathtub drain stopper. Instead of going to all the trouble of draining the water, measuring the diameter of the stopper and buying an immediate replacement, you can simply craft a substitute plug with household materials.

Things You'll Need

• Paper towels
• Plastic bag
• Circular plastic lid
• Medium-sized rubber ball
• Utility knife
• Golf ball

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Instructions

1. Saturate five to six paper towels with water and wring out the excess. Bunch the towels into a plastic bag and seal it. Wedge the plastic bag into the bathtub drain.

2. Place a circular plastic lid, such as the kind found on a container of butter or a plastic kitchen container, over the drain. Pressure from the water will hold the lid in place. The lid should be large enough to cover the drain and several inches around it.

3. Cut a medium-sized rubber ball, or a tennis ball, in half using a utility knife. Place the ball into the drain, concave side facing upward, to form a tight seal. As with the plastic lid, the water pressure will lock the ball's beveled edge into the drain.

4. Drop a golf ball into the drain. Golf balls will fit most bathtub drains perfectly, providing a watertight seal without falling too far down the drain.

Tips & Warnings

• If you decide to use a golf ball as a temporary stopper, ensure that it is larger or the same size as the drain. Using a ball that is smaller than the drain may result in plumbing problems.

References

• Chest of Books: Substitute Sink or Bathtub Stopper