How to Clean Bath Tub Drain

A clogged bath tub drain is a nuissance.

Every once in a while you find yourself having to clean the bath tub drain because the water will no longer go down. You certainly don't look forward to it, but you know that if you don't unclog it, your next shower might feel more like a wading pool. Here are some tips on how to clean the bath tub drain:

Things You'll Need

• tweezers
• Drano professional strength max gel
• Comet cleanser
• scrub brush or old rag
• latex gloves

Instructions

1. 

   First unscrew the drain cover to see what is lurking beneath. Most often the culprit of the clog in the bath tub drain is hair that's wrapped around the metal piece spanning the width of the drain.

2. 

   Use the tweezers to pull out the hair that is stuck on the metal piece in bath tub drain. It might take some time to pull it out, and it WILL be slimy, but get as much of the hair out as possible.

3. 

   Put on latex gloves and pull out any remaining hair that you cannot get out of the bath tub drain with the tweezers.

4. 

   Still wearing the latex gloves, use your fingers to scrape the sides of the drain to loosen any mold or slime that is deposited onto the side wall of the bath tub drain.

5. 

   Use the comet to clean the bath tub drain (as far as you can reach) and also clean the outside of the drain while you're there. Rinse the drain thoroughly with hot water.

6. 

   Pour 1/5 bottle of the Drano Max Gel down the drain. For tougher clogs, pour 1/2 bottle. Let the Drano sit for 15 minutes (30 minutes for tough clogs), then flush it with hot water. Repeat this step if the bath tub drain is still clogged.

Tips & Warnings

• If the bath tub drain is still clogged after you complete these steps, check out the article "How To Use A Snake To Unclog A Drain" in the Resource links listed below.

• Make sure you don't get Drano or Comet on your skin. If you do, wash the area thoroughly.

Resources

• Drano website
• Comet website
• How To Use A Snake To Unclog A Drain