How to Snake a Clogged Bathtub Drain

A clogged drain in the bathtub causes water to collect in the tub while showering. Soapy bathwater around the ankles can really ruin an otherwise nice morning shower experience. If your bathtub drain is clogged, don't pour harsh chemicals into the tub in attempts to break up the clog - do it the natural way and use a plumbing snake. Here's how:

Difficulty: Easy

Instructions

Things You'll Need:

• Drain snake
• Screwdriver
• Paper towels

1. Purchase a drain snake from your local hardware store. Drain snakes come in varying forms - the one you want for this job is a retractable plumbing snake with a reel and a long snake wire, otherwise known as a metal drum auger plumbing snake (1/4" x 20' is a common measurement for this plumbing tool).

2. Step into the bathtub facing forward.

3. Using your screwdriver, remove the overfill drain plate on the front of the bathtub. Set aside.

4. Now for the fun part. Grab your drain snake and unscrew the thumbscrew where the plumbing snake wire meets the casing of the drain snake.

5. Pull out about three feet of drain snake wire and tighten thumbscrew.

6. Stick plumbing snake in overfill drain and begin rotating the plumbing snake handle.

7. Unscrew thumbscrew and pull out more of the plumbing snake wire from the reel. Re-tighten thumbscrew, push snake wire further down into the bathtub drain, and continue rotating drain snake handle.

8. Continue this process several times until you are able to draw the end of the drain snake out of the drain and see an unappealing glob of hairs and gook stuck in the plumbing snake boring head.

9. Remove hair glob from plumbing snake with paper towel and toss in the garbage can.

10. Rinse plumbing snake off and set aside. Do not reel the drain snake wire back in; rather, you will set it aside so it can properly air dry.

11. Using your screwdriver, replace overfill drain plate onto front of bathtub.

Tips & Warnings

• Before using harsh drain clog chemicals, try snaking out the drain clog first. It's fast and easy, and much cheaper in the long run.

[howsitdone]

on 3/29/2009 Good, clear instructions. Much more effective than chemical drain cleaners!

[atlantagolfshop]

on 3/29/2009 This is a really gross job, but much better to do it myself than pay a plumber! Thanks for the step by step info.