How to Use a Snake on Old Bathtubs

Snake an old bathtub through the overflow opening covered by a metal screwdown plate.

Use a drain snake that attaches to a hand-held power drill to snake out old bathtub drains. Old tubs are made with an overflow drain cut into the tub's side or directly above the water faucet. Feeding the snake through this opening rather than down through the drain itself gives the snake straighter access, with fewer sharp curves, to the site of the clog. This lessens the chance of kinks and bends that ruin the snake and cause it to snarl up in the pipe rather than reaching the site of the problem.

Things You'll Need

• Plumbing snake attachment for power drill
• Drill
• Screwdriver
• Leather gloves

Instructions

1. Connect the snake drill attachment to the power drill and plug in the drill.

2. Unscrew the metal plate covering the overflow portal on the side or in front of the bathtub.

3. Put on thick leather gloves.

4. Feed the end of the snake into the open overflow port, then pulse the drill to slowly force the snake into the drain while guiding the snake with your other gloved hand.

5. Continue pulsing the drill to feed the snake into the drain until the snake meets resistance.

6. Pulse the drill once or twice more to force the snake into the clog, then reverse the direction of the drill and back the snake out.

7. Remove any hair and other matter from the end of the snake, then feed the snake back into the drain and pulse the drill while guiding the snake down into the pipe through the overflow port until the snake again reaches the clog.

8. Repeat Steps 6 and 7 until the snake meets little or no resistance when fed down into the drain.

9. Remove the snake from the drain and set the snake and drill aside. Test the drain function by running water into the tub and checking to see if it's draining.

References

• Aubuchon Hardware: How to Unclog Drains, Toilets and Sewers
• This Old House: Clear Any Clogged Drain