How to Clear a Frozen Drain on a Tub

Tub drains can freeze in wintertime.

When the weather becomes unusually cold, pipes have the propensity to freeze. When a drain on a tub is frozen, taking a bath or shower can be a little disgusting. The tub will be immersed in standing water when in use and unfreezing the drain so it is not clogged up is a must to get it back to proper working order. This task can be accomplished in no time with just a few simple steps.

Things You'll Need

• Vinegar
• Measuring cup
• Baking soda
• Pot
• Stove
• Water
• Salt

Instructions

1. Turn off all water running down the drain and wait until all the sitting water drains down as much as possible. Remove the drain plug from the tub so the proper materials can be easily poured down. Fill up a measuring cup with a half cup of baking soda and carefully pour it down the drain.

2. Add a cup of vinegar to the measuring cup and carefully pour it down the drain, making sure not to get any in the tub. Fill up a large pot with water and boil it on the stove. Add a cup of salt to the water.

3. Dump the boiling water into smaller cups and begin pouring the cups down the drain, allowing it to mix with the vinegar and baking soda. Continue pouring until all of the boiling water has been dumped in.

4. Wait a minute to allow it to flush through and the baking soda and vinegar time to clean out the pipes. Turn on the hot water and run it down the drain for a few minutes to finish flushing everything out.

5. Keep the water running to make sure it is not building up and the drain is working correctly.

References

• Wet Head Media: Unthaw Frozen Tub Drain
• Thriftyfun: Using Baking Soda to Unclog a Bathtub Drain
• The Good Human: Naturally Unclog A Drain With Vinegar, Baking Soda And Water