There is nothing more frustrating than taking a shower and turning your tub into a mini swimming pool simply because it’s clogged. Plus, this is happening late at night and your super is telling you the plumber would not be available until the morning. Worst, Drano isn’t working either and so is the plunger. All that’s left is solving your problem with a do-it-yourself remedy.
There is no need to panic nor stress yourself when caught in this situation. In fact, there are several ways to unclog your tub by using items available in your home. It is important to note, however, that these are mostly for semi-clogged tubs and simple clogging. Efficacy of these alternatives is case-to-case basis.
Here Are 5 Useful DIY Solutions To a Clogged Bathtub
1. The ever reliable baking soda and vinegar.
Baking soda and vinegar are two items every household has. Not only can they be used can in cooking and adding flavor to your food. These two can also be used in other things. Unclogging tubs and sinks is one of them. Here are the things you need to prepare:
- 1/3 cup of baking soda
- 1 cup of vinegar
- Boiling water
There are two ways to do this; same ingredients but different procedures. First, prepare the baking soda and vinegar. Set them aside. Then, get a pot of water which you need to boil later. Next, combine the cup of vinegar with 1/3 cup of baking soda. As it fizzles, immediately pour it down on the clogged drain. Vinegar is acidic and mixing it with baking soda creates chemical reaction that will help to remove whatever is blocking the pipe. It might be hair, grime or gunk or all of these three. Leave it there for an hour or longer, if you prefer. As you are waiting for the mixture to settle, start boiling water. After wards, pour the hot water to push the clog down the drain. In between, pour in more baking soda and then the vinegar to ensure the remaining grime and hair go down.
The other way to do this is to boil a pot of water first. As you are waiting for the water to be ready, set aside 1/3 cup of vinegar and 1/3 cup of baking soda. Next, pour down the hot water slowly down the drain. After you have poured at least half the pot of water, add in the baking soda and let it stay there for at least five minutes. As you are waiting for time to pass, mix the vinegar with the remaining water in the pot and pour it on the drain. Let it sit for around 30 minutes. For the final step, pour some hot water again.
2. The alternative combination of baking soda and vinegar with a twist.
With this option, you will again be using baking soda and vinegar but this time, you will add a little pressure and remove the clog through the law of gravity. Same as the first two procedures, pour down the mixture of baking soda and vinegar. Next, cover it with the water stopper for about an hour. Turn on the water and fill the bathtub. When done, remove the stopper so the pressure from the water which will result from the removal of the stopper will dislodge the already loosened grime and gunk. If you want, use a plunger to add to the pressure.
3. Boiling water and a stick.
Sometimes, a bathtub gets clogged with the accumulation of grime and hair just beneath the drain. If this is the case, the easiest way to address this concern is by simply using hot water and a stick. First, remove the stopper and check if hair is causing the clog. Next, boil some water and pour water down the drain but remember to do so with intervals. Doing this at least three times can loosen the hair and grime. Afterwards, remove the remaining hair using a stick and pour hot water again to remove the remaining hair. You might want to use rubber gloves all throughout.
4. The bent wire hanger.
Another way to remove the clog on your tub without the use of liquid clog removers or chemicals is with the use of the good old wire hanger. Look for a wire coat hanger in your closet that can already be disposed after. Better yet, use one that comes with one of your clothes from the cleaners as it is thinner and can easily be bent than regular ones. Your next step is to unwind the neck and leave the end part, the arched one. Next, straighten the two elbows because you will need a longer wire to do the job. Remember to create a handle you can hold on to. Insert the wire all the way down the drain until you feel some resistance. Once you do, push a little more and then pull it several times. If you are lucky, this will do the trick and you will be able to remove the hair that has been blocking the pipe.
5. Hot water and dish detergent.
Get between ¼ and ½ cup of dish detergent and pour it on the drain. Give it some time to set it. Meanwhile, heat some water. After 20 minutes or so, pour the hot water on the drain and check if the clog is already fixed. Use a plunger push the loosened dirt down the pipe. This should solve your clogged bathtub problem.
Fixing a clogged tub is easy with some DIY handyman skills. Even moms can do these. However, always take precautionary measures when doing the job yourself. Invest on rubber gloves so as to keep yourself from holding or touching the grime and hair with your bare hands. Most importantly, if the problem is more complicated than just gunk, grime and hair clogging problem, such as leaking pipes and items other than hair are clogging your tub, a plumber can do the job.
