Our home has a septic system. My bathtub is draining slowly. Must i use a "septic tank friendly" cleaner?

Answer 1

Yes, or you'll kill the good-guy bacteria that make a septic system work.

A better solution might be to invest in your own plumber's snake. It's a flexible metal coil several yards long, with a grabby, spring-like end. You crank it into a tub drain (or a shower drain, toilet, sink, etc.) and it pushes the clogging item through to the bigger wastepipe and/or breaks it into pieces, some of which will come back when you reel it in.

I don't remember what we paid for ours, maybe $25? But it's saved us so many plumbers' visits that it's paid for itself many, many times over. It's easy to use and requires no brute strength.

Answer 2

That makes sense. However, I might be able to help get it going faster.
Bail out the water out of the tub so you got next to nothing at the bottom(the less the better) Now if it has one of those chrome stoppers with the button centre that cover the hole or similiar, unscrew it so it leaves the drain hole totally visible with the chrome + shaped support in the centre of the hole.
If you can't see the +, then take your finger and stick it inthe hole and scrape with your fingernail and hook out the hair(which is what gets caught there) Get it all out. That is part of the problem.
Now go into the kitchen and set some large pots and teakettles on the stove to boil water. When boiling take a pot back and like a waterfall from standing try to pour the hot water into the hole. If you got plastic plumbing, not to worry...the black ABS pipe can handle the temp.
Even if it does not drain immediately leave the water standing there, and get another pot of boiling water and do the waterfall thing directly onto the hole. More often than not, it will start to drain faster.
The hot water is basically melting the soap/hair sludge in the bottom of the trap and move it along. If you are out of boiling water follow this break thru with straight hot water out of the tub tap for5 minutes.

There, done. Won't hurt the septic. Nothing else is needed. Long haired people and those people conserving water suffer this type of plugging up the most.

Answer 3

The snake and the hot water are good ways to clean the drain. If you must use a chemical cleaner, use an enzyme cleaner such as Draincare by Zep. Enzyme cleaners cling to and "eat" organic clogs such as hair and soap. safe for all type drainage systems including septics. Enzyme cleaners work on the same principle as the septic tank (with bacteria).

Answer 4

check down the drain first to see if you have an over abundant collection of hair stuck. my girls have long hair and many times theres a ball of hair stuck on one fine piece and get long nosed pliers to pull out

Answer 5

Yes..and you also may want to check to see if it needs cleaning out too. They need cleaning every 3-5yrs..depending on size and usage.