How do I unclogg my bath tub drain? I have tried the plunger, drano, and vinegar\baking soda mixture.?

Question

I live in an apartment on the 3rd floor. I want to use the mtce department as a last resort as they can come into my apt w\out me being there.

Answer 1

Raybdog has got it exactly right! That is the exact method I use and it has always worked! (I used to do the maintenence for a bunch of apartments.) Before you buy anything or put in a work requisition, try his method.

Important note that people often miss! Because you have been dumping drain-o and other chemicals down the drain I strongly suggest you find some safety glases or goggles for when you're splashing around, and be certian to wash up right afterwards, as some of the drain cleaner is almost certian to "regurgitate" back into the tub during the process!

If you do resort to having the maintenance people come in, warn them you have used drain cleaners!

Answer 2

When you use the plunger, you do the following:

1) Have the tub at least 1/2 full of water (cold is fine).

2) Tape over the overflow opening (it may be disguised as a drain stopper lever with a recess behind the bezel) - taping prevents air from going in and defeating step 3 below

3) Put on some boots (or be prepared to wash your feet afterwards) and step into the tub where you can plunge UPWARDS - and by that I mean, push down slowly on the plunger and then pull up suddenly (CAUTION, don't hit yourself in any sensitive spots with the plunger handle). You might need to do this a bunch of times to loosen up the blockage.

If big blobs of hair and stuff come up into the tub, try to gather that stuff up before it goes back down and blocks the pipe again.

If that doesn't work sometimes you can make a small hook on the end of a coathanger or similar wire and shove it partially down the drain, twist a half turn and then pull up - sometimes it will hook onto a hairball and voila, the job is done.

Be careful if you use any pressure devices - a friend of mine blew off the trap on a tub once while using a pump-up air-cannon-like drain "cleaner" - it solved the stoppage problem but not how he had hoped, and it made a huge and very expensive mess.

Answer 3

It's probably plugged with hair!!! Take a wire hanger and cut a piece out of the hanger about 12 inches long, use the thinest hanger possible! On one end make a hook about a half inch long and shape it like a fish hook! Then the other end make a little loop! big enough to get 2 fingers in the loop! Put the fish hook end down the tub drain and turn it a few times slowly once it's in the drain hole about 3- 4 inches down, then pull the hanger peice out and do that about 20 - 30 times until your not bring out hair anymore on the wire hanger piece!

Long hair is a huge problem with bathtubs and sinks! and most draino's and other chemicals don't desolve hair!!! So your just wasting money if it's plugged up with hair!!!

There are clean out's sections for the tub if you can get to them!!! Most newer homes have access to the tub drain piping! That would be alot more easier if you could get to the drain piping!!! Make sure when you make the fish hook part on the one end of the wire hanger! That it is only about 1/8 opening or you may get to much hair at one time and struggle too much pulling it out of the drain!!! the smaller the gap the better off you will be getting all the hair out!

The reason a plunger doesn't work because bathtubs have a safety over flow hole right at the bottm of the tub hole closing lever and plate! about half way up the front of the bathtub!!!But you can still use a plunger if you plug the over flow hole with a wet wash cloth using a butter knife!!! ( Not A Sharp knife like a steak Knife) A Butter knife!!

If you try to use the plunger without pluging up the overflow hole, when you plung, the air force just goes out the tub overflow hole so you can' t get any air force! Pluging the tub overflow hole makes a huge difference!!! If the tub is plugged from little toddlers putting little toys in it, you'll have to higher a plumber if you can't get to the tub drain pipes to take them apart!!!

Plus anytime you use a plunger, Be sure to fill the sink or tub up about 3 inches of very hot water! It makes it a lot easier and better results, then if using cold water! Once you get the tub unplugged, put a bottle of Liquid Plumber down it and leave it sit for a good 2 - 3 hrs and it will clean your drain like new again! Then run very hot water down the drain for a few minutes so it will all be washed out of the drain pipes!

The minute you notice the drain, draining slower then usual, thats when you should go hair digging in the drain, that way it will never be completely plugged up and a lot more easier to get it unplugged!!! You can buy hair gaurds for sinks and tubs at most hardware stores that go over the drain hole area that catch all the long hair so your drains don't get plugged up!!!

Answer 4

Your friend has a good point. The dirt washes off of you while your seated and you continue to soak in that same water until you're ready to get out. Then if you take a bath with someone else you're soaking in their dirt as well. For women, baths are probably worse because our private area has a way bigger opening than men's so all of that dirt and bacteria is swimming right up in the vagina. At least in showers, the dirt and water runs down your body and straight into the drain and you can even wear shower shoes if you're afraid of foot fungus.

Answer 5

First things first, bathtub drains are famous for getting clogged with head hair.....it builds up over time with soap residue and coats the drain with hair and soap sticking to it.....you may need to have the maintenance gang to come in with a snake and snake it out good, drano is like using grapefruit juice, it mostly does not work!!!
Vinegar and baking soda, whoever told you to use that stuff????
totally useless......at this point a snake is necessary.....you can buy one with a handle and it is simple to use for about 10-15 dollars at Home Depot or Lowes......stick it in the drain and twist the handle back and forth....try to get it in as far as you can....I will bet this will clear up the clog.

Answer 6

You will have to get a piece of wire, like a coat hanger and remove all the hair that is collected in the drain. Make a small hook on the end and try to snag as much as possible. After cleaning I would buy a copper scrubby and cover the drain with it and remove the hair from it that it stopped from going down the drain

Answer 7

sounds like you have one of those tubs with a flip lever on the over flow that opens and close the drain

and over time the piece that blocks the drain to hold the water has dropped down a bit and now you water wont run out as it should

let your maintenance people fix it thats what you pay your rent money for anyway

Answer 8

it may not be your drane it could be your plug the part you pull out or in to keep the bath water from going down the drain i had same problem i thought my drain was clogged tryed everything nope i needed a knew plug for the drain you know to keep the bath water fromdraining when taken a bath then when you want to let the water out you lift the drain spout up or down whitchever i bet thats your problem i went to the hardware store purchased a knew one brought the old one in they showed me what to get installed it myself and to my surprise i did it what a plumber could do i did it for the cost of the part.and if you need maintanance man going in so what are they thieves or something why not be home when they come and if your not so what if anything is missing report them unless you have something to hide.

Answer 9

It's really gross, but there is probably a giant ball of hair stuck in the drain.
If your drain strainer can be removed, you will need to remove it, and pull the slug out.
I had to do this recently in my own house.
It was about 2" wide and about 6" long.
I was gagging all the way to the toilet.

Answer 10

You tried it all, so now it is time, you call the Mtce Department. If, you don't want them, in your rental unless you are there, then you will have to stay home and wait until they leave then you can go where ever you need to go.