Figuratively and literally, our bathtub drain has been clogged — and we need your help.
Last week our bathtub drain started behaving oddly. Growing up with three sisters taught me that shower drains occasionally collect hair and need a good cleaning, so at first it didn’t seem like a big deal. Then, after one shower following some basement painting, the drain went from letting water trickle out to completely refusing to drain.
We tackled the problem with the usual do-it-yourself tactics, hoping one of them would work:
- We fished around with our fingers and pulled out a sizable hairball, but that didn’t restore normal flow.
- Plunging dislodged a few unpleasant things we’d rather not see again, yet the water level stayed stubbornly high.
- Our 25-foot drain snake (auger) didn’t make a difference either — it seemed to reach nothing that would let the water pass.
- We tried pouring boiling water down the drain several times, a trick that had rescued our kitchen sink before, but after five attempts the tub still wouldn’t drain properly.
- Next we followed a reader suggestion: half a cup of baking soda followed by a cup of vinegar. We watched the fizzing reaction, let it sit for five minutes, then flushed with hot water. No improvement. We attempted it again with the same disappointing result.
- Even the inexpensive Zip-It tool someone recommended didn’t solve the problem. It came out clean, which was part relief and part frustration.
After those attempts, we went to the hardware store and described the situation to an employee. He suggested an environmentally friendly enzyme cleaner called Roebic Laboratories Bacterial Drain Cleaner. The instructions called for mixing a couple of capfuls into about 12 ounces of warm water and letting it sit overnight. The next morning the solution had drained slowly, which gave us hope, but when we used the faucet the tub started filling up again.
We repeated the enzyme treatment for two nights, but the drain still failed to stay clear. In the meantime we’ve had several showers turn into quick baths that we then had to bail out with a bucket. The inconvenience and the mess pushed us to consider calling a professional plumber — but before we do, we’d love to hear from readers who’ve solved similar problems.
If you’ve successfully unclogged a stubborn bathtub drain, please share the method that worked for you. Some techniques readers commonly recommend include using a professional-grade drain snake, removing and cleaning the pop-up assembly if applicable, or accessing the overflow plate to reach clogs further down the pipe. Others have had success with enzyme treatments left to work for multiple nights, or with manually accessing the trap under the tub if that’s feasible in their home’s setup. Tell us what worked, how long it took, and any tools or safety tips you’d recommend.
We want practical, tested advice — nothing dangerous or that could damage plumbing. For example, we won’t use harsh chemicals that might harm pipes or create unsafe fumes in the house. We also prefer solutions that don’t require tearing apart walls or fixtures unless a professional is the right call. If you’ve dealt with a similar clog and solved it without calling a pro, your step-by-step guidance would be especially helpful.
We’re eager to DIY this and celebrate victory over the clog that won’t quit, so keep the suggestions coming. Share specific products you trust, techniques that worked in older homes versus newer ones, and any troubleshooting steps you’d try before paginating a plumber. Fingers crossed that round six will be the charm!
Update: Oh no we di’innnnnt! We just unclogged the dastardly drain. Woo to the hoo. Here are the details…