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This article was co-authored by James Schuelke. James Schuelke, along with his twin brother David, is the co-owner of Twin Home Experts, a licensed plumbing, leak detection, and mold inspection company based in Los Angeles, California. James has over 32 years of home service and plumbing business experience and has expanded Twin Home Experts to Phoenix, Arizona and the Pacific Northwest.
How To Unblock Bathroom Drain
There are 7 references cited in this article, which can be found at the bottom of the page.
How To Unclog A Shower Drain Without Damaging Plumbing
When you notice that the water in your shower or bathtub isn’t flowing easily through your drain, you may be tempted to call the plumber. A slow drain is caused by clogs created by accumulated soap, hair, and other gunk blocking the drain. However, you don’t need to call the plumber right away, as you have options available to you to address slow shower drains before you rack up a plumber bill.
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This article was co-authored by James Schuelke. James Schuelke, along with his twin brother David, is the co-owner of Twin Home Experts, a licensed plumbing, leak detection, and mold inspection company based in Los Angeles, California. James has over 32 years of home service and plumbing business experience and has expanded Twin Home Experts to Phoenix, Arizona and the Pacific Northwest. This article has been viewed 227,743 times.
If you need to unclog a slow shower drain, try a few simple methods before calling a plumber. Try pouring 1 cup of Dawn liquid dish detergent or any other enzyme-based liquid soap down your shower drain. After you let it sit for an hour, rinse the drain with hot water. Another option is to pour a cup of baking soda down the drain, followed by 2 cups of boiling water. After 5 minutes, pour one cup of baking soda and one cup of vinegar down the drain. Then, turn off the drain to let the vinegar and baking soda mix. When it’s done, pour another glass of boiling water over it. You can also try unclogging your drain by sticking a drain stick in it. The barbs on the stick will catch any clog and pull it out. To learn how to unclog your drain using chemical drain cleaners, continue reading! THE MATERIAL CONTAINED IN THIS ARTICLE IS PROVIDED FOR GENERAL INFORMATION ONLY AND DOES NOT CONSTITUTE PROFESSIONAL ADVICE. LANDMARK HOME WARRANTY IS NOT EXPRESSED TO BE THE SUBJECT OF WIMATTER EX. THIS MATERIAL, AND YOU SHOULD DO YOUR OWN RESEARCH AND/OR SEEK THE ADVICE OF APPROPRIATELY QUALIFIED PROFESSIONALS REGARDING YOUR SPECIFIC SITUATION BEFORE TAKING ACTION. LANDMARK HOME WARRANTY ASSUMES NO RESPONSIBILITY, AND SPECIFICALLY DISCLAIMS ALL LIABILITY, FOR YOUR USE OF ANY AND ALL INFORMATION CONTAINED HEREIN.
How To Unclog A Double Kitchen Sink
Sometimes when you’re staring at a clogged drain or leaky pipe, you wish you had a plumber friend you could call for free advice. Then you can fix your plumbing problems without paying a dime (or at least the plumber can charge you to come out and diagnose or fix the problem). While you may not have a plumber on speed dial, you do have Landmark Home Warranty, with hundreds of plumbers who can help for less than you would normally pay! We asked Ryan Nelson, Director of Contractor Relations at Landmark and former co-owner of Nelson’s Plumbing, this week about drainsat what homeowners can do to clean, prevent, and remove clogged drain lines . Here’s the plumbing advice he gave:
First of all, Nelson does not recommend using any type of chemical drain cleaner on your pipes. If you have a clog, it’s best to try and remove it by plunging or snaking down the drain.
According to ConsumerReports.org, most chemical drain cleaners are more trouble than they’re worth. Some react with aluminum and release unhealthy gases, can harden inside pipes and cannot be removed, or mix with other household cleaners and cause the mixture to come up the drain. Crystal Chemical drain cleaners are extremely dangerous and can damage your pipes, garbage disposal, and septic system. Liquid, foam and gel cleaners can also cause damage to pipes and are usually less effective taking at least 30 minutes to eat through the clog.
There are several bio-clean products that Consumer Reports has researched, but most of them are not as effective at clearing the clog. However, they can be helpful in keeping the drain clean after the clogs are removed.
Ways To Unclog A Toilet That Won’t Drain
According to Nelson, the number one cause of bathroom sink clogs is from toothpaste and long hair. If you have a clog in your sink or bathroom tub, Nelson recommends filling the basin with hot water and then plugging the sink drain to (hopefully) flush the drain to clear the drains.
If that doesn’t work, you can plunge the drain, use a snake or physically remove the clog if you can reach it.
You can ensure that your bathroom drains are not clogged by running hot water after showering or brushing your teeth to ensure that the warm water dissolves the water-soluble materials in your toothpaste or shampoo. If you have longer hair, invest in a drain saver for your bathtub, like this TubShroom that catches longer hair and lets you dispose of it, instead of down the pipes where it can clump and cause clogs . When you’re at your bathroom sink, don’t flush the hair down the drain.
There are only three things to take out: #1, #2, and toilet paper. Anything else is likely to be too big, won’t rot, and possibly get stuck in the pipes. There is nothing worse than a backed up toilet. If plunging and snaking down the toilet doesn’t clear the clog, it may be time to call in a professional.
Clogged Drain? 5 Practical Tips To Fix It Fast — Bl3 Plumbing & Drain Cleaning
If you have a clog in your kitchen drain, Nelson recommends using hot water and soap to loosen and eat the clog.
Run very hot water down the drain to loosen the clog, followed by a grease-dissolving soap. If the clog still doesn’t clear, use a kitchen plunger and try running hot soapy water back into the pipes.
You can also try applying a bubbling mixture of equal parts baking soda and vinegar to the pipes to provide a natural way to clear clogs and not damage the pipes.
You can prevent kitchen drain clogs by keeping grease out of the pipes. Grease may come down the pipe hot and in a liquid state but harden into a mass as it cools, which can cause blockages. It is better to put the oil in a jar that you can throw away after it hardens. You can also use a wire mesh filter over your kitchen drain to keep clogging food out of the drains.
How To Unclog A Shower Drain And Keep It Clean
If you have a garbage disposal, you should always run it with extra water after using it to ensure that food scraps are pushed down the drain line. Be sure to keep things like eggshells, vegetables with strings (like celery or carrots), and foods that come out with water from pipes. All of these can create clogs. If you happen to have a clog and hot water, dish soap, and a plunger can’t clear it, check out our how to unclog a kitchen drain article.
In general, plumbers say the best way to clear clogged drains is by mechanical means (plunging and snaking) and some hot water. Stay away from chemical cleaners as they can damage your pipes and be dangerous to people.
The best way to prevent clogged drains is to never put anything down the drain that shouldn’t be there — throw it away or compost it. Second, be sure to run hot water after putting anything down the drain to prevent blockages from forming and give food, toothpaste, or soap a chance to get out of your pipes.
Of course, if none of these tips work to clear your drain clogs, you need to call a professional plumber. If you have a home warranty, you’re in luck. Instead of the usual prices to diagnose and fix plumbing issues, you’ll only pay a small service call fee between $60-$100. A flat-rate service call fee covers diagnosis and repair or replacement if the problem is caused by normal wear and tear. Learn more about what else you can fix or replace in your home here. Then, get a free personalized quote for your home.
Simple Ways To Unclog A Bathtub Drain Naturally
Got a clogged sink or water heater that isn’t working? Check out our tube maintenance articles and infographics.
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