How to Clear a Slow Draining Bathtub

Think about the last time you took a shower – Was the water up to your ankles by the end of your shower? What about the last time you took a bath – Did the water take twice as long to empty out as it normally does? Thanks to a buildup of debris, you now have to take the time to fix this slow draining bathtub drain.

Step 1: Head into the kitchen and put a pot of water on the stove and allow it to boil. While that’s heating up, open up your kitchen cabinet to grab a box of baking soda (no, we’re not baking a cake) and a bottle of white vinegar. Pour a half cup of baking soda into the drain, followed by a cup of vinegar. Allow these two ingredients to react with each other for roughly five minutes or so.

Step 2: Once the water is done boiling, pour it down the drain of the bathtub. When the water finally drains, place your drain plunger over the drain and begin plunging. After a few plunges, turn the hot water on to see if the water is still slowly draining. If so, repeat this step a few more times.

Step 3: If your bathtub is still experiencing slow drainage, you’re going to have to get your hands on a pipe snake. Remove the drain cover and feed the snake into the drain. Once you feel the snake has reached a block, push and pull the snake until it pierces through the blockage. From here you can slowly reel in your pipe snake until you are able to pull the blockage out from the drain.

Step 4: Reinstall the drain cover and run the hot water to allow any debris to be pushed through the drain. You should notice that the water is draining as it should, but if it’s not (or you couldn’t remove the blockage), you will need to call a plumber.

A slow draining bathtub isn’t a problem you should ignore, it’s one you should address before it turns into a bigger problem. When you need a plumber to help you clear a blockage from a drain, contact Lancaster Plumbing, Heating, Cooling & Electrical. To learn more or to schedule an appointment, give us a call at (717) 207-8198.