How To Tackle Clogged Sink, Tub, And Shower Drains

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Nothing can ruin your day quite like a clogged sink, tub, or shower drain. While your first instinct might be to immediately call the plumber, you may want to hold off. There’s a good chance you’ll be able to solve the issue yourself, saving you a bunch of money in the process. Today, we’re going to cover different strategies for tackling a clogged sink, tub, or shower drain that even those of us who aren’t handy can do!

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Plunger

Plungers aren’t just for clogged toilets! Depending on the severity of the clog, they can also help to push a clog forward in a sink, tub, or shower drain. If the drain is small (like with a sink or shower drain), a regular toilet plunger likely won’t work – you’ll want to use a cup plunger instead, which can be found at any hardware or home improvement store.

Vinegar and Baking Soda

For moderate clogs, vinegar and baking soda can work wonders. Start by pouring about one cup of boiling water down the drain. When the water has drained, pour down half a cup of baking soda, followed by another cup of boiling water. Then, pour down one cup of distilled vinegar. You’ll need to let the solution sit for about one hour to really start breaking down the clog.

Hair Removal Tool

A buildup of hair is often the cause of a clogged sink, tub, or shower drain. Hair removal tools are designed to be stuck down into the drain, then pulled back up, attracting a clog of hair in the process. This tool works best on sink clogs, but can sometimes work with clogged shower and tub drains.

Wire Hanger

In the absence of a hair removal tool, take a wire hanger and unbend it so that it’s straightened out. Bend a small hook at one end, then carefully insert the hanger into the drain, moving it around as you go to help dislodge any clogs.

Drain Snake

A drain snake (or auger) is an extendable tool designed to find and trap clogs in the drain. These tools tend to work equally well on sink, tub, and shower drains.

Chemical Drain Cleaner

Sometimes you just need to call in the chemicals to help unclog a drain. Commercial drain cleaners like Drano and Bio-Clean generally do the trick. Just be sure to follow all safety precautions when dealing with chemical drain cleaners.

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When To Call A Professional

If you’ve tried multiple methods to unclog your drain to no avail, it’s time to call in a professional plumber. There are some clogs that are just no match for these DIY methods. However, hopefully you can try these out first, and get to the root of the problem on your own!