Clearing a blocked bath can test anyone's patience. Hair, soap scum and other debris can leave water draining slowly or not at all, and that soon upsets your routine. This guide explains the best ways to unblock a bath drain, starting with easy DIY fixes and moving on to professional help.
DIY Methods for a Blocked Bath
If you would rather have a go yourself first, these simple methods often do the trick.
1. Pour Boiling Water Down the Plughole
A kettle of boiling water can melt soap scum and loosen the grease that holds a blockage together. It is a sensible first step before you move on to anything else.
2. Use a Plunger
Plunging creates suction that can pull a blockage free. Block the overflow with a damp cloth, place the plunger over the plughole and pump it firmly up and down.
3. Try Bicarbonate of Soda and Vinegar
This natural remedy can be surprisingly effective. Tip half a cup of bicarbonate of soda into the plughole, add a cup of vinegar, leave it to fizz for a few minutes and then rinse through with hot water.
4. Fish It Out With a Snake or Hook
A drain snake will reach in and pull out hair and debris, and an old wire coat hanger bent into a hook can do the same job. Always draw the blockage up and out, rather than pushing it deeper into the pipe.
5. Use a Shop-Bought Drain Unblocker
Chemical drain unblockers are widely sold and work by dissolving the clog. Read the instructions carefully and use them only now and then, because strong chemicals can harm your pipes over time.
When It Is Time to Call a Professional
DIY methods do not always work, and sometimes you need help. These are the situations that are best left to an expert.
Blockages That Keep Returning
If the bath keeps blocking, or nothing you try clears it, there may be a deeper problem, such as a damaged pipe or debris collecting deeper in the pipework.
Stubborn or Severe Blockages
Solid blockages and hardened fat or soap deposits may need professional treatment such as drain jetting. High-pressure water is especially good at breaking up tough clogs.
Camera Inspections
When it is not clear what is causing the problem, an engineer can send a drain camera into the pipes to find it.
Several Drains Affected at Once
If more than one of the drains in your home is slow or blocked, the issue may lie in the main sewer pipe. An emergency drainage engineer can deal with this quickly.
The Advantages of a Professional Service
Professional drain engineers have high-pressure jetting units and specialist cleaning equipment that can handle the most stubborn blockages. Jetting does more than clear the pipe; it cleans it too, which makes future problems less likely.
With a reliable drainage company on hand, you can relax knowing the job is being done efficiently and safely.
Unblocking Other Drains Around the Home
This guide is mainly about baths, but most of the same methods work on other drains in the house, including sinks and showers. They suffer from the same kinds of problems, such as hair, soap scum, grease and food scraps, so the fixes are largely the same.
Unblocking a Sink
Kitchen and bathroom sinks are easily blocked by grease, leftover food and soap. Boiling water, or bicarbonate of soda and vinegar, is a good place to start, though a sink may need a smaller sink plunger or a drain snake. In the kitchen, take care not to force food waste further along, as this can cause a worse blockage deeper in the system. If the simple methods fail, you may need a professional to clear the sink properly.
Unblocking a Shower
Shower wastes collect hair and soap residue, which gradually form stubborn clogs. A drain snake or hook is good for pulling out tangled hair near the top of the pipe. Deeper blockages may need drain jetting or a professional clean to stop things getting worse.
For sinks and showers alike, good habits help prevent blockages, such as fitting drain covers to trap debris and running hot water down the drains every so often. If several drains in your home are emptying slowly, though, the problem could be in your main sewer pipe, and that is the time to call a professional drainage company.
Use these tips on your sinks and showers as well as your bath and you will keep every drain in good shape, cutting the risk of expensive repairs later on.
Contact Jet Plumb for Professional Drain Unblocking
A blocked bath does not have to be a big headache. Between these simple tips and expert help when you need it, you can have water flowing freely again before long. If DIY has not worked, Jet Plumb is here to help.
If you live in Stroud or elsewhere in Gloucestershire, call Jet Plumb on 01453 827124. There is no call-out charge, and our quotes are free with no obligation.
