Clogging of bathtubs is a very common problem in every household, so we’ve collected these 5 home remedies to unclog the tub in minutes without calling a professional!
Bathing in a tub filled with warm water is quite relaxing, especially after a long day of work and multiple stresses. However, this me-time can even cause discomfort if the water doesn’t drain well. Slow draining or clogging of the tub is a very common problem. Most of the time we call a plumber to fix it and with it, there comes the cost of spending a good amount of money. Instead of calling a plumber, you can go economical and try out some home remedies to unclog the tub. This way, it will not just save you some penny but also your time and effort in calling a professional plumber at home.
Reasons for clogging of the tub
The most common thing that causes the tub to clog is ‘hair’. Your hair can clog proper draining of the tub and thus causing it to clog badly. And ultimately, you can’t really avoid this issue as every time you take a shower, your hair will get collected near or in the draining hole. Another reason for it could be soap and shampoo. Soap and shampoos are made from fat which combines with the water to form a residue. Now, this residue sticks to the walls and corners of the drainage pipes, which doesn’t let the water to pass easily.
If you live in an area where you get hard water, even the water can cause your tub to clog. Hard water has an abundance of minerals present in it which sticks to the surface of the drainage pipe resulting in clogging of the tub.
How to unclog tub?
You can’t avoid using any of the above-mentioned things; however, you can easily avoid clogging. Let’s look at the various home remedies to unclog the tub.
1. Look for the Waste
All the tubs come with a stopper to ease your task of filling the tub with water. What you can do is that you can pull it out and look for the waste which is easy to clean. Usually, it’s your hair which gets accumulated near the hole and stops the water to drain. Using a needle-nose plier, remove the hairs and then put in lukewarm water directly into the drainage line. Remember not to use extremely hot water as it can cause the drainage pipe to crack if plastic. If you’re not easily grossed, remove the hairs with your hands and fit the stopper in place again. If after doing this your tub still gets clogged, there might be a problem with your drainage pipe; then follow other home remedies from this list.
2. Baking Soda and Vinegar
Baking soda and vinegar have excellent cleaning properties and no doubt, they easily unclog the tub. Pour ½ cup of baking soda directly into the drainage pipe. Now, you need to be sure that the tub is dry while doing this process. After putting baking soda, pour ½ cup of table salt and wait for 2-3 minutes. Now, put 1 cup of vinegar and stop the drain using a metal stopper. Leave it for 30 minutes as the reaction between the ingredients will dissolve all the waste in the drainage area. Finish it by running warm water. This is an economical method with easily available pantry items to unclog your bathing tub. You can also use this remedy for your kitchen or bathroom sink or wherever needed.
3. Bleach
Another way of unclogging the tub is by using bleach as it dissolves all the acidic substances. Now, this is a little chemistry. Bleach is basic and due to the chemical reaction; it dissolves all the acidic things including hair. All you have to do is pour some bleach into the drain and leave it for 10-15 minutes and finish off by pouring warm water. But, this method is useful only when the drainage system is not made up of stainless metals. Bleach can easily corrode the drainage system if it is build using stainless metals.
4. Borax
Make a mixture of ½ cup borax with 2 cups of boiling water and pour it in the drain. Wait for 15 minutes and then run warm water through it.
5. Plumber’s Snake
If you don’t have a plumber’s snake at home, you can easily get one from the hardware store. Remove the stopper from the tub and put the plumber’s snake in it. Now, fill your tub with a little water and start pushing the plumber’s snake up and down. Twist and turn until the water starts draining down easily. Take out the plumber’s snake and run warm water through the drain. Cover with the stopper and your tub is ready for use.
All these home remedies to unclog the tub are very useful and can be easily done at home. But, in case you fail to get any results from these, then you might want to call a professional. To avoid the clogging of your tub, make sure that you regularly clean your tub and maintain it as new!