Best liquid drain opener

[Loose Cannon]

Guess they use cheap drain pipe materials in LA county. Mine are all metal - brass, I think. No problem.

[Bob]

I have the same problem with my shower drain. The trap is not accessible.

[Bill Seurer]

Is it a tub shower? I had to clean out the one in our guest bathroom just yesterday. There's a little screw on the drain plug that lets it be removed and then it's trivial to clean out all the hair that's blocking it. My previous house had different kinds of tubs but the drain plugs could be removed one way or another.

Is it a standalone shower? You can probably remove the screws from the drain cover to lift it off and then pull out the huge wad of hair'n'gunk that's blocking it. They sell these serrated plastic strips at places like Menards that make it easy if you are stumped how to fish it out.

[RickyE]

I have a similar drain in my bath tub and I use the foaming Drano (the one with two compartments). I apply it at night and the next morning the drain is as open as ever. I use it about twice a year.

[David Combs]

This inflatable-thing -- how does it work?

That is, where do you place it, and then for the blockage to be "blown away", where do you introduce the (air?) pressure -- and how?

Thanks

David

[Dave Harnish]

Hi All,

That's good advice on manually cleaning traps, esp. if it's been a while. It pays to put a little silicone-based grease on the trap threads the first time, and it'll make the job w ahile lot easier the next.

I never use chemical cleaners here. When we have a drain problem, be it tub or sink, I grab the ol' 6 gal wetvac. 'Have a tub drain that used to be a real pain to clean, but it's a breeze with the vac.

I just fill the nearby sink with really hot water, and run the wet vac in the tub rain while draining the sink. Backflushed it like this about a *year* ago and haven't had to touch it since. 'Was about once/month before, with our 3 teenage daughters who wash their hair some 2-3 times/day.

I think the wetvacs have to be the handiest tools I own. 'Use one every day in my appliance service business. We've come up with at least 15 uses for one around a home, and I'm sure there are a bunch more.

[RB]

The "inflatable thing" provides pressure and repeated impulses at a pressure that doesn't exceed your water pressure. They work well for pressurizing a pipe ahead of a blockage. However, there is very little volume of water, so opening anything but total a blockage is likely not going to happen. Once a small opening has been created there will be little improvement because of the limited flow through the device.

RB

David Combs wrote:

[Randy Anderson]

We use a friendly bacteria based product in our drains. Mix a little with warm water and pour it down the drain before bedtime. I have not found it in stores but only from our local Roto-Rooter guy.

It knocks out the smell in our disposal and shower drain. Great Stuff!

Randy

[alt-hvac Moderated]

Fits onto the end of a garden hose. Small nozzle. Big expanding bladder. Turn water on, bladder expands and is (supposed to) block the line so that the water pressure goes down the drain.

[Childfree Scott]

When I bought my house it had partially clogged sinks. I tried using the chemicals, but they didn't work very good. The enzyme stuff did absoluteoy nothing, and the acid did little. I augered everything, pulling out huge clumps of hair, and they have worked good ever since.

[David Combs]

Thanks all for the explanations!

David