Slow Draining Bathtub

[Ultraglide]

I have just noticed that one of our bathtubs drains rather slowly. I don't believe that it was always that slow. Any ideas or suggestions as to how to correct the problem?

[JoeSpareBedroom]

Step 1: Remove the strainer and peek down there with a flashlight. You might find gobs of hair combined with soap. Grab with long tweezers. Flush with hot water.

Step 2: If you find hair, get a better strainer, or make the women clean out the drain next time.

[Kurt Ullman]

In my house, much more of my hair is going down the drain.. at least for a little while longer until I run out entirely.

[Stormin Mormon]

Can be either hair and grease, in which case treat with hydroxide.

Might be calcium scale, which is treated with acid.

Did you google drain cleaners?

[Speedy Jim]

Get a DIY book that covers tub drains so you know how they work.

I don't like chemicals due to corrosion.

You can snake from the trip lever/overflow opening. Or use a Shop Vac to suck/blow at the drain opening. Plug the overflow with wet rags.

*lots* of things can and do go badly working on old drains. Experience counts in this situation.

Jim

[Phisherman]

Try a plunger and stuff the overspill. Flush with hot water. If that doesn't work... Raise the pop-up stopper. Gently pull up the stopper and rocker arm. Then remove the cover plate screws with linkage. Clean all the hair and debris from all parts and reassemble. Flush with hot water. I suggest buying a plastic strainer that rests over the drain to catch any hair if you find a hair clog (you will need to instruct tub users must clean the hair trap after each use.) If this cleaning doesn't work try using an auger from the drum trap. If the drum trap is not accessible auger through the overflow. HTH

[Big_Jake]

REALLY BAD ADVICE!

I never use chemical drain cleaners. They are tough on pipes, and not very effective. Worse yet, you get to "wear" them when they don't work and you have to snake or plunge it. Speedy Jim hit the nail on the head!

JK

[ds549]

i have cleared mine useing a 12 elec wire about a foot long ,bend a hook on the end , push it in and pull it out can catch the hair or whatever ..yukkkk..i have one tub i use a garden hose and pressure flush the drain to get it flowing..those 15.00 drain snake drums you hook a drill to have done the job for me before too. good luck.

[Joseph Meehan]

As you can see, it sort of depends....

I would agree with all the suggestions, depending on exactly what your have and what is clogging it,. except for the chemical cleaners. I would stay away from them.

[Norminn]

Our shower drain slowed rather suddenly, so I got a coat hanger (you don't want to get it stuck in a drain), bent a hook on the tip, and fished out a disgusting and amazing glob of hair. Dropped one of the screws for the drain cover into the drain, but hubby has a neat, telescoping magnet thingy which enabled us to get to it.

[samurai]

I've had good luck with the compressed air drain cleaners, but you must plug the overflow to work the best. On a tub, that would be pretty hard.

Otherwise, a manual drain snake from the home stores is the next best solution.

samurai.