There are several types of augers that are commonly available. Choose one that has the round compartment on it, as these contain enough wire to get down into your drain. There are augers with shorter wires, which are called closet augers, but these are made exclusively for snaking toilets.
In general, it’s a good idea not to pour drain cleaner down your drain before you snake it. Save drain cleaner for after the fact so you don’t have to worry about any dangerous splashback.
The P-trap is the curved piece of pipe directly under the drain on your sink. Its purpose is to keep sewer smells out of your house and to catch debris that might get lodged further along in your pipes. Place a bucket under the sink to catch water and other debris that will pour out when you detach the trap. Some P-traps require a screwdriver to remove, and some require a wrench. You’ll know which tool you need by looking at the attachments on the P-trap under the sink.
In general, a bend in the pipe will give your wire a complete and solid stop. On the other hand, hitting a clog will feel a bit spongy.
Turn the handle slowly. You don’t need to move the snake quickly. Keep pressure on the snake as you turn it. Pressure on the wire will help push the corkscrew end into the clog.
If you can feel a slight resistance on the wire as you pull it out, that’s probably the clog hooked onto the end. If the end of the snake has a clog attached to it, move on to putting the drain back together. If it doesn’t, push the snake back down the pipe and try to hook it once again.
Keep the bucket under this area of the drain pipe. If there are any leaks while you are testing the drain, the bucket will catch them. Clean out any debris in the P-trap before replacing it.
It may take a few seconds to clear out debris in the pipe once you start running water. However, the water should begin to run freely pretty quickly if you have dislodged the clog. If you still have a clogged or slow drain, try snaking the drain 1 to 2 more times. You can also unclog a sink by using a plunger. If the drain is still clogged after your third try, it’s time to call in a professional. Once you’re done with the snake, slowly pull it out of the drain and rinse it off with hot water.
There are 2 types of small plumbing snakes: drain augers, which are common small augers that have a round compartment with a long coil of wire in it, and closet augers, which are shorter and mostly used by plumbers to unclog toilets. A closet auger does not have the round compartment on it and so the wire length is much shorter. Choose a drain auger when getting a clog out of your tub or shower drain.
Wear work gloves before starting to make gripping the snake easier. Going through the overflow valve is better than the drain itself, because your snake has a much straighter shot down the pipe. If you are snaking a shower that doesn’t have an overflow valve, just remove any drain stoppers or screens from the drain itself and snake it that way instead. Use a screwdriver to unscrew the screen, then pry it up and off the drain. If you used drain cleaner already, wear gloves and safety goggles. Drain cleaner can sometimes splash back out of the drain, causing irritation to your skin or eyes.
Some snakes only turn when the wire is in a locked position and can’t be advanced. If this is the case with your snake, push the wire in a few inches and then lock the tool and rotate the wire. Repeat this by unlocking the wire, pushing it in a few more inches and then relocking and turning it. As you lower the cable, move your grip down until it’s about 3 inches (7. 6 cm) from the drain opening. This close grip allows you to control your motions and feel for the clog easier.
Pulling the cable out of the pipe slowly will help to keep the clog hooked to the end.
If the drain is still obstructed, snake the drain one more time. Insert the wire into the pipe once again and spend more time trying to hook the clog to remove it. Once you’ve gotten the clog out, reattach the faceplate or the drain cover in your tub. If water still won’t run through the drain after you’ve snaked it several times, it may have been pushed further down into your pipes. In this case, it’s time to call the plumber. Clean your snake by rinsing it in hot water, then store it in a cool, dry place.
The auger will have a long cable and case with a handle that moves the cable in and out. The cable will have a hook on the end to grab clogs.
It might seem as if the cable has hit a wall when you hit a curve in the pipe. Keep pushing to see if it will go past the curve.
There is no need to rotate the handle quickly. Simply keep pressure on the cable as you turn the handle slowly.
To plunge the toilet, place the plunger over the drain. Make sure the rubber head is flush against the toilet around the drain so that it creates a seal. Then, push the plunger so the rubber head inverts. Let it pop back up and push down again. Do this several times until water starts draining through the drain. Many drain clogs can be removed using a plunger. If you haven’t already given it a whirl, it’s worth trying so you can avoid the more time-consuming process of snaking your drain. If the water doesn’t drain, put the plunger away and snake the drain again. If your toilet won’t flush after you snake it 2 to 3 times, call a plumber instead. Clean your snake off with hot water, then store it in a closet or pantry for future use.
Plumbers often use electric augers, but those are typically not worth the financial investment for fixing your own drain clogs that only happen once in a while.
Set the ring, ball, and cover aside in a safe spot so you can put them back in place after the clog is eliminated. When working on the floor drain, it’s a good idea to wear rubber gloves. This will keep all dirt and debris in the drain off of your hands.
In some cases, you can tell that you are at a clog because the cable won’t advance any further, but it gives a little every time you push on it. If it’s stuck at a bend in the pipe, it won’t budge at all, even with pressure.
Work on the clog until you can feel that you’ve punctured through the other end. Continue turning the handle to break up the clog into smaller pieces. If the clog won’t seem to budge, it may be a solid object that you’ve hooked.
Clean the mess off the snake with a towel as it emerges. Dump the drain matter into a bucket, then replace the parts of the drain that you removed. Keep pulling up as much of the clog as you can until the snake is free. If the drain is still clogged, snake it again 1 to 2 more times. If your drain is still clogged after snaking it 3 times, call a professional plumber. Rinse your snake off with hot water before storing it.
