Lift-and-turn stoppers: Twist off the knob on top, unscrew the bolt underneath the knob, and lift out the stopper. Pop-up stoppers: With the stopper in the open (“popped-up”) position, unscrew the top cap, then loosen the screw underneath and pull out the assembly. O-ring stoppers: The specifics vary by brand type here, but generally you can just lift these straight out (possibly with the help of a suction cup). Faceplate lever stoppers: With the drain lever in the open position, unscrew the faceplate (where the tub overflow drain is, usually just below the tub faucet). Pull off the faceplate, then pull out the attached overflow assembly—typically 2 lengths of metal attached to a stopper. [2] X Research source
If you don’t have standing water in the tub, put the stopper/strainer back in place and run the water to test the drain. If you’re really lucky, the clog will already be busted—which means you’re all finished!
Put the head of the plunger over the drain so that the rubber lip is in contact with the tub surface all the way around. This creates the air seal you need to create suction and clear the clog. Once you have a good seal, forcefully pump the plunger stick up and down for 15-20 seconds. You may get splashed with some dirty water while plunging, so it pays to wear old clothes for this job! After 15-20 seconds, lift the plunger and see if the water drains out quickly. Repeat the process 1-2 more times if the drain is still clogged.
Be careful to avoid splashing the hot water on yourself. Adding boiling water may instantly unclog the drain. Run the faucet to see if it is now draining normally. Repeat the process one or two more times as needed. However, don’t use boiling water repeatedly or too frequently—say, weekly—if you have PVC drain pipes, since it may loosen the adhesive. Try a manual removal method (like a drain stick) for frequent clogs in this case.
If this method doesn’t work after 1-2 tries, move on to another option. Like a school science experiment, the mixture will foam up inside (and out of) the drain pipe—this reaction may be enough to break up clogs of gunk. Mixing baking soda and vinegar creates a fairly mild chemical reaction, so this method may not work for every clog. But it’s easy, cheap, and definitely worth a try!
If you do choose to use bleach, simply pour about 8 fl oz (240 ml) straight into the drain, wait 15 minutes, then flush the drain with hot (or boiling) water. Don’t use vinegar or a drain cleaner after using bleach, either.
The teeth on the stick should grab onto the tangled hair and allow you to pull the entire clog out. Clean the gunk off of the drain stick to use it again in the future, or just toss it—they’re not very expensive!
Buy a product specifically intended for bathtubs. Not all drain cleaners are intended for use in tubs. Read and follow all product instructions exactly. Wear cleaning gloves and eye protection at all times. If there is any standing water in the tub, remove all of it (with buckets, cups, towels, etc. ) before using the drain cleaner. Let the product work for the recommended time (usually 15-30 minutes), then flush the drain with cold water. NEVER mix drain cleaner products in the same drain, or use drain cleaner before or after using bleach.
It’ll probably cost you around $100-$250 USD to have a plumber do a straightforward drain unclogging job, but those amounts can increase quickly if the job ends up being more complex.
