Home 🪠 Plumbing Emergency 🪠 Drain Clog 🪠 Bathtub Drain Clog

ARE YOU EXPERIENCING A BATHTUB DRAIN CLOG?

Has your bathtub taken longer than usual to drain after you bathe? Do you hear strange gurgling noises? A bathtub drain clog can ruin your morning.

Rescue Plumbing has the tools and training to unclog a bathtub in no time! Call our friendly staff today (773) 799-8848!

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Rescue Plumbing ready to unclog a bathtub drain
Rescue Plumbing with a bathtub stopper


HOW DO YOU KNOW IF YOU HAVE A BATHTUB DRAIN CLOG?

A bathtub drain clog can be easy to spot! If you see water pooling in your tub, or a slow draining tub then there could be a clog.

Some clogs can be deeper in the pipes, if this is the case, you might hear strange gurgling noises after water enters the drain.

Keep an eye out for the signs of a bathtub drain clog. If a clog is caught early, you can try DIY tricks to clear it before calling a professional plumber.

Signs of a bathtub clog:

  • Slow draining bathtub
  • Standing water around the drain
  • A leak under the tub
  • An odor coming from the drain
  • Gurgling, and other strange noises coming from inside the pipe

Clogged drains can be easy to spot, but difficult to repair depending on the cause. There are multiple possible causes of a clogged bathtub drain.

At Rescue Plumbing, we often get calls about a clogged bathtub drain. A bathtub is one of the most used plumbing fixtures in a home, this leads to build up and wear over time. Rescue Plumbing has the tools to diagnose and fix anything that’s causing your bathtub clog.

Hair

One of the most common causes of a clog in bathtub drains is hair. It is natural to lose a hair or two while bathing, however, these hairs can collect inside of your drain and create a clog. Both long hair and short hair can collect and clog a shower drain.

A simple mesh catcher can help prevent hair from entering the drain and causing a clog!

Soap Residue

Another cause is soap scum, the grease, and oils leftover from shampoos and body washes can build up over time and cause a clog. Some soaps can have animal fats that can cause a slow bathtub drain or totally clog a drain.

Whether your clog is from hair or soap scum, our expert plumbers have some tips and tricks to prevent a clogged drain in your bathtub!

Having a clean bathtub free of clogs is essential for an enjoyable bath. Here are some quick tips to prevent your bathtub from clogging:

  • Avoid using hair products that contain oils or waxes that take time to break down and will cause a build-up
  • Install a mesh trap or a bathtub stopper in your drain to catch hair and other debris
  • Avoid the use of chemical cleaners that can corrode metal pipes and cause pipe damage and collapse

If a clog is unavoidable, make sure you have an overflow plate installed which will protect your bathroom from a flood! We also recommend placing a bathtub drain stopper and refraining from using your bath or shower so the clog does not get worse.

Finally, you can try some tricks at home, or call a professional plumber to safely and simply remove the clog for you! Call Rescue Plumbing to unclog a bathtub in your home! (773) 799-8848

If you’re experiencing a slow bathtub drain or standing water in your bathtub drain, try these unclog methods you can do at home!

Vinegar and Baking Soda

Mixing baking soda and vinegar can unclog a bathtub drain. The mixture of baking soda and white vinegar creates a reaction that can unclog a drain. The resulting sodium bicarbonate is a natural solution to clogs caused by soap scum.

Slowly pour half the mixture down the shower drain and let it sit for 15 minutes. After the baking soda and vinegar have sat in the drain, pour hot water into the drain opening. Repeat with the other half of the mixture if the drain is still slow.

The water flow will help wash down anything left behind. Say goodbye to any drain clogs!

Note: Our professional plumbers recommend against using chemical drain cleaners. These products can corrode your pipes and cause leaks and damage over time.

Hot Water

Some clogs can be removed simply by pouring boiling water down the drain! The boiling water acts as a drain cleaner that melts away any grease or soap and unclog a bathtub! We recommend starting with one cup of hot water.

Drain Snake

A drain snake is a physical tool that reaches into your drain and can pull out any stuck material. This method is free of any chemicals and offers a natural solution to your clogged tub.

You can either feed the snake drain into the drain opening or remove the overflow plate with needle-nose pliers. This access point gives you a direct line into the drain pipe, however, you may need a drain stick that is a few inches longer. You can pick up many different sizes of drain snakes at a local hardware store.

We recommend you wear gloves to try this method. It is a messy process because you never know what you will pull out of the pipes!

Plunger

Another physical method that avoids chemical drain cleaners, is simply using a plunger on your tub drain!

Similar to using a plunger on a toilet to unclog it, place the plunger around the tub drain. Create a seal to prevent air from entering the pipe by removing the overflow plate cover place a wet rag inside the overflow pipe and then plunge away.

Push and pull the plunger to add pressure to the system. Hopefully, this pressure will fix the clog!

If the above methods don’t help unclog your shower or tub, then it’s time to call a professional. Rescue Plumbing has the tools and training to fix all types of clogged drains. Call our friendly staff today (773) 799-8848!

If you’ve tried the DIY methods and nothing worked, then it may be time to call in the professional! Our licensed plumbers arrive at every job with the equipment to do in-depth unclogging.

Power Rodding

Did you know that the pipe that connects from your bathtub drain also connects to a much larger pipe?

These larger drainage pipes lead to the sewer lines outside of your home, sometimes the buried sewer lines are infiltrated by tree roots, causing a clog. Rescue Plumbing has the powerful tools to reach throughout your drain and sewer system.

With the proper power rodding equipment, our plumber will be able to unclog the drain in no time. Call Rescue Plumbing today to unclog your drain (773) 799-8848!

Drum Traps

In Chicago, there are many homes or residences that are 50-150 years old. Older homes and residences have special bathtub devices called drum traps that were installed long ago. The drum traps were used in place of a P-trap install, creating a trap seal but with an extra function. 

These drum traps come with clean-out access and allow for someone to clean out all of the hair every few months. Drum traps are still in Chicago drains today!

Rescue Plumbing tip - always follow drum trap manufacturer's instructions

PROFESSIONAL PLUMBERS READY TO UNCLOG YOUR TUB

Why choose Rescue Plumbing? Because we are the best!

  • Licensed, Bonded & Insured
  • Real Completed Jobs Near You
  • 5-Star Rated Plumbing Company
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RESCUE PLUMBING CAN FIX YOUR CLOGGED BATHTUB DRAIN

At Rescue Plumbing. we have fixed bathtub clogs across the Chicagoland area. Tough clogs need tough tools, we have specialized equipment to clear drains quickly.

Read about our bathtub clog jobs completed around Chicago!

FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS

You have questions, the Rescue Team has answers.

The cause of a bathtub drain clog is hair and soap scum. Most soaps have animal fat in them. When taking a shower you use soap that is loaded with greasy animal fat. Greasy animal fat combined with hair in a bathtub drain creates a clog.

You can unclog a bathtub drain naturally by removing the overflow plate cover on your bathtub, stuff a wet rag into the overflow pipe to create an airtight seal, hold the rag tight in place with one hand and simultaneously plunge the drain hole in the bathtub with a plunger.

  • bathtub stopper can prevent a clog like this
  • a chemicals cleaning solution should not be used to fix a bathtub drain clog
  • Rescue Plumbing recommends only using professional drain cleaners without chemicals

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Let Us rescue your bathtub!

One of the more frequent calls we receive here at Rescue Plumbing goes something like ‘HELP! Our bathtub has clogged!’ Rescue Plumbing can help you with any of your bathtub clog needs. Just give us a call!

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