Have a Clogged Bathtub Drain? Avoid That Horrible Disaster!

Is Your Bath Clogged? Tips On Avoiding a Clogged Bath Drain

There are few things more irritating than finding your bath clogged when you need to use the tub or shower. But if you live in an old apartment or house, or your plumbing hasn’t been updated in a long time, you may have to endure this somewhat gross phenomenon more often than you’d like. Here are some tips for the trade to help prevent a clogged bath.

Remember, you don’t have to struggle alone with a bath clogged by stray hair, mineral deposits and other substances like soap scum. Trust the Ontario plumbing professionals at HY-PRO Plumbing and Drain Cleaning to eliminate your clogged bath problem quickly and effectively.

Professional Drain Cleaning

If you’re like most people, you probably don’t enjoy taking a shower with a clogged bath drain. Having dirty water rising up past your ankles doesn’t exactly scream “refreshing!” The best way to avoid ever having your bath clogged is by calling our expert plumbers for routine hydro jetting services. Homeowners often don’t consider calling a professional plumber for drain services unless there’s an obvious problem that can’t be easily solved with a plunger or a hair snake. But if you can’t stand having your bath clogged and want to prevent it from ever happening again, a routine, professional drain cleaning service is necessary.

Hydro jetting machines are revolutionary tools that blast away clog-causing debris and blockages before they have a chance to get really bad and cut off the flow of water. They remove substances that are clinging to the interior of the wastewater line, which means there’s nothing for debris to hold on to, and clogs are less likely to form in the future. Regular hydro jetting also keeps your lines in great shape for longer because they don’t suffer the wear and tear damage of building pressure from household clogs, so you won’t need sewer line repair or replacement as frequently.

Regular Maintenance

Don’t assume that just because you can’t see it, the dirt and grime aren’t there! First, invest in a screen or mesh for your bath sinks to collect any hair or chunks of soap (soap residue is a major factor in many clogs, so don’t overdo it on the suds and only use what you need to get clean). Second, once per week—maybe while scrubbing the bath tub—remember to remove the drain cover and get scrubbing underneath. If you’ve got a tub stopper that’s pre-installed, you’ll need a pair of pliers to get it up and to get cleaning. Third, you can then sprinkle a few tablespoons of baking soda down the pipe.

As a chaser, pour several cups of hot water down the bath drain, as this will push the soda through the pipe and get any grease moving along. Don’t use boiling water, though—this can potentially damage sealants, wax, and rubber parts. If the baking soda and white vinegar trick doesn’t work, try just using a cup of vinegar instead, but let it sit for about half an hour before you chase it with very hot water.

Beyond kitchen remedies to avoid a clogged bath, you should occasionally use a bacteriological drain cleaner and grease fighter rather than harsh chemical drain cleaners. Look for a natural alternative to chemical cleaners that’s 100% biodegradable, non-toxic, non-pathogenic, and non-corrosive. Here at HY-PRO, we use GES+® Grease Eliminator & Drain Treatment, which will keep your pipes and the environment safe and clean.

Kids and Pets

If you’ve got little children, sometimes a mysterious drain in the bath is just too tempting not to experiment with—tiny beads, pieces of LEGO, doll hair, jewelry, and other toys often wind up down the line, and you end up with your bath clogged. Make sure you have a chat with your kids to let them know that waste lines aren’t fun to play with and that bath-time isn’t the place for anything smaller than the rubber ducky.

Pets are also notorious for jamming your bathroom drains because they can shed so much fur. During the warm weather, and if you have the space, try to bathe Fido outside. If it’s not possible, make sure you use your sink’s mesh screen or bathtub drain stopper or lay a thin cloth over the sink or tub drain when letting out the water—it’ll catch most of your best friend’s hair. But when doing it too often, you could experience slow drains and standing water in your bath. Separate wash tubs are a good alternative to using household plumbing fixtures.

Install a Water Softener

Ontario generally has hard water, which means our tap water has high concentrations of dissolved minerals such as calcium in it. While that doesn’t make it unsafe to drink, it can constitute a big plumbing issue because, over time, the inside of your water supply and wastewater disposal lines become coated in hardened mineral deposits. One way to help prevent a bath clogged by mineral build-up is to install a water softener on your shower head. This will prevent those minerals from making their way into your drainage lines, and as an added bonus, you may notice that it makes your skin softer as well. The experienced plumbers at HY-PRO Plumbing are experienced at installing both residential and commercial water softening systems. Not only will this improve your experience in the bath, but it will also be healthier for your plumbing pipes.

Additional Tips to Prevent a Clogged Bath

While the above points are the main ways to avoid having your bath clogged, there are a few other smaller steps you can take to stop this irritating problem with clogs from occurring again. Here are a few additional tips to keep in mind when using the bath:

• If your long gorgeous hair is to blame for the majority of your slow drains and clogs, invest in a shower cap when just washing your body. Also, before washing your hair, give your head a vigorous brushing—you’ll collect a lot of loose strands that would otherwise come out in the wash (and head down the drain).
• Use a pair of rubber gloves when dealing with bathtub cleaning and even a clogged bathtub drain—you don’t want to get a lot of gnarly gunk on your hands.
• Finally, and it may seem like common sense, but make sure you have a top quality plunger and standard plumbing snake—it’s surprising the difference a well made and functional plunger can make.

Whether Your Bath Clogged or You Want to Prevent a Clogged Bath, Call HY-PRO Plumbing

If you practice good drain care and drain maintenance, you should avoid a large number of minor clogs and jams. However, when dealing with bathroom plumbing, it’s always good to have the number of an excellent local plumber at the ready should you encounter a clog beyond your ability to clear. Sooner or later, we need the help of a trained expert, so contact us at HY-PRO Plumbing and Drain Cleaning for all your residential plumbing requirements.

When you rely on the team at Hy-Pro Plumbing, we’ll ensure your water flow is optimal and drain pipes are healthy. Wave goodbye to clogged baths for good!