Definitely agree on the slow and steady approach. I remember the first time I used one of those drain snakes—I thought brute force was the answer and ended up with a kinked snake stuck halfway down the pipe. Took me almost an hour to get it back out, and I nearly damaged the drain in the process.
One thing I've learned since then is to rotate the snake slowly as you feed it in. Gentle twisting helps it navigate bends and corners without jamming. Also, if you feel resistance, pull back slightly, rotate a bit, then gently push forward again. Usually, it's just hitting a bend or blockage at an awkward angle.
And yeah, towels are essential. Learned that after splattering drain sludge all over my bathroom floor...not fun cleaning that mess up.
Haha, been there with the sludge splatter... not my finest DIY moment.
"Gentle twisting helps it navigate bends and corners without jamming."
Wish I'd read that tip earlier. First time I tried a snake, I got impatient and ended up forcing it—snapped the handle clean off. Had to fish out the broken piece with pliers, cursing under my breath the whole time. Lesson learned: patience beats brute strength every time.
