Alright, here's what I usually do when my tub starts draining slower than a snail. First, I pull out any visible hair or gunk with one of those cheap plastic drain snakes (they're like $2 and honestly kinda gross but super effective). If that doesn't do it, I pour about half a cup of baking soda down the drain, then chase it with a cup of vinegar. It bubbles up like a science fair volcano—let it sit for 10-15 minutes, then flush with hot water. Sometimes I repeat if it's stubborn.
If it's still clogged, I’ll try plunging (just make sure to cover the overflow drain with a wet rag or it won’t work). Only after all that will I even consider using those chemical drain cleaners, since I've heard they can mess up your pipes over time.
Anybody got a better trick? Or maybe something less messy? Always open to ideas, especially if they don’t involve sticking my hand in gross water...
Honestly, I’d skip the baking soda and vinegar—never seen it do much for real clogs, just makes things fizzy. My go-to is a wet/dry shop vac. Stick the hose over the drain, seal it with a towel, and let it rip. Sucks out hairballs you didn’t even know existed... way less gross than fishing around by hand.
Shop vacs are genius, but I always get nervous about mixing water and electricity—just me? I usually start with a drain snake (the plastic kind, not the metal monster) and gloves. If that fails, I’ll try the vac, but only after double-checking everything’s dry around the outlet. Safety first, even when you’re elbow-deep in mystery gunk...
I get the hesitation around shop vacs and water—seen too many tenants get a little too confident with DIY fixes. Personally, I stick to the plastic snake first too, but if you’re going the vac route, I’d recommend plugging it into a GFCI outlet just in case. Also, don’t underestimate a good old-fashioned plunger... it’s not glamorous, but sometimes it does the trick before you even need to break out tools or vacs.
Personally, I stick to the plastic snake first too, but if you’re going the vac route, I’d recommend plugging it into a GFCI outlet just in case. Also, don’t underestimate a good old-fashione...
WHEN YOUR TUB WON'T DRAIN: DIY FIXES THAT ACTUALLY WORK?
Good point about the GFCI outlet—never thought about that with a shop vac, but it makes sense. I’ve had mixed results with plungers, honestly. Sometimes it just stirs up the mess and doesn’t clear much, but maybe I’m not sealing it right over the drain. One thing I’ve noticed: if you’ve got a stopper that’s removable, taking it out and cleaning underneath can make a bigger difference than you’d expect. It’s wild how much gunk collects right there.
