Clear Your Tub Drain with a Shop Vac!
A few years ago I was at a friend’s house and he had a clogged tub drain. His drain was missing the crossbars that keep large objects from going down the drain. He suspected a shampoo bottle cap had been dropped down the drain. I attempted to use a drain cable to snake out the drain to no avail.
Why was this so difficult?
When a hard object gets into the drain system it often requires us to cut out the section of pipe where the object is stuck. But in this case, the air conditioning unit’s condenser was located just outside the bathroom wall behind the tub and the house was on a concrete slab foundation.
I would have needed to remove his bathtub to get to the drain pipes. It could have easily turned into thousands of dollars to get the plumbing done and then hire others to put everything back together since we would be opening drywall, tile, and floors.
And then a solution to my drain clog!
I was trying to think of another solution to get to the drain pipes, and it occurred to me that I might be able to suck the shampoo cap out of the drain with my shop vac. I tried it out, and in no time at all I had their drain cleared.
This only worked because the shampoo cap was in the p-trap under the tub. If it had passed through the p-trap and down into the drain system there would be nothing else I could do except remove his tub and break up the concrete floor. So we were very fortunate to get it out.
Drain Clogs and Shop Vacs
Afterward, I realized this was a great way to clear a shower or tub drain stoppages when the stoppage is close to the drain opening.
If you have a shop vac, give it a try next time you have a tub or shower drain stoppage. If it doesn’t work we are ready to clear your drain for you.
I also wrote a blog on our Mitch Clemmons Plumbing website explaining how regular liquid bleach can help keep your tub & shower drains clear. It’s a great way to maintain your tub & shower drains so you don’t need to call us quite as often. You can read that article here.
-Mitch Clemmons
Trusty Plumbers / Mitch Clemmons Plumbing
When you need help with any plumbing problem call us!
562-242-3218