Clogged drain

What It Means

A clogged drain is a blockage in the pipe under a sink, tub, shower or toilet that slows the water down or stops it. Hair caught around a stopper is often the part you can see. Roto-Rooter, the drain cleaning companyCleaning serviceA business or person you pay to clean your home, usually by the visit or by the hour, on a one-time or regular schedule. See more, says to start by pulling out whatever debris you can see, then reach for a plunger or a drain snakeDrain snakeA long, flexible cable you feed into a drain and turn so its tip breaks up or pulls out a clog that a plunger can't reach. See more, which work by physically moving the clog.

How It Sounds at Home

• "The bathroom sink's draining really slowly."
• "Where's the plunger? The tub won't drain."
• "I think it's hair again."

The Breakdown

Clear it, following Roto-Rooter

1. Pull out any hair or debris you can see around the stopper or drain cover.
2. For a sink, cover the overflow hole with tape or a wet rag so the plunger's push goes into the clog instead of out the overflow.
3. Set the plunger over the drain with a good seal and keep the seal while you plunge.
4. Plunge several times, then run water to see if it drains. Repeat if it's still slow.
5. If plunging doesn't clear it, use a drain snake, which Roto-Rooter says reaches clogs a plunger can't.

When to stop and call a licensed plumber (Buhata's own advice)

• Several drains back up at once.
• Water comes up in one fixture when you use another.
• The snake can't reach or clear the clog.
• The pipe under the sink is leaking or cracked.

Short version to try today. Pull the hair out of the shower and bathroom sink drains before they slow down.

Good to Know

Roto-Rooter cautions that chemical drain cleaners give off vapors that irritate eyes and skin, that direct contact is worse, and that they can damage some pipe materials and corrode pipes with repeated use. The garbage disposal cleaningGarbage disposal cleaningKeeping a sink garbage disposal clean and odor-free by using it often, scrubbing under the rubber baffle, and grinding only food. See more page covers InSinkErator's warning against drain cleaners and bleachChlorine bleachHousehold bleach made with sodium hypochlorite that whitens, removes stains and disinfects, but can fade colors and damage some fibers. See more in a disposal. Never mix a drain cleaner with another cleaner or with bleach; the mixing cleaning productsMixing cleaning productsCombining two or more cleaners in one bottle, bucket or bowl. Some pairs, such as bleach with ammonia or with an acid, give off toxic gas. See more page explains the toxic gases Poison Control warns about and what to do if someone breathes fumes. If you've already poured a chemical cleaner in, Buhata's own advice is to leave plunging and snaking alone and call a plumber, and tell them what's in the drain.

Related Terms and Categories

• Drain snake

  A long, flexible cable you feed into a drain and turn so its tip breaks up or pulls out a clog that a plunger can't reach.

• P-trap

  The curved section of drainpipe under a sink or tub that holds a little water to seal sewer gas out of the house.

• Garbage disposal cleaning

  Keeping a sink garbage disposal clean and odor-free by using it often, scrubbing under the rubber baffle, and grinding only food.

• Mixing cleaning products

  Combining two or more cleaners in one bottle, bucket or bowl. Some pairs, such as bleach with ammonia or with an acid, give off toxic gas.

• Licensed contractor

  A contractor who holds the license your state or local government requires for the kind of work being done, which you can check before you hire.

• Bathroom deep clean

  A top-to-bottom bathroom cleaning that reaches grout, tub, toilet, floor and fixtures. The ACI's routine puts it every two weeks.

Home maintenance and repairs