Cleaning a Tub Drain

Plumbing, Repairs and Installation by Danny Lipford

Cleaning a Tub Drain

A slow running or clogged tub drain can be really annoying and turn your bath or shower into a less than idyllic experience. Fortunately, it’s usually a simple problem to fix.

Start by removing the screws on the drain’s overflow escutcheon plate.

Remove the screws from the drain's overflow escutcheon plate.

Next, pull the drain assembly out of the overflow pipe.

Pulling the drain assembly out of the overflow pipe.

Clean any hair and debris from the drain bail.

Cleaning hair and debris from drain bail.

A two-foot long flexible rod with tiny bristles on the end, known as a drain stick, is used to remove any additional gunk from the drain.

Two-foot long flexible rod with tiny bristles on the end, known as a drain stick.

The rod is inserted in the drain, and any remaining trash is fished out.

Inserting the drain stick in the drain.

The drain can be cleaned out even more by removing the drain grate.

Removing the drain grate.

Use the drain stick to clean inside it while flushing it out with water.

Flushing with water.

Once the drain is running freely, reassemble the drain assembly and grate.

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5 Responses to “Cleaning a Tub Drain”

  1. chargerplates Says:
    February 29th, 2008 at 2:31 am

    A two-foot long flexible rod with tiny bristles on the end, known as a drain stick, is used to remove any additional gunk from the drain.
    I can’t see the pics??!~

  2. john bogos Says:
    April 10th, 2008 at 2:50 am

    need to replace tub drain and outer ring.

  3. Steve Sunderhaus Says:
    April 19th, 2008 at 5:44 pm

    If I unscrewed the tub drain screws, pulled the section out and it didn’t have the bail on it, how can i get it out? Drains very slow and standing in water during a shower.

  4. Brad Davis Says:
    July 1st, 2008 at 11:07 pm

    Steve,
    IMO,
    If your tub’s WASTE AND OVERFLOW has a “trip” lever then indeed there should have been at the least a cyliner attached to it. If you unscrewed 2 screws and pulled out a danging rod only then I would surmise that the plunger has disconnected from the trip waste linkage thus causing your “some” of your issues. Steve if the Waste and Overflow assembly is greater than 20 years old I would NOT attaempt any band aid repairs or attempts, just replace this assembly AND ITS ASSOCIATED P-TRAP Steve.
    Steve, a waste and overflow, takes a real plumber to install correct. I have made THOUSANDS of dollars repair these items. A W/O is very difficult to install correctly and when complete one should be able to fill the tub to OVER THE OVER FLOW and still have no leaks ANYWHERE therein.
    Steve I always recommend replacing the associated P-Trap w/ the W/O for they used to be installed w/ a very tight pattern’d / radius’d p-trap and the new designs are muuch more “snake” freindly. Old style is difficult AT BEST to cable. Remember to rod out the horizontal pipe extension from the sanitay tee as well! ALWAYS look GOOD inside old drain pipes when you open them and CLEAN CLEAN CLEAN / or replace them, they do NOT last forever.

  5. DIY: Repairing a Bathtub Drain - Danny Lipford Says:
    October 28th, 2008 at 2:01 pm

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