Bathroom drain cleaning: showers, tubs and sinks
Bathroom drains clog mainly from hair bound together with soap scum, usually within a foot or two of the drain opening. Removing the stopper and pulling the clog fixes most of them; a cable clears what's further in.
Shower, tub and bathroom sink drains handle hair, soap and toothpaste, which bind into a stringy clog close to the drain. That's why most bathroom clogs can be reached from the opening, through the stopper or overflow.
If the tub, sink and toilet are all slow, or the tub gurgles when the toilet flushes, the problem is further down and needs main-line cleaning instead.
Signs you need bathroom drain cleaning
- Water pooling in the shower or tub
- A sink that drains slowly even with the stopper open
- Gurgling when the drain empties
- Slow drains in one bathroom only
How bathroom drain cleaning is done
- 1
Remove the stopper
Pop-up and tub stoppers come out to reach the clog directly.
- 2
Clear the trap and line
Pull the hair clog, then cable the trap and branch line if needed.
- 3
Check the overflow and stopper linkage
Adjust the linkage so the stopper opens fully.
What affects the cost of bathroom drain cleaning
- How far the clog is from the opening
- Access to the tub trap
- Whether the main line is involved
Ask for the trip fee and the total price before work starts.
Bathroom drain cleaning: what you can do yourself
Safe to try
- • Remove the stopper and pull out hair
- • Use a plastic drain-cleaning strip
- • Plunge with the overflow covered
Stop and call if
- • Several fixtures are slow at once
- • Water comes up in another drain
- • The clog is past the trap
Need bathroom drain cleaning? Call now
SteadWell is a free referral service, not a plumbing company. Calling (833) 753-0180 connects you with an independent, licensed plumber who serves your ZIP code; the plumber quotes and performs the work. Calls may be recorded.
Bathroom drain cleaning: common questions
Why does my shower drain clog so often?
Hair binds with soap scum close to the drain. A hair catcher over the drain prevents most of it.
Is it the main line if the tub gurgles when I flush?
Often, yes. Water moving around a blockage further down makes the tub gurgle; that needs main-line cleaning.
Are enzyme cleaners worth using?
They can help with slow buildup over time but won't clear a solid hair clog.