How to Unclog a Bathtub Drain Using a Snake

By
Aaron Stickley
Aaron Stickley

Aaron Stickley is a licensed plumber with 15 years of experience in commercial, new residential plumbing, and residential service and repair. He started his own residential service and repair plumbing business. Aaron's articles about plumbing on The Spruce span four years.

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Updated on 09/04/22
Reviewed by
Richard Epstein
Richard Epstein
Reviewed by Richard Epstein
Richard Epstein is a licensed master plumber with over 40 years experience in residential and commercial plumbing. He specializes in estimating as well as design and engineering for plumbing systems, and he works for one of New York's largest union plumbing construction companies.
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Fact checked by
Jessica Wrubel
Jessica Wrubel
Fact checked by Jessica Wrubel
Jessica Wrubel has an accomplished background as a writer and copy editor, working for various publications, newspapers and in public libraries assisting with reference, research and special projects. In addition to her journalism experience, she has been educating on health and wellness topics for over 15 years in and outside of the classroom.
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Motorized drain snake inserted into bathtub's overflow drain

The Spruce / Kevin Norris

Project Overview
  • Working Time: 30 mins
  • Total Time: 30 mins - 2 hrs
  • Skill Level: Intermediate
  • Estimated Cost: $25 to $40

A clogged bathtub drain can be a pain, but many times even the most stubborn of clogs can be removed in just a few hours. Most clogged bathtub drains can be cleared with a plunger or by removing and cleaning out the tub stopper. If your bathtub is still clogged after trying these methods, the next step is to use a snake to clear the drain.

A small power snake with a 1/4-inch cable is the preferred tool of choice for clearing a bathtub drain. These tools operate like a power drill, with a front-mounted canister that contains a coiled cable. If you don't already own one, you can rent a small power snake at a tool rental outlet or home improvement center—the cost to rent is usually much less than what it would cost you to call a plumber.

If this is your first time using a power snake, be sure to ask for an explanation on how to use it when you go to rent. Each model can be a little different and you will want to be familiar with the proper use and safety features of your particular power snake.

3:04

Watch Now: Easy Tips to Unclog a Bathtub Drain Using a Snake

What You'll Need

Equipment / Tools

  • Motorized drain snake
  • Screwdriver
  • Work gloves

Materials

  • Drop cloth

Instructions

Materials and tools to unblock a bathtub drain with a motorized snake

The Spruce / Kevin Norris

  1. Protect Your Tub

    Cover the bottom of the tub with a thick drop cloth before you begin any work. The metal cable on the drain snake can easily scratch porcelain, acrylic, or fiberglass surfaces and leave marks that will be hard to remove from the surface of your tub.

    Plastic drop cloth placed on bottom of bathtub drain

    The Spruce / Kevin Norris

  2. Remove the Overflow Plate

    To snake your bathtub drain you will first need to remove the overflow plate on the tub. Behind the overflow plate, you can access the tub drain through the overflow tube. If the drain uses a lever-operated stopper, you will also need to remove the linkage running to the stopper mechanism.

    Overflow plate removed with screwdriver from bathtub

    The Spruce / Kevin Norris

  3. Feed the Snake

    Insert the end of the snake cable into the overflow opening. While wearing work gloves, hold the cable firmly with one hand, using the other hand to run the snake. Slowly and firmly feed the cable into the drain, inserting it as far as you can and locking it down before activating the snake's motor. You may need to exert some pressure to get around the trap, which is the first bend when you push the snake down the overflow.

    Warning

    Never attempt to snake through the drain opening in the bottom of the tub—the bend in the drain is normally too sharp for the snake, and you could risk breaking or damaging the pipe.

    Motorized snake drain inserted into overflow drain opening

    The Spruce / Kevin Norris

  4. Snake the Drain

    Activate the drain snake's motor, holding it firmly in place while continuing to feed the cable into the drain. Grasp the machine with your strongest hand and feed the cable with your other. For extra support, kneel on the floor of the tub and rest your arm on your leg. Keep in mind, a slow motor speed usually produces the best results.

    Keep the cable no more than a foot out of the overflow to prevent kinking. If the cable begins to bend or kink, pull it back then feed it forward again more slowly. Sometimes a large clog will cause this type of tension. Pull the cable out every so often to make sure you haven't already hooked the clog on the tip of the cable.

    Tip

    Tub drains usually tie in with the toilet mainline in less than 10 feet. If you've run more than 10 feet of cable into the pipe and have not cleared the stoppage, it's possible that the cable went up the vent line and not down the drain after it hit the trap (you can sometimes even hear the cable going up inside the wall). To remedy this, extract the cable partway, then run the motor in reverse while feeding the cable forward again. This usually makes the cable feed in the right direction.

    Snake motor turned on with cable inserted into overflow drain

    The Spruce / Kevin Norris

  5. Extract the Snake

    If you feel you've penetrated the clog, you can run some water into the tub to see if it flows freely down the drain and past the snake's cable. If so, carefully extract the cable from the drain by running the snake's motor in reverse as you slowly extract it. After removing the cable, run hot water into the tub for several minutes to flush any extra debris through the drain.

    Motorized snake cable extracted from overflow drain opening

    The Spruce / Kevin Norris