Bathtub Drain Clogged: How to Clear Hair and Soap Clogs
Standing water in a bathtub almost always comes down to one thing: a mat of hair and soap scum that’s built up until the pipe can’t pass water at the rate the faucet delivers it. We’ve cleared dozens of bathtub drain clogs, and the fix is almost never as complicated as it seems. In most cases, you’ll need zero tools and about 10 minutes.
This guide covers a clogged shower drain guide for shower stalls. Bathtub drain systems have an overflow plate and a trip-lever stopper that change the approach slightly, so both pages exist for a reason.
Video: “How to Clear a Clogged Bathtub Drain” by This Old House
What you’ll need
Pick the option that matches what you have at home:
Option A, no tools (works for minor clogs):
- Baking soda (1 cup)
- White vinegar (1 cup)
- Boiling water
Option B, basic tools (most effective for hair clogs):
- Rubber gloves
- Flashlight
- Bent wire coat hanger or zip-it tool ($4–$7 at hardware stores)
Option C, full clearing kit:
- Cup plunger (not a toilet flange plunger)
- 15–25 ft hand drain snake / auger ($20–$35)
The zip-it tool is worth the $5 investment; it’s faster than a wire hanger and the barbs grab hair more reliably. For this guide, we recommend starting with Option B and escalating to Option C only if the clog doesn’t clear.
Method 1: manual hair removal (start here)
Bathtub drain clogs are almost always hair and soap scum. The mat forms within 3–6 inches of the drain opening and can be removed manually in under 5 minutes with a zip-it tool.
Steps:
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Remove the drain stopper. Most bathtubs have either a pop-up stopper (twist counterclockwise and lift) or a trip-lever stopper (lift straight up). Some stoppers have a center screw; remove it before lifting.
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Shine a flashlight into the drain opening. You should be able to see the hair mat.
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Reach in with rubber gloves and pull the hair mat straight up. If it won’t come with fingers, insert a bent wire hanger (hook end down) or a zip-it tool. Push it in 4–5 inches, twist slightly to catch hair, then pull straight out.
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The mat usually comes out in one piece. Drop it in the trash; don’t rinse it back down the drain.
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Rinse with hot tap water for 30 seconds to confirm the drain is flowing freely.
For hair clogs that are slightly deeper or more compacted, our hair clog removal guide covers additional techniques including drain stopper disassembly.
Method 2: baking soda and vinegar flush
Use this after manual hair removal to clear residual soap scum, or as your first step if the clog is soap-based rather than hair-based. The baking soda and vinegar method works by producing carbon dioxide that loosens soap scum buildup; the boiling water flush that follows uses pressure and gravity to push the dissolved debris through.
Steps:
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Remove standing water from the tub with a cup or small bucket.
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Pour 1 cup of baking soda directly into the drain opening. Try to get it into the pipe, not spread across the drain cover.
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Follow immediately with a mixture of 1 cup white vinegar and 1 cup hot water. The mixture will bubble; that reaction is doing the work.
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Cover the drain with a stopper or a damp cloth. This keeps the CO2 pressure inside the pipe rather than releasing it upward. Wait 10–15 minutes.
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Boil a kettle of water and pour it steadily down the drain. The heat and pressure push the loosened debris through.
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Test by running the tap for 60 seconds. If the drain is still slow, repeat once more or move to Method 3.
Note for septic system owners: this baking soda and vinegar method is safe for septic systems. Avoid commercial chemical drain cleaners; they kill the bacteria your septic tank depends on. The EPA recommends against harsh chemical cleaners for homes on septic systems.
Method 3: plunger
A cup plunger generates suction pressure that can dislodge clogs baking soda can’t reach. The technique here differs from a toilet. Bathtubs have an overflow plate that needs to be sealed, or all your plunging pressure escapes up that secondary opening.
Steps:
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Fill the bathtub with 2–3 inches of water. The water seals the plunger bell; dry plunging doesn’t generate useful pressure.
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Stuff a wet cloth or small towel firmly into the overflow plate (the chrome oval near the top of the tub wall). This seals the secondary opening.
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Position the cup plunger directly over the drain and press down firmly to create a seal.
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Plunge vigorously in rapid strokes, 15–20 pumps without breaking the seal. The combination of push and pull loosens the clog.
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Remove the plunger quickly on the final stroke (upstroke). Check if water drains freely.
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Repeat 2–3 times if needed. After plunging, follow with a hot water flush.
For a deeper breakdown of proper plunger technique, including how to tell if you’re generating real pressure vs. just making noise, our dedicated guide covers the details.
Method 4: drain snake (auger)
If manual removal and plunging haven’t cleared the clog, the blockage is deeper in the drain line, past the trap. A hand auger reaches 15–25 feet into the pipe.
Steps:
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Remove the drain stopper completely.
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Feed the snake cable into the drain opening, rotating the handle clockwise as you push forward.
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When you feel resistance, you’ve hit the clog. Continue rotating; the tip will either break through or hook the obstruction.
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Pull the snake back slowly, maintaining clockwise rotation. The clog material will come out with it.
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Remove hair and debris from the cable before retracting fully.
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Run hot water for 2 minutes to flush remaining debris.
We recommend a 1/4-inch or 5/16-inch cable for bathtub lines. The 3/8-inch cable is standard for kitchen drains and can be harder to feed through bathtub pipe bends.
If nothing works
A clog that resists all four methods is either very deep, very compacted, or located in a pipe section that consumer tools can’t reach.
Professional options run $100–$350 for standard drain clearing. If the plumber finds the clog is in the main sewer line rather than the tub branch, the price and the fix change substantially.
Signs you need a plumber now:
- The clog came back within 48 hours of clearing it
- Multiple drains in the house are slow or backing up (see our clogged bathroom sink drain guide to check if it’s more widespread)
- You hear gurgling from your toilet when the tub drains
- You can smell sewage near the tub
The P-trap is another option if you have access to the underside of the tub. Some bathrooms have a removable panel in the adjacent closet or room. If so, place a bucket under the trap, loosen the slip nuts, remove the curved section, and clear any accumulated debris.
FAQ
How do I unclog a bathtub drain with standing water?
Start by bailing out the standing water with a cup. You can’t effectively use baking soda or a plunger with 4 inches of water in the way. Once the tub is mostly empty, try manual hair removal first (remove the drain cover and use a bent wire hanger or zip-it tool). If that doesn’t work, try the baking soda and vinegar flush followed by boiling water.
Can I use baking soda and vinegar in a bathtub with a septic system?
Yes. The baking soda and vinegar method is septic-safe; the reaction produces CO2 and water, neither of which harms septic bacteria. Avoid chemical drain cleaners like Drano or Liquid-Plumr in a septic-connected home; these products kill the beneficial bacteria in your tank. The EPA specifically recommends against them for septic systems.
Why does my bathtub drain slowly but not fully stop?
A partial clog (usually an early-stage hair and soap scum mat) restricts flow without blocking it completely. The drain can still pass water, just more slowly than the faucet delivers it. Monthly maintenance with a baking soda flush prevents this from progressing. If the slow drain appeared suddenly, the stopper mechanism may be partially closed. Check that the trip lever is fully in the “open” position. For a full diagnosis, see our slow-draining tub guide which covers partial blockages specifically.
How do I remove a bathtub drain stopper to clean it?
The removal method depends on stopper type. Pop-up stoppers twist counterclockwise and lift straight out, no tools needed. Trip-lever stoppers are removed by unscrewing the overflow plate cover (two screws), then lifting the entire mechanism out by the linkage chain. The stopper itself is attached to the bottom of the linkage. Clean accumulated hair and soap scum from the pivot rod and stopper body before reinserting. Our how to clear a clogged drain guide covers stopper types across different fixture designs if the mechanism in your tub doesn’t match either description.