How to Clear a Bathtub Drain with a Shop Vac

[willowglenmom]

Thank you for this video. We tried this without removing the overflow cover. We used a piece of plastic wrap to completly cover the the overflow. The suction from the vacuum held the plastic wrap in place to create an airtight seal. Then we just lifted a corner of the wrap repeatedly to create changes in the suction. Worked like a charm! Best of all, no chemicals or other tools needed.

[ramonasplumber]

@willowglenmom I have also poured hot water into Air Gap while vac from disposal inlet. and the opposite direction too. Yes, the surging helps break lose the scum. Cheap Thrills!

[boogaloo8393]

I would like to thank Ramonasplumber for the video showing "How to clear bathtub drain with a shop vac": This was my last resort and it actually worked for me.

[ramonasplumber]

@boogaloo8393 Sucks, don't it, stay tuned for more, hell why not subscribe and get news as it is fresh off the press , its all free, and we hate Spam too.

[456leh]

Where can I get a hemostat? Would that be available in grocery stores?

[ramonasplumber]

@456leh Tool store like Harbor Frieght on line or use a wire curled up

[456leh]

@ramonasplumber Thank you!

[456leh]

Gotta say, very helpful! I have a slow draining clogged tub for days now, and I finally looked this up online to see what I can do. U have given me confidence. The different stoppers and how to remove them was extremely helpful. Thank u very much for posting this. I am going to try it.

[cr3062]

It worked for me...my vacuum nozzle wasnt big enough so I wrapped the end with a microfiber towel..I put my hand over the hole once...and the rest was pretty nasty hair ball...yuck..but it sucked up into my shop vac...cleaned up the tub and its good to go!!! Thank You for this tip!!!

[ramonasplumber]

you have a trip lever waste and overflow? where a lever moves up & down to stop and open drain ,,,Or a drain stopper that lifts up and pushes down to stop the water.???If you "Yanked" the trip lever linkage out is a different than the drain stopper.....

[SHiTJuFro743]

HEY ANYBODY, HOW TO I FIX THE DRAIN IF THE THING THAT STOPS WATER ON THE UP-AND-DOWN IS STUCK INSIDE THE DRAIN BECAUSE INSTEAD OF TURNING IT I YANKED IT OUT. WATER WON'T GO DOWN THE DRAIN.

[josh666675]

did not work i tried everything running hot water and that it's still CLOGGED!!! this gets me so mad. I' m sick of being in close to mid knee deep water.

[rpowling]

allo! i live in a brownstone in nyc, the building is roughly 100 yrs old and i can't imagine they did much work to the interior pipes since then! my bathtub is quite deep, enameled and it does NOT have an overspill drain. the 'stopper' actually sits next to the tub, its a long, tall brass tube perpendicular to the floor about the same height as tub. the drain never used to get clogged, i had rotorooter use an electric snake 6 months ago and now clog is back. NOTHING will budge it! HELP!

[jhkimwin]

Great! Greg. Actually I didn't know how to remove the stopper of Push type before I watched this videio. Consquently, I could remove clogs from drain tube after opening stopper. Thanks. - Jay -

[markshark72]

NICE! it worked great! best part is i didnt have to go buy a plumbers snake or anything! thanks

[ramonasplumber]

@markshark72

Mark, you can use this for the rest of your life as a saver, but so we don't wreak the economy you can use the Tip Jar on my DIY Plumbing Advice ,com site ! and or subscribe to my site for free and learn more about common household tips on how to be "Smart" and do mean saving "Green" Thanks for using common sense and "Can you do it?, yes you can, and I can help"

[ramonasplumber]

@Tumlock Is your house plumbed in Cast Iron? (how old is your house?). Lint traps are available at drug store or some grocery stores. These are screens in shape of a sock that clamps to end of Washing Machine. In short, lint is causing your problems

[SMDOUGLAS]

Worked perfect, thank you very much!

[darkendblu]

can i do it? no i cant. i am currently covered in goop from my shop vac.and i cant shower now. ewww.worked for me last year.

[ramonasplumber]

@darkendblu You didnt vac up soap foam did you? you need to drain the vac basin too! you can do it! tell me what you have now.

[smoothsailing07]

What do you do if you lost a stopper in the drain a ways because it was too small for the tub? Thanks for your time! Smooth

[ramonasplumber]

@smoothsailing07 By "Stopper" do you mean a rubber plug? or a lift and turn style or a push n pull or a tip toe? many types exist in the market place. The DIY stores have replacement stoppers, you need to know what will fit. the screw in type have 2 thread sizes 3/8" and 5/16" . As a plumber I can look at the drain fitting and know what will fit. As I carry over a ton of parts on my van, DIY is a more cumbersome task.

[ramonasplumber]

@smoothsailing07 Shop Vac it out.

[OregonDARRYL]

A normal plunger will pull any clog out if you do it right. Have some water - inch or so - in the tub, then push your plunger down slowly to force the air out, then just jerk upwards a few times, without pulling the plunger off - the clog will break. What you are getting is a hydraulic lock on the clog - water cannot be stretched or compressed, but a plunger can't push because the water just shoots out from under the lip. It is designed to PULL on. You will be surprised at the amount of force

[ramonasplumber]

You have a good understanding of the "force cup" known as a plunger. I agree with your assessment, but plungers aren't good for siphon jets and they can atomize fecal matter causing sars. as can a shop vac. I prefer an auger. Water cannot compress as you say, but it can and does cavitate upon negative pressure

[abeermann1]

After many failed attempts of retrieving a toy car that went down the drain the ShopVac did the trick!!! Thank you so much for this helpful tip!!

[roughrider119]

Great job Greg. Keep the helpful videos coming. Thanks.

[holman26]

what shop vac dou have