The typical house has at least a dozen drains, including kitchen sinks, bathroom sinks, utility sinks, shower drains, toilet drains, laundry room drains, basement floor drains, outdoor drainage systems, and, of course, the main drain that leads to the public drainage system.
Here are some of the most common causes of clogged drains that we see based on the location of the drain:
- Kitchen sink – Grease, food scraps, coffee grounds
- Bathroom sink – Hair, soap scum
- Shower drain – Hair, soap scum
- Toilet – Feminine hygiene products, so-called “flushable” wipes, foreign objects like toys
- Laundry drain – Lint
- Sewer drain – Tree roots
Snaking a drain
A common way to unclog a clogged drain is to snake it. A drain snake is a long, flexible metal cable attached to a crank. It is inserted into a drain line and twists or hooks to break the clog up or pull it out. Manual drain snakes are generally what most homeowners have, as they are more affordable and portable for simple DIY jobs.
Nate Says: Homeowners without extensive experience should opt for a manual snake. An electric snake is dangerous, and the risk of it breaking off in the drain is greatly increased.
The most common mistake homeowners make when snaking a drain is forcing it. If you can’t get through a clog without using a lot of force or the snake keeps getting stuck, it’s probably time to call a plumber.
Forcing the drain snake can leave you with ruptured pipes, damaged plumbing connections, or push blockages deeper into your plumbing system. The cable can also break inside the pipe if you force it, compounding the problem with another blockage.
If you are going to try to snake a drain yourself, wear gloves and safety glasses, and cover anything in the area you don’t want to get dirty. If you use a snake in a toilet, you must be extremely careful not to let the metal cable touch the porcelain or it will leave black streaks or scratches.
Chemical drain cleaners
When it comes to chemical drain cleaners, just say no.
Most drain cleaners are based on sodium hydroxide (lye) or some form of sulfuric acid. They are caustic and corrosive, particularly for metal pipes such as cast iron, copper, or galvanized. If your home has PVC pipes, you can try a drain cleaner, but if it doesn’t work, make sure you tell the plumber so they can adequately protect themself and your home.
Plunger
A good old-fashioned plunger is another way to unclog drains. And yes, you can use a plunger in other areas of your home, not just the toilet. However, we highly recommend keeping a separate plunger for toilets vs. sinks.
A plunger works by using suction and pressure to dislodge clogs. The rubber cup forms a vacuum seal over the drain, so when the handle is thrust, the pressure of the water moving up and down removes the blockage.
If you use a plunger on a sink, you’ll need to ensure the sink is full of water, as the plunger needs to be covered by water.
Nate Says: What if the toilet is clogged and you don’t have a plunger or auger? While gross, you can suit up your hand and arm with a garbage bag and try to dislodge the clog manually. DO NOT FLUSH THE DIRTY TRASH BAG DOWN THE TOILET! Throw it in the trash.
Gurgling toilets
Is your toilet gurgling when you shower or do laundry? If so, you likely have a more severe problem than a clogged drain. Feel free to try a plunger or drain snake, but in our experience, a gurgling toilet is almost always an indication of a bigger problem, usually associated with the mainline sewer. There could be a substantial clog or tree roots in the line, one of the most common causes.
Be leery of “hole pokers.”
If you call a plumber to help unclog your drain, be leery of the cheap drain cleaning specials. A proper plumber will need time to do the job correctly and have the right equipment to clean it thoroughly. Discount deals under $99 are designed to get a salesperson into your door to sell you something that is not going to fully clear your drain.
When hiring a professional, ask two key questions: the size of the drain they’re working on and the diameter of the snake they’re using. Generally, the larger the snake, the better the cleaning. For example, using a 3/8″ cable on a mainline might open the drain, but it won’t thoroughly clean a 4″ or 6″ pipe. We call those using small cables “hole pokers” because they only punch a small hole through the clog.
Imagine a 6″ pipe with a clog—you might poke a 2″ hole in it, allowing water to drain temporarily, but the pipe will need cleaning again soon. This is often the tactic behind $99 drain cleaning offers—they use undersized equipment, knowing it will fail so that they can sell you more services later. If you think that’s shady, we agree.
A proper plumber will have equipment capable of fully cleaning a main drain and follow up with a camera to prove it’s clean.
For more tips on keeping your drains clean from Nate, check out these articles by writers from Family Handyman, Real Simple, and The Spruce.