Plugged bathtub and sink drains

Plugged Drains: a plugged basin in a bathroom for the most part can be fixed simply by using a plunger.  The overflow in the sink must be plugged off (I use a damp rag) in order to achieve the suction and thrust of the plunger which will dislodge most buildups in the drain and allow the water to flow.  I personally do not like drain cleaners as they can be harmful to myself and the environment.  Just a short note...most drain cleaners contain some type of acid that can be very harmful to you or your family. A bathtub drain is the same;simply plug off the overflow with a plastic bowl (I use another cheap plunger from the hardware store) and remove the stopper in the tub.  It is helpful if someone else covers the bathtub overflow while the other person plunges. You can do it yourself ,but it is easier with another pair of hands.  Kitchen sink drains are identical as basins and tubs.  You must plug off one side of the sink before using the plunger in order for the plunger to push and pull against the blockage. 

Little tip... If you can squeeze the plunger down and draw it up over the drain; the contents that are plugging the drain will come up. 

In most cases the plunger will loosen the contents and it will go down the drain,but it never hurts to pick the foreign matter out of the sink or tub.  If it is absolutely necessary and the drain will not clear; you may take it apart.  In most cases; if you have tried the plunger and have had no success,the problem lies beyond the trap under the sink.  NEVER take a bathtub drain apart: as in the removal of the spud in the bottom of the tub.  The spud is the part of the drain that passes through the bottom of the tub and is screwed to the bottom of the bathwaste under the tub.  I have been at this for over 30 years and have never taken a bathwaste apart to clear the drain.Most drains can be cleared with a plunger. Every now and then a plugged sink or basin comes along and requires a small plumbing snake to clear the line that is very easy to use.                        

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