bathtub drain clog !!! help

[hemi68charger]

Hey gang..
Is there anyone out there with experience with getting hair-clogged bathtub drains cleared? The problem is that it's an older home, 1959 and the tube stopper mechanism ISN'T coming out. So, I need some sort of jell or liquid that'll attack the obstruction...  A snake just isn't going to get it.. I have a feeling the linkage to the stopper is wrapped in soap-buildup/hair.. The tub will drain, it just takes forever.

Thanks..
Troy

[nh_mopar_fan]

Most of that crap on the market will ruin your pipes before it has any effect on a clog.

Can you get at the pipe and just pull the elbow?

[hemi68charger]

Most of that crap on the market will ruin your pipes before it has any effect on a clog.

Can you get at the pipe and just pull the elbow?

No, it's a MAJOR undertaking..... I would have to baasically rip the tub out in order to get access to the drain pipes.. This is a '59 house, so there's no PVC, straight into the foundation drain..  
The mechanism for the stopper is all messed up, otherwise, I would take it completely out.... No real need for it since we have a regular rubber plug for the opening.........

Troy

[BrianShaughnessy]

I've got about the same problem on my 1961 house...  hair clogs.     If neglected I have to go get some 2 part draino type stuff from homedeblowes.    Usually it's the kind of stuff that says let it sit 15 or 20 minutes so I let it sit a half hour or more.     Then when it says rinse with cold water,  I use hot.    I've even gotten out the plunger a few times to push that mess on down the line. 

Frequent tub cleaning with some sorta soap scum removers or whatnot keeps the drain clearer that nothing.   Maybe if I wasn't so lazy I'd do a maintenance cleaning with less costly stuff every 3 months instead of waiting for it to choke.

Gutting and upgrading the bathroom is on the long list of "eventually".

[suburbanfireman]

Troy,
Try dumping boiling water down the drain.   It will remove all the body oils and soap build-up without eating up your pipes like a chemical would.   I would boil as many big pots as you can on the stove, and try to dump them all at once.   It should also weaken the hair because it removes the natural oils.   With any luck - the hair flushes through.   If not, the hair might be weakened enough to pull the stopper out.   Good Luck - suburbanfireman.

[Orange_Crush]

The 2-part drano or liquid plumr "foaming pipe snake (huh huh huhuhuh)" works best for me.

[ChargerRob]

Stick of Dynamite will work like on the commercial 

[4402tuff4u]

With old homes you will always find draining problems because they used galvanized drain pipes beyond the drain elbows. Galvanized drain pipes throughout the years corrode and deteriorate from the inside out. The walls begin to accumulate the debris, hair, oils and soap scum on the walls of the pipe, thus creating a rough surface/additional friction for debris to get hung up. That is the reason all new construction has switched to PVC plastic piping for better flow and more economical. Since you dont have access and are not planning to upgrade the plumbing, I would just try to use a heavy degreaser (might try automotive stuff) and some sort of acid (Muriatic acid) to burn off corrosion, hair, etc or try to mechanically clean the pipe from the bathtub drain with a snake or high pressure water. If you look inside these galvanized pipes, they look like clogged arteries leading to a heart about to have a heart attack! From a 2" original pipe diameter opening down to 1"!!! Seen it with my own eyes. Good luck.

[bull]

I've always had good luck with Liquid Plumber or Draino on hair clogs. I live with three females so this happens a lot. Both companies say the stuff won't harm your pipes and I don't think they do but apparently some of the guys above don't seem to agree. If the water has gone down just pour a whole jug of either of those brands down the drain, wait about 20 minutes and then flush with hot water.

[psykicpup]

Can you get 'Mr Muscle plug & drain unblocker' over there - it seems to work well

[Silver R/T]

dry stuff worked for me, poured it in the drain and then used BOILING water, now I did it over like 4-5 times, on last one I could hear clog come out and shower drains like new. This is old house too like in 40's

[derailed]

the liquid drano and plunger deal after about 20 minutes worked good for me

[Vainglory, Esq.]

The only surefire way to get rid of clogs like that is to get rid of the women.  Sorry.

[Tom_440]

I usually take off the "stopper" (maybe yours needs to go away anyway?) and carefully fish out the big clumps with a coat hanger.  If there is standing water, I use a plunger over the drain.  It helps if you can cover the overflow while you plunge. Good luck with it.

[BigBlackDodge]

Simple solution...................shave every hair off your body!


BBD

[Old Moparz]

It seems like whatever you try will be only temporary cure. Slab construction sucks for utility repairs later on. Changing your stopper will help though, I had to do that for the sink. The drain hasn't clogged since then & it's been several years. Too bad this topic was so controversial at Moparts & locked, you would have had at Least 35 more answers with creative ways to solve the clogged drain issue.   

[hemi68charger]

Got it !!!  thanks guys..........

[472 R/T SE]

The only surefire way to get rid of clogs like that is to get rid of the women.  Sorry.

Have you seen Troy's forehead?

[hemi68charger]

The only surefire way to get rid of clogs like that is to get rid of the women.  Sorry.

Have you seen Troy's forehead?

My forehead?..... Man, I'm not EVEN going to ask....... 

Troy

[472 R/T SE]

I thought you were hair deprived like me.

[hemi68charger]

I thought you were hair deprived like me.

Ahhhhhhhhhh,, ok.. Now I get it.......  you're a punk.........   

[Vainglory, Esq.]

The only surefire way to get rid of clogs like that is to get rid of the women.   Sorry.

Have you seen Troy's forehead?

[d72hemi]

My house was built in 1958, I have has similar problems. I would recoment that you go to Home Depot! They have a gallon bottle of "main line cleaner". It might be "opener" not cleaner. Anyway, I have used that stuff a number of times befor I tore out most of my pipes in my last remodel. I still have to use it every now and then for the pipes in foundation, but I also have installed a access "Y", so that I may easially get a drain snake to it.

Ian