Bunged up bath

[beatlejuice]

My attempt to unbung my bath waste failed at the first hurdle. The side of the bath had been put on the with some sort of sealant. Couldn’t see any screws. Has anyone else come across. If so how the heck did you remove the panel? I am getting much ear ache from Mrs B. because pointing the power shower at the bit of her that her sciatica is giving grief offers much relief. Since the bath is no longer emptying this is no longer an option.

 

[roubaixtuesday]

My attempt to unbung my bath waste failed at the first hurdle. The side of the bath had been put on the with some sort of sealant. Couldn’t see any screws. Has anyone else come across. If so how the heck did you remove the panel? I am getting much ear ache from Mrs B. because pointing the power shower at the bit of her that her sciatica is giving grief offers much relief. Since the bath is no longer emptying this is no longer an option.

Plunger, then caustic soda, then plunger is generally pretty effective without any dismantling necessary.

 

[SuffolkBlue]

Plunger, then caustic soda, then plunger is generally pretty effective without any dismantling necessary.

+1
I used Mr Muscle drain gel which worked for me. Try the plunger first, if it releases the water then follow up with some drain gel.
If plunging doesn't work then bucket as much water out of the bath as you can first then shove a load of gel down the plug hole, leave it then try and flush through with a bucket of water.
If you go in with the plunger after the drain gel then, at the risk of stating the obvious and/or being horribly patronising, be careful you don't splash the drain gel about and wear some gloves and glasses, it's not nice stuff.
HTH

 

[beatlejuice]

Thanks to you both. I’ve plunged the bath to no avail. I’ve now emptied it but I need to get the water out that is still in the waste pipe before I can put stuff down it. All I can think of is a metre of small bore clear pipe and suck. I’ve tried to put a brake cable down there to no avail.

 

[Profpointy]

Caustic soda and leave it a few hours.

It is nasty stuff, so goggles and heavy pvc gloves. It heats up when you mix the powder with water; heats up a lot, and can even boil and spit.

 

[T4tomo]

Thanks to you both. I’ve plunged the bath to no avail. I’ve now emptied it but I need to get the water out that is still in the waste pipe before I can put stuff down it. All I can think of is a metre of small bore clear pipe and suck. I’ve tried to put a brake cable down there to no avail.

the gel unblockers are heavier than water so sink down to the gubbins, so provided you got most of the water out, having a bit in the utrap etc isnt a huge issue. You want an unblocker aimed at hair and soap, as opposed to kitchen grease, as that is likely the issue, especially if the good lady has longish hair.

Leave a goodly long time for it to work and may need doing twice. HG stuff is good.

https://hg.eu/uk/products/hg-drain-...KrwcjfmVO2yfDsudXqayBfYPbcx2D0VxoCMoYQAvD_BwE

 

[vickster]

I find Domestos one better than Mr Muscle
https://www.wilko.com/en-uk/domestos-500ml-sink-pipe-unblocker/p/0233269

 

[roubaixtuesday]

Caustic soda and leave it a few hours.

It is nasty stuff, so goggles and heavy pvc gloves. It heats up when you mix the powder with water; heats up a lot, and can even boil and spit.

Always add to water, not vice-versa. Should not be any spitting and certainly no boiling *if* you follow instructions (no more than the advised concentration, don't just dump in a big lump, and mix well)

 

[Profpointy]

Always add to water, not vice-versa. Should not be any spitting and certainly no boiling *if* you follow instructions (no more than the advised concentration, don't just dump in a big lump, and mix well)

I know, but "reading instructions" and following well established safety rules, well that's just crazy talk

 

[CXRAndy]

I have a compressor, with long hose. I leave the compressor outside, use air wand attachment, place in the top of drain hole, cover with cloth to prevent blow back. blast away.

Cleared all 6 drains in 5 mins. Usually just hair, bit of tissue and soap scum. All dislodged and flushed away. do it once a year due to teenage children. Even cleaned out my son pouring pot noodle down bathroom basin and not telling me. Rarely had to remove trap

 

[Dadam]

We got an unblocker "kit" a few years ago. A bottle of the usual caustic gel type unblocker plus a flexible plastic wire with a handle and several moulded hooks. The liquid was standard stuff but the wire thing is great. The idea is you feed it down the hole into the U and pull it back and the hooks bring back all the clag. Especially effective with long hair (i.e. my daughter's)

 

[Adam4868]

https://www.toolstation.com/waste-pipe-cleaner/p80592
Had one of these for years and paid for itself 10 times over.

 

[PeteXXX]

Thanks to you both. I’ve plunged the bath to no avail. I’ve now emptied it but I need to get the water out that is still in the waste pipe before I can put stuff down it. All I can think of is a metre of small bore clear pipe and suck. I’ve tried to put a brake cable down there to no avail.

I can see a problem there... Jut saying.. 😋

 

[Deleted member 26715]

Just be careful if you have a chrome plughole surround, using any of he above may result in you not having chrome for much longer

 

[ACF]

Had similar problem with a bath with a long run drain that disappeared under a tiled floor ( and also a wife with long hair). tried various methods, like above, but ended buying a high pressure air plunger ( Screwfix or Toolstation) that forces a high pressure of air down the pipe ( after blocking off the overflow), which got the drain flowing again.