Plughole draining water very slowly - how do I clean it?

[carrotsandcelery]

The plughole in the bathtub is getting slower and slower at draining the bath and now if we have a shower (the shower in there is over the bath) we end up with our feet in a few inches of water.

I have tried pouring bicarbonate of soda down there and left it for a while then poured boiling water down there and it didn't do any good.

I have also tried squirting hair remover down there and leaving it about 10 mins and then rinsing and, again, it did no good.

I don't know what to try next.

I have soda crystals but have no idea what to do with them.

What could I do/try?

Mr Muscle sink and drain unblocker works brilliantly every time here. It's in an orange bottle.

Thank you insanity I will have a look for that when I do the next shop.

I second Mr Muscle unblocker - leave it overnight if you can.

pour soda crystals into the hole, wait for half an hour then pour boiling water from a height down the hole.

do you have a plunger? tape up the vent hole where the bath chain starts then plunge the bath hole wildly a few times.

I use soda crystals. Pour half a pack down the drain and follow with boiling water. However if you have loads of hair clogging the drain you may need to use something a bit more heavy duty

Well have you tried sucking it out with the plunger thing? This could do the trick after a few attempts. I had exactly the same problem, did this and lots of yukky hair came out.

I would put a cup of soda crystals down, followed by a cup of white vinegar and a kettle full of boiling water.
or get some supermarket drain-clear stuff

Thanks everyone for all the ideas.

I don't have a plunger but think I will need to get hold of one.

I am off to stick the soda crystals down before the school run so they have some time to do their magic.

Another vote for the MrMuscle stuff, as pp said leave overnight if you can and you will notice a huge difference.

Mr Muscle stuff from the 99p shop!

Poke the end of a wire coathanger down it and give it a good wiggle around. It's probably hair that's blocking it.

I did the soda crystals about 3 times or more and there is some improvement but I think I will have to go for the Mr Muscle as this is clearly long term neglect.

Where does everyone else learn how to do these things? [useless]

We have a really long wire brush from our local hardware shop that is great for hair stuck in drains.

One Shot liquid drain cleaner is the only stuff that works here. It's sort of industrial grade, really caustic and you need gloves and mask to operate it but it really works. just tip a bit down, leave for 5 mins, follow with water to activate and then leave overnight.

I now try to put some of the mr muscle stuff down once a week, it's not that good but ok as a preventative. I apparently moult thousands of hairs a week and am not as careful as i should be with not putting little bits of food down the kitchen sink - they're all on the same pipe system so clog quite easily.

I agree, MrMuscle. carrots, I think mostly we learn these things off t'internet these days - I have similar feelings that basically houses should come with a complete guidebook and manual, there are so many things you are supposed to know. I have visions of the roof falling off one day and everyone going 'well surely you knew you had to [x, y or z] every year' and somehow it turns out I'd managed never to notice the same thing happening at my parents' house whilst growing up.

Anyway, I digress. Another good thing to try is bicarb and white vinegar, but it sounds like the industrial solution is what's required. I have found that, like many things in life, poking it with a stick can help too

Just realised that the One Stop stuff should not be left overnight - it needs to run through with water for a long time as it's potentially quite damaging to pipes. It should only be in the pipework for about 20 mins tops. ends disclaimer

As it is a bath, it is probably choked with hair. See what you can pull out from above. If the trap is a bottle-trap rather than a U-bend shaped one, it is easier to unscrew the vessell from underneath (except that you have to take the bath panel off, grrrrrrr) but more easily choked and less easy to clear with a plunger or pump (the pump is better). You have to get someone to block the overflow with a damp sponge while you are plunging, or the pressure will escape. Try not to plunge or pump chemicals as they may splash into your eyes.

If you like to put lard or oil in your bath then you may have a very undesirable accumulation in the trap and pipes.

So is it crap about using veet down yer plughole? I tried squirtin' some in the bath to no avail- or am I doin' it wrong?

I've used caustic soda with success, though it's so ferocious I'm not sure I'll ever use it again!