Clogged Drain: DIY or Call a Plumber

Short answer

For a clogged drain in one sink, tub or shower, start with a properly used plunger, clear the stopper and try a hand drain snake. Do not mix chemical cleaners. Stop and call a plumber if several drains are slow, sewage smells or rises, or your efforts have not worked after a couple of tries.

A clogged drain is usually a small problem with one fixture, and many can be cleared with a plunger and a few minutes. Some are a sign of something bigger, and a few common home remedies can make them worse or cause harm. This guide covers how to unclog a drain safely, what not to do, a clear way to decide when to stop and call, what to tell the plumber and how to prevent the next clog.

First, work out what kind of clogged drain you have

Before you try anything, check how many fixtures are affected. One slow shower with the rest of the house draining normally is a local clog. A slow shower, sink and toilet together points to a shared line, and that is a job for a professional.

One fixture only: try the steps below.
Two or more fixtures, gurgling, or water in the lowest drain: skip the DIY and read our guide to drain cleaning near me.
A toilet only: start with a toilet plunger, not a drain cleaner.

How to unclog a drain: safe things to try

Work from the least risky to the most involved. Stop as soon as the water flows freely.

Remove what you can see. Take out the stopper or strainer and pull out hair and debris by hand, with gloves. In many bathroom sinks the stopper lifts out or unscrews, and the clog is often right under it.
Use a plunger properly. Use a cup plunger for sinks, tubs and showers, and a flange plunger for toilets. Add enough water to cover the cup so it can seal. Block the overflow opening in a sink or tub with a wet cloth, and block the second side of a double sink. Push down gently first to push out trapped air, then plunge with firm, steady strokes. Pull off the plunger to see whether water drains.
Try a hand drain snake. A small hand snake, sometimes called a hand auger, feeds a flexible cable into the drain to break up or hook a clog. Push it in gently, turn the handle, pull it back out and clean off what comes up. Do not force it. If it stops hard against something, you may have reached a bend or a damaged pipe.
Clean the trap. Under many sinks a U-shaped trap catches debris. Put a bucket underneath, unscrew it, clean it and put it back. Stop if joints are corroded.
Hot water on a grease clog, in some cases. A grease clog in a kitchen sink may soften with hot tap water and dish soap. Be careful with boiling water: it can stress some plastic pipe, glued joints and porcelain, and it can push melted grease further down where it sets again. If you do not know what your pipes are made of, use hot tap water, not boiling.

If the drain clears, run water for a minute to check it.

Unclogging a shower drain

Unclogging a shower drain is usually about hair. Remove the cover and pull out what you can with gloves or a hair-grabbing plastic strip, then plunge with the overflow blocked if the tub has one. A small hand snake works well here. A drain screen or hair catcher stops most of the problem for a small cost.

Baking soda and clogged drains

Baking soda and vinegar is a popular first try. It is a mild option, and for a light slow drain it is a reasonable first try. Poison Help, the US poison center service, says the mix is unlikely to clear tough grease or oil clogs because the gas it makes tends to escape through the drain opening instead of building pressure to clear a blockage. Treat it as a way to freshen a drain, not as a fix for a solid clog.

If you try it, use it on its own. Do not follow it with a commercial drain cleaner or bleach in the same drain. Mixing products can release harmful fumes, as the next section explains.

Best clogged drain cleaner: why this page does not name one

You will see lists of the best clogged drain cleaner, and we do not pick one. Chemical drain cleaners are strong products, and the safe way to use any of them is to follow the label and use one product at a time.

Poison Help advises wearing goggles and rubber gloves, pouring slowly and close to the drain to limit splashing, and keeping the container tightly closed and out of children's reach. If someone swallows drain cleaner or gets it on their skin or in their eyes, call 1-800-222-1222 right away in the US.
The Alabama Department of Public Health warns that drain cleaners often cause harm when mixed with other household chemicals such as bleach, and says not to mix different cleaning products and to follow the manufacturer's instructions.
If one product does not clear the drain, do not add a second one. Stop and call a plumber, and tell them what you used.

If you do use a cleaner, read the label for whether it suits your pipe material and a septic system.

What not to do

Do not mix chemical cleaners with each other or with other household products such as bleach. Mixing can release harmful fumes.
Do not pour harsh chemicals into a septic system. They can harm the bacteria that help the tank work. See the septic section below.
Do not use a general drain snake in a toilet, or force any tool in a toilet that rocks, leaks at the base or smells of sewage. Those can be signs of a loose or damaged toilet flange or seal. A toilet auger is the tool made for toilets, and a general cable can scratch the bowl. If you are not sure, call a plumber.
Do not flush "flushable" wipes, paper towels, dental floss or hygiene products to try to push a clog through.

When to stop and call a plumber

DIY or call: a quick decision guide
What is happening	What to do
One fixture slow, nothing else affected	Try the safe steps above
You plunged and snaked and it is no better after a couple of tries	Stop and call. More force can damage the pipe
The clog comes back within days or weeks	Call. The cause is probably further along, and a camera can show it
Two or more fixtures slow, or the toilet gurgles when you run a sink or shower	Call. This points to a main or shared line
Water or sewage appears in the lowest drain, such as a basement floor drain	Stop using water and call a licensed plumber now
Sewage smell, or standing wastewater in the yard	Call a plumber and your county health department. If you have a septic tank, also call a septic professional
You poured a chemical cleaner and it did not work	Do not add another. Call and tell them what you used
A toilet rocks, leaks at the base or has a sewer smell	Do not force tools. Call a plumber
You smell gas	Leave the building and call your gas utility from outside

To find and check a plumber, read drain cleaning near me. For what the visit may cost, see drain cleaning cost.

What to tell the plumber

A short, accurate description saves time and helps you get a fair quote.

Which fixtures are affected, and which are not.
When it started and how often it happens.
What you have tried, with dates, and especially any chemical product, including its name from the label. Plumbers need to know before they open the pipe.
Whether you have city sewer or a septic tank.
The age of the house and plumbing, if you know.

Ask for the quote in writing before work starts, including the method, any fees and what warranty covers a repeat clog.

Septic tank caveat

If your home has a septic tank, take more care before you reach for a chemical. The EPA's SepticSmart program advises keeping fats, oils and grease out of the drain, using cleaning supplies in moderation and flushing only what belongs in the toilet. A University of Nebraska-Lincoln extension page says paints, solvents and large amounts of chemical cleaners should not go down the drain, and suggests boiling water or a drain snake to open clogs instead of chemicals, with a caution that chemicals can harm the microorganisms in the tank. If you use boiling water, check that your pipes can take it.

A slow drain in a septic home can also mean the tank is full or the drain field is struggling, not just a clogged pipe. If several fixtures are slow, or you see standing wastewater or smell sewage outside, call a septic professional and your county health department. Our guides to septic tank pumping cost and septic maintenance near me explain what to check.

How to prevent clogs

Use drain screens in kitchen sinks, showers and tubs, and empty them into the trash.
Keep grease out. Let cooking fat cool and put it in the trash in a container. Wipe greasy pans with a paper towel before washing.
Do not flush wipes, even "flushable" ones, or other items that are not human waste and toilet paper.
Go easy on a garbage disposal, especially with grease, coffee grounds and fibrous food scraps. If you have a septic tank, limit it, as the EPA and extension guidance suggest.
Flush drains with hot tap water after washing greasy dishes, and clean the stopper and trap on bathroom sinks every few months.

What to look up where you live

Your state or provincial plumbing or contractor licensing board confirms a plumber's license. Your county health department or environmental health office handles sewage backups, standing wastewater and septic systems. Your water or sewer utility can tell you who owns the pipe from your house to the main. Rules differ by place and change, so check the current rules for your state or county. For Canadian readers: provinces regulate plumbing, products carry local labels and quotes are in Canadian dollars.

For septic, plumbing and drain company owners

Clogged drain and how to unclog a drain are searches your customers make before they decide whether to call you. If you want your company to be the one they ring when the plunger fails, read drain cleaning marketing and plumber missed calls. You can also book a call with LiveLeadsLane. LiveLeadsLane is a marketing practice for contractors, not a directory, and it does not take jobs or refer homeowners.

Frequently asked questions

How do I unclog a drain without chemicals?

Remove the stopper and any visible hair, use a plunger with enough water to seal it, then try a hand drain snake. Clean the trap under a sink if you can. If two or three tries do not work, stop and call a plumber instead of forcing it.

How do I unclog a shower drain?

Lift the cover, pull out hair with gloves or a plastic hair strip, then plunge with the overflow blocked. A small hand snake helps if that fails. If other drains gurgle or slow at the same time, the clog is further along and you should call a plumber.

Does baking soda unclog a drain?

It may help a light slow drain, but Poison Help says it is unlikely to clear tough grease or oil clogs because the gas escapes through the opening. Use it alone, never followed by a chemical cleaner or bleach, and call a plumber for a solid clog.

What is the best clogged drain cleaner?

We do not recommend a product. Any chemical cleaner is hazardous: follow the label, wear goggles and gloves, use one product at a time and never mix them. If one does not work, do not add another. Call a plumber and say what you used.

Is it safe to use drain cleaner with a septic tank?

Take care. EPA SepticSmart advises using cleaning supplies in moderation, and a University of Nebraska-Lincoln extension page suggests boiling water or a snake instead of chemicals. Check the product label, and ask a septic professional if you are unsure.

When should I call a plumber for a clogged drain?

Call if several drains are slow, water or sewage appears in the lowest drain, the clog keeps returning, or you have tried a plunger and snake without success. Call at once for sewage or a gas smell. For gas, leave the building and call your gas utility.

Can I use a drain snake on a toilet?

A toilet auger is the tool made for toilets, and a general drain cable can scratch the bowl. Do not force any tool in a toilet that rocks, leaks at the base or smells of sewage, because the flange or seal may be damaged. Call a plumber.

Clogged drain: what to try yourself and when to call a plumber