If clogs are draining your energy, it’s time to learn how to snake a drain
Sink, tub, and shower drains are all susceptible to meddlesome clogs. Clogged drains can be a minor annoyance but can build up and block the entire system over time. Luckily, there is a purpose-built tool to try before calling a plumber: the humble drain snake, sometimes called a drain auger. In this guide, we’ll walk you through how to snake a drain quickly and efficiently using just a handful of affordable tools.
First, purchase a suitable drain snake at a local hardware store or online. Make sure it’s long enough to extend throughout a good portion of your drainage system. A 12- to 24-inch drain snake should work for DIY snaking jobs.
Longer drain augers are available for deeper and more extensive clogs, which may warrant a call to a drain cleaning service near you. If you buy an auger, we recommend a manual one to prevent damage to your fixtures. Drain snakes cost an average of $10, with some of the electric augers totaling $100.
You should also wear safety gear during this process, as you never know what a snake will pull up from the murky depths. Preparing the area for sinks and tubs is simple—just remove nearby objects for easy accessibility—but snaking a basement drain requires a more involved process.
It might also be a good idea to consider some minor plumbing upgrades, like replacing a faucet, while you’re working on clearing your drain to save some time.
There are many different drain snake types, so it's helpful to figure out what you'll need before you rush to the store to buy one.
Manual drain snakes: These are the most common drain snakes for DIY home repairs and are 1 1/2 feet or shorter. These handheld tools are wallet-friendly and can help you fix small clogs.
Powered augers: You can get battery-powered, drill-operated, or electric augers that can unclog larger pipes, including your main water lines and floor drains. These have cables ranging between 15 and 100 feet.
Hand-crank augers: These are similar to powered augers except they don’t require electricity. You manually crank the handle to feed the cable into the drain.
Toilet augers: These augers are 3 feet long and designed to help unclog toilets when a plunger isn’t getting the job done.
Different snake and auger head types: Toothed- and coil-head snakes and augers pull clogs out of your pipes, and cutting heads have blades that cut through thicker clogs from grease and mud. Rocket nozzles use high-pressure water to clear clogs.
A clogged drain is no fun, but the good news is there’s a chance you can fix it yourself. Here are eight steps to snake a drain and get your plumbing back in good working order.
Before getting started on figuring out how to clear a drain with a snake, you need to remove the P-trap, a curved pipe that resembles the letter P. Note that some types of faucets and drain setups include an S-trap, which is similar in appearance and function. Some types of bathroom faucets also include a pivot rod to lift the drain, so you’ll need to remove that first if it’s in the way. The P-trap holds standing water to protect your home against dangerous sewer gases. Fortunately, the vast majority of P-traps are removable by hand without specialized tools.
For sink traps—if you’re unclogging the kitchen sink, for example—place old towels on the sink cabinet floor and put a bowl or bucket directly underneath the P-trap. Use old rags to get a good grip, and unscrew the plastic nuts. Release the trap, and allow any collected water to drain into the bowl or bucket. Next, use a plug wrench to turn the drain counterclockwise, thus removing it.
For tubs and showers, access the trap via the overflow portion of the drain, not the drain at the bottom of the tub. The bottom drain leads to two 90-degree angles in the pipe, making it much more likely to get the snake stuck.
If you notice a lot of debris in your P-trap or overflow drain when you remove and empty it, it’s possible that your clog was in the first few inches of the drain and not in your pipes. You can reattach the P-trap and try running water down your drains to see if you’re still having drainage issues before moving on to the next step.
There are several designs out there in the world of drain snakes—including augers you can use to unclog toilets—and simple drain snakes that are better suited for sink and shower drains.
For an auger, the process starts by loosening the thumbscrew at the drum of the drain snake, which allows it to start extending. By hand, extend the snake cable and push it into the drainpipe. Electric snakes may disallow manual controls. In this case, hold down the appropriate lever to begin the extension process. For unique designs, consult the instruction manual.
For a drain snake, simply work the thin end into the drain or P-trap.
Keep extending the snake or auger down the drain via the correct control method for your make and model. Practice patience here, as each pipe is unique, and many feature sharp turns that necessitate increased cranking power or some gentle wiggling. Eventually, the snake should hit the blockage that caused the clog in the first place.
Blockages present themselves in two ways. Either the obstruction is large enough that the snake stops, or it’s relatively small and soft, allowing the head of the tool to work through the mass slowly as it keeps extending. In other words, some clogs require you to bring the gunk back up, and others let the snake break up the gunk for dispersal throughout the system.
If you’re attempting to grab the obstruction and bring it back up through the drain, like when you’re working to unclog a sink, start by tightening the thumbscrew on top of the drum. This locks the snake in place, so the rotating tip pierces the obstruction.
Once the thumbscrew is tight, slowly rotate the handle of the drain snake two or three times. This forces the tip into the obstruction, allowing you to grab it for retrieval. If your blockage was smaller and looser, simply pushing the tip through likely broke it up enough to disrupt the clog.
To retract the cable and pull up any clog-causing sludge with an auger, start by loosening the thumbscrew once again, as this lets the snake recede into its housing. Next, crank the handle to wind the auger back up through the pipe. Wind the handle slowly and expect to use additional force as the snake winds around sharp turns.
If you’re using a manual drain snake, simply pull gently on the handle and wiggle the tool as needed to pull it out of the drain.
For electric snakes, push the appropriate retraction lever or follow the instructions in the manual. Other designs require you to pull the snake up the pipe instead of winding a crank or pushing a trigger. If you do use an electric auger, be very careful and go as slowly as possible to prevent damage to your plumbing and fixtures. This is especially true if you’re snaking a toilet, as the rotating metal cable can crack the porcelain.
When the snake returns up the drain, it will likely be holding onto one solid chunk of debris or various pieces. In either case, remove debris by twisting it counterclockwise. Once it pops off the auger or hair removal tool, place it on a paper towel for disposal. Always wear protective gloves during this process, as drainage gunk is not exactly sanitary.
Rome wasn’t built in a day, and clogs may not clear with one snaking. Repeat the procedure to finish removing the clog from your system. Since you removed the P-trap, you can’t test your drains, so keep snaking the drain until the cable extends as far as it goes without encountering any blockages. In most cases, this takes two or three attempts to keep your drain clear.
Now, it’s time for reassembly and testing. Reinstall the P-trap or drain covers, which you may remember doing if you’ve installed a kitchen sink. This should not require any tools, as the P-trap twists back into place by hand.
Once you reattach everything, test for proper drainage by running some water. If the water drains quickly, the clog has dissipated, and you’re good to go. Put away your tools and supplies, and prepare to enjoy the fruits of your labor.
There are some simple steps you can take to prevent clogs or avoid them altogether. Besides avoiding clogs, these tips will help you keep your plumbing in tip-top shape and avoid potential issues like pipe leaks, slow drains, and even pests in your home.
Avoid pouring grease down your drains. After you finish cooking, pour any grease into cans or wax-lined containers. Seal the containers in a bag and dispose of them in the trash. Grease will solidify in your drains and create major clogs over time.
Be mindful of food scraps. Common foods that many homeowners accidentally put into disposals that can cause clogs include fish bones, potato skins, egg shells, and coffee grounds. Know what to put into your garbage disposal and what to throw out.
Use a hair catcher. Human hair is one of the most common causes of plumbing clogs. Place a hair catcher over shower and bathroom sink drains and empty them into the garbage to keep hair out of your plumbing system.
Minimize oil in your drains. Avoid certain bath products that can cause clogs, like coconut oil-based products, sugar scrubs, and salt scrubs.
Snake regularly. Snaking your drains regularly before you have a blockage is one of the best ways to avoid full-on clogs and slow drains. Snake the drains in your bathroom and clean out P traps every six months or so to keep them clear.
Check to see if hard water is an issue. Hard water leaves mineral deposits in your pipes that can contribute to clogs. If you’re unsure if you have hard water, remove the faucet aerator and look for build-up. Consider a water softener to fix the issue.
To maintain your drains and help break up minor clogs, you can pour 3/4 cup to 1 cup of baking soda, then 1/2 cup to 1 cup of white vinegar. Let it sit for 30 minutes to an hour before flushing your drain with hot water.
Snaking a drain is a great maintenance task for DIYers, as it closely resembles a plumber’s first steps during a maintenance call. However, it’s important to know the limitations of using a store-bought drain snake.
These tools remove buildups of soft debris but are useless against solid and heavy items stuck in your pipes, like pieces of jewelry or bathtub toys. Using a drain snake in different locations, like snaking your basement drain or cleaning your sewer drain, will require different approaches.
Consider doing this first step yourself, and if using a plumbing snake doesn’t fix the issue, hire a local plumber for advanced repairs. A pro can diagnose or fix any other problems beyond a clog, which could be worth it to solve your issue once and for all. They also have the tools and experience necessary to reach deep clogs that DIY tools might not be able to handle.
The cost of hiring a pro to snake a drain varies depending on the type of drain. For example, snaking a bathtub or shower costs about $225, while snaking a kitchen sink drain costs $110 to $215.
If your pipes have reached freezing temperatures, you should also always hire a professional if you believe your pipes have frozen and ice is creating the blockage. Drip your faucets to prevent supply lines from freezing, and call a plumber immediately for help.
In some cases, operating a snake can damage your drain and pipes. This depends on the overall condition of your pipes and how gently you operate the auger. For instance, older galvanized pipes covered in zinc are susceptible to scratches when using a drain snake. Additionally, it’s common for newbies to apply too much force when extending the snake, leading to scratches and related damage. You can also crack the porcelain with an electric auger if you’re snaking a toilet drain. If you’re using a manual snake or auger, the risk is minimal.
If you want to avoid using a snake to unclog a drain, or if you don’t have one, try vinegar and baking soda. Pour 1 cup of baking soda down the drain, followed by 1 cup of white vinegar. Wait for 15 minutes, and then run hot water (but not boiling water) down the drain to see if the clog is clear. Repeat multiple times as needed.
If you try a drain snake and various DIY methods for unclogging drains to no avail, bring in a professional plumber to assess the situation. Also, if multiple drains in your home are backing up or you smell sewage, a visit from a plumber is best. You can expect your drain cleaning costs to fall around $250, and this can include an assessment of what’s caught in your plumbing and if there’s a larger, underlying problem. You should also consider calling a pro if you need to snake a toilet, as DIYing this could lead to a cracked fixture.
Yes, chemical drain cleaners contain sulfuric acid and hydrochloric acid, both of which are not only dangerous to your health but also extremely caustic. Drain cleaners will corrode your pipes and could lead to destroyed drain lines, especially if the chemicals interact with the piping for long periods. Unfortunately, this extended interaction is likely if you’re dealing with a clog, as the drain cleaner will have just as much trouble as water does moving through your plumbing system.
