(310) 628-9399

Szeto Plumbing · San Gabriel Valley

Sink, tub and shower clogs

Hair, soap and toothpaste build up close to the drain opening, so most single-fixture clogs are within reach. Text (310) 628-9399 and tell us which drain is slow.

Mon–Sat 8:30 AM–7 PM · San Gabriel Valley

Bathroom sink with a chrome drain cover under a running faucet

Mon–Sat, 8:30 AM–7 PM

Call or text (310) 628-9399

Kitchens, baths, heaters, main lines

Where the clog usually sits

In a bathroom sink, the pop-up stopper rod collects hair just below the opening. In a tub, it is the stopper and the first bend underneath.

Next in line is the trap, the curved pipe under the sink. Beyond that is the branch line inside the wall.

Sink or tub 1 Stopper 2 Trap 3 Branch line Main line: powered rooter
Points 1 to 3 by hand; the main line with a powered rooter.

How we clear it

We pull and clean the stopper, take apart the trap when needed, and run a hand auger into the branch line.

If water comes back up in a tub when the toilet flushes, or several drains are slow together, the problem is further down the line than a hand tool reaches.

White porcelain basin drain with round holes, viewed from above

Keeping it clear

A simple hair catcher in tubs and showers does more than anything else. In the kitchen, grease is the main enemy; scrape pans into the trash rather than the sink.

White plastic bottle trap and drain pipes under a wall-hung sink
Photo: HODmsl SVUR, CC BY-SA 4.0, cropped

Slow kitchen sinks with a disposal often trace back to the disposal itself, which we cover on our disposal page.

Quick answers

What about the main sewer line?

We root main lines with a powered machine, then check the fixtures that backed up.

Should I use drain cleaner first?

We would rather you did not. Chemical cleaners can hurt older traps and make the repair messier.

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Where we work in the San Gabriel Valley · Questions before you text