Unclog Drains
One slow sink is a plunger and maybe a snake. Several fixtures backing up at once is a main-line problem, and that is a plumber.
This is a judgment page, not a step-by-step how-to. The procedure lives in the vetted links at the bottom.
The call
Start yourself on a single fixture: the right plunger, then a hand snake if you are willing to pull a trap. Hire a plumber when more than one fixture is slow, sewage is coming up in a tub or a floor drain, or you have already used a chemical cleaner (tell the plumber that before they open the line).
- Difficulty
- Time
- 20–90 minutes
- DIY estimate
- $10–$40
- Pro estimate
- $150–$450
2 of 5
Rough national estimate, not a quote. Prices move with the city, the brand, and whatever the job turns into once you open it up.
Tools
- TODO: affiliate link
Flange plunger for a toilet, cup plunger for a sink or tub
- TODO: affiliate link
Bucket and rubber gloves
- TODO: affiliate link
Slip-joint pliers, if you open a sink trap
- TODO: affiliate link
Hand auger, if plunging doesn't move it
Materials
- TODO: affiliate link
No chemical drain opener if you can avoid it
Chemicals sit in the line and burn skin when a trap is opened later.
Affiliate slots are placeholders. A live shop link will be marked as sponsored. See the affiliate disclosure.
Safety notes
- Don't mix drain chemicals, and don't plunge a fixture you just poured chemicals into. Wear gloves and glasses if any cleaner is already in the line.
- A toilet plunger and a sink plunger are different tools. The wrong one just moves dirty water.
- If sewage is backing up into a tub or a basement floor drain, stop using water in the house and call a plumber. That is the building drain, not a hair clog.
- A snake can scratch a fixture and can punch through old corroded pipe if you force it. When it stops hard, don't lean on it.
Do I need a permit?
Clearing one fixture is not a permit job.
Plunging or snaking a single sink, tub, or toilet does not need a permit. Opening a wall or cutting into the building drain can. If the clog is past the trap and you are about to open the structure, check your state page and call the local building department.
Permit triggers are local. This is general information, not legal advice. All state pages · Disclaimer
Best How-To Videos & Articles
We link to guides that already exist. We don't rewrite them.
- How to Clear Clogged Drains
Family Handyman · Article
- How to Use a Plunger
Bob Vila · Article
- How to Snake a Clogged Drain
This Old House · Article
TODO: add a verified YouTube link for this project.
Questions people ask first
- Should I unclog a drain myself?
- Yes, for one fixture, starting with a plunger. Call a plumber if several fixtures are slow or sewage is coming up somewhere it should not.
- How much does it cost to unclog a drain?
- A plunger or a small snake is often $10–$40. A plumber for a fixture clog is often $150–$450. A main-line clog costs more. Those are rough estimates, not a quote.
- Do I need a permit to unclog a drain?
- No, for clearing a fixture. Cutting into the building drain is different. Ask the local building department before you open a wall.