- 1). Pull out the tub's drain stopper, if one is present, and clean off any debris or buildup on the stopper. If the tub's drain has a metal screen, use a screwdriver to remove the screws that hold it in place, and then pull the screen out of the drain opening.
- 2). Reach into the drain opening with a pair of needle nose pliers and pull out any debris within reach. Continue using the needle nose pliers until you cannot reach any more buildup or the tub begins to drain at a normal rate.
- 3). Place a plunger's cup so it covers the drain opening and shove a wet washcloth into the overflow drain's opening. Pump the plunger's handle up and down hard 20 times or more. Remove the plunger's cup to see if the drain begins to flow again. Repeat the plunging process if the drain partially unstops.
- 4). Pull the wet washcloth out of the overflow drain's opening, and then remove the screws that hold the drain opening's cover in place. Pull the cover away from the tub, pulling out the linkage if the bathtub has a built-in stopper. Feed a drain auger into the overflow drain opening as you spin the auger's crank clockwise.
- 5). Stop feeding the auger into the drain once the end of the auger reaches the p-trap under the bathtub. Retract the auger as you turn the crank counterclockwise. Run the faucet's hot water for two minutes or more, then replace the overflow drain cover and the main drain's cover or stopper.
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