How to Correctly Use a Drain Snake: 7 Quick and Easy Steps

Posted by James Carter on September 10th, 2021

A plumbing auger, plumber\'s snake, or Drain Snakeis useful for extremely clogged drains. Before buying a Drain Snake, try unclogging the drain by filling it with a little baking soda followed by white vinegar and boiling water. This is a common remedy for the smallest clogs in sinks and bathtubs. For bigger jobs or those on the toilet that the plunger can\'t fix, it\'s time to get the drill out.

7 Quick And Easy Steps To Use Our Drain Snake

The Drain Snakeis a cable fed through the pipes to access and breaks the blockages in the pipes. Here\'s how to use a Drain Snakes correctly.

 Step 1: Prepare The Area.

To get started, you may want to wear gloves or have a small towel handy. Make sure you have enough space in the area to move freely while you work. If it doesn\'t, remove any obstacles. Remove the drain valve from the sinks or the overflow valve from the bathtubs so that the opening is large enough to accept the drill.

Step 2: Begin feeding.

Insert the end of the cord into your drain, be it a sink, bathtub, or toilet. Push the cable into the drain by hand as far as resistance begins. At this point, you have come to a bend in the pipe, and this is where the pipe snake becomes very useful. Leave about 6 inches of the wire shown between the drain and the end of the snake\'s housing.

Step 3: Start The Drill.

When the end of the cable reaches a twist in the tubing or hits a lock, turn the thumbscrew to lock it in place. This will prevent the cable from pushing into the housing. Then start turning the handle to rotate the drum inside the casing. This, in turn, will rotate the wire, causing the drill to pass through the obstruction.

Step 4: Push The Cable.

Although you don\'t want to damage porcelain surfaces while using snakes, you will need to apply enough pressure to keep pushing the wire rather than just twisting it into place. When turning the crank, apply constant pressure to the cable.

Step 5 - Work The Cable.

As you rotate the handle and the cable goes deeper into the drain, you must tighten the thumbscrew. To do this:

1. Turn the crank several times while pushing forward.
2. As you approach the drain, loosen the thumbscrew, manually remove about 6 inches of wire, retighten it, and continue turning.
3. Repeat this process as you feed the cable further into the pipe.

Step 6: Remove The Blockage.

When you get to the block, continue with the same technique. The snake will move through the obstruction, and you should feel the tension release once the blockage is removed. At this point, the water in the sink, tub, or toilet should be drained. If there is no standing water, but you think you have removed the blockage, pour some water down the drain to ensure it is working properly.

 Step 7: Remove The drain Snake.

To remove the sarks Drain Snake, simply pull it back while allowing it to rewind into the snake housing. You may want to wear gloves at this point or use a rag to grab the cord as you pull it out.

Now that you know how to use our Drain Snakes, whenever there\'s a serious clog in your drains, you\'ll be able to clean it up in no time.