A bathtub drain stopper seals the drain and prevents water from flowing down it. It can often become stuck, making turning on and off the faucet difficult. If you remove the drain stopper at this stage, you will gain a better understanding of the fundamental source of the problem. It’s also vital to understand how to remove your drain stopper if it’s not precisely positioned. If your stopper does not entirely cover the bottom of the tub when it is in place, it may not effectively hold the water in, making bath time a chore.
The first step in learning how to remove a drain stopper is determining which type you will use to solve your problem. The most common forms of bathtub drain stoppers are discussed in the following article.
Stopper for Push/Pull
A push-pull rod on the side of this type of stopper. A spherical handle protrudes from one end of the rod, and your finger fits into the hole at the other. The push-pull mechanism is linked to a plunger, which plunges down the drain to stop the flow of water. Here’s how to remove a push-pull tub stopper:
- Remove the knob from the top of the stopper. Handily remove the stopper and knob. Wiggle the knob with one hand until it comes free.
- Is the knob too tight to turn with your hands? Grab a cloth and delicately wrap it around it before releasing it with normal pliers.
- After you’ve separated it, look for the exact spot that joins the strainer’s crossbar to the stopper. Using a flathead screwdriver, remove the pot from the strainer.
Tub Stopper with Toe-Touch
Toe-touch tub stoppers have the shape of pliers and can be pushed up to open the drain. The handle is released as you press it down, and the stopper closes both drains in your bathtub. How do you get a toe-touch tub stopper off?
- Wrap a screwdriver or tongs around one end of the plunger rod that extends from under the rubber top. Pry this rod up with your tools until it is free of its location.
- Pull up on the rubber top to remove it from its base after you’ve removed the plunger. You should now be able to release your strainer by rotating the head clockwise with your hands.
- To remove the head, unscrew it and lift it up and away from the stopper.
- Grip the knob connected to this type of stopper on top of the bathtub drain with your hands. Carefully pull up until the stopper is free of its base.
Tub Stopper with Lift and Turn
A raise and turn tub stopper is held in place by two screws. How can you get rid of this kind of bathtub drain stopper?
- With the stopper set to “open,” place one hand on top of the body to keep it in place.
- Remove the strainer’s stopper and slowly rotate the knob in the other direction, looking for a screw placed on the knob. If you can’t find one, turn the stopper counterclockwise to remove it from the strainer until you can.
- Occasionally, the threads are removed, making removal impossible. Try slowly turning it upward and pulling up.
- If your stopper lacks a screw set directly on the knob but still does not unscrew, lift it up and rotate it until you find a little screw.
- To remove the screw, use a screwdriver or a wrench. Don’t totally remove the screws to unfasten the stopper. It’s vital to use extreme caution with this procedure since if the screw is completely removed, it can easily fall inside the drain.
- If neither the stopper nor the knob has set screws, it’s most likely a channel/pin mechanism.
- Remove the channel stopper and slowly turn it in the other direction, aligning the bottom slot with the pin on the top half.
- To release the stopper, wiggle it up.
Tub Stoppers Alternatives
One screw secures a flip-it® tub stopper to the bottom of the overflow plate. This style of tub stopper is usually easy to remove. Grab the stopper by the body and twist it up and down (in all directions) until it comes loose.
Following the Completion of the Process
Once you’ve removed the bathtub drain stopper, use a flashlight to peer down the drain. If your bathtub is taking a long time to drain, there could be an accumulation of soap scum, hair, and other material blocking the drain. If the obstruction isn’t too deep, you might be able to remove the strainer and unstick it yourself if you’re bold enough. You may, however, avoid all of the unpleasantness by having BJC Plumbers North Bergen take care of your bathtub.
Contact Our Staff Immediately
If you’re having trouble removing a bathtub drain stopper, give us a call. Call us at (201) 389-9959 to get in touch with our staff right away. Our team of specialists would gladly assist you in getting your bathtub back in working order.
