Bathtub Drain Completely Stuck? Here's Exactly How To Get It Unstuck On Your Own

Is your bathtub drain refusing to budge no matter how hard you try to unscrew it? A stuck drain can be incredibly frustrating to deal with, especially when it leads to problems like slow water drainage or standing water in the tub.

But there's good news - with the right techniques and tools, unsticking a stubborn bathtub drain is a DIY job you can absolutely take care of on your own.

Reasons Why Your Bathtub Drain May Be Stuck

Before diving into solutions, it helps to understand what causes a bathtub drain to get stuck in the first place. Here are the most common culprits:

• Built-up gunk, hair, and grime. Over time, debris can accumulate inside the drain and fuse pieces together.
• Rust and corrosion. Water exposure can cause metal drain parts to erode.
• Stripped or worn down screws. Attempts to previously unscrew the drain may have damaged the threads.
• Crossbars stuck in closed position. The horizontal rods can get jammed.
• Parts fused together from mineral deposits. Hard water can bond surfaces together.

Supplies You'll Need

Getting your tools together ahead of time will make tackling a stuck drain much easier. Here are the supplies you'll want handy:

• Penetrating oil to loosen rust
• Heat gun or hairdryer to expand metal
• Lubricant like WD-40 or plumber's grease
• Pliers or wrench to twist off drain stopper
• Basin wrench for extra leverage
• Replacement drain parts in case of damage

Step-By-Step Guide to Unsticking Your Bathtub Drain

Step 1: Disassemble the Drain

Start by taking apart the drain apparatus underneath the tub:

• Unscrew and remove the decorative drain plate and overflow plate.
• Extract the horizontal crossbars, ball rod, and lift rod.

This grants you access to the drain stopper and pipe below.

Step 2: Loosen the Drain Stopper

With the drain assembly disassembled, target the actual drain stopper:

• Apply penetrating oil liberally to the stopper's threads and let it soak for several hours or overnight. This lubricates and loosens rust.
• You can also heat up the metal stopper using a heat gun or blowdryer on the low setting to expand the metal. Apply heat for 30 seconds at a time.
• Spray lubricant like WD-40 or plumber's grease onto the stopper threads. Let it sit for 10 minutes.

These 3 moisture-fighting techniques in combination will help free up a seized drain stopper.

Step 3: Grip with Pliers and Unscrew

The stopper should now be ready to twist off. Use one of these gripper tools:

• Pliers: Regular, needle-nose, or curved jaw pliers all work. Grip tightly on the stopper edges and turn counterclockwise.
• Wrench: A small crescent wrench or fixed wrench provides lots of twisting force too.

Keep trying to unscrew the stopper for several minutes. If liquids were able to drain before, ensure the stopper isn't just stuck in the closed position - try jiggling it up and down while turning.

Step 4: Use a Basin Wrench for Better Leverage

A basin wrench is specially designed for confined sink and tub spaces. If standard pliers aren't cutting it:

• Insert the basin wrench jaws behind the stopper or around the drain pipe.
• The wrench provides much more torque when turning thanks to its embedded spring design. Use two hands if needed.

The extra leverage and grip often does the trick for freeing stuck metal parts.

Step 5: Remove Built-Up Gunk and Reassemble

Finally, give the pipe area a thorough scrubbing to remove built-up grime. Use a toothbrush, pipe brush, or abrasive scouring pad.

Check all parts like the crossbars and ball rod - replace anything too corroded or worn. Reassemble the workings back under the tub.

What If the Drain Still Won't Unscrew?

If you exhausted the above steps but that pesky drain remains hopelessly stuck, there are still DIY routes for removing it:

• Use a flathead screwdriver to carefully chip away at calcium or limescale deposits fused around pipe threads.
• A hacksaw can cut through the exposed bottom of the tailpiece allowing the entire assembly to be pulled out.
• Heating the pipe with a blowtorch temporarily expands the metal - immediately unscrew while expanded.

Worst case is calling a plumber to either auger internal obstructions or replace the entire bathtub waste and overflow. But know that putting some serious elbow grease into the manual techniques here often does the trick.

Preventing Bathtub Drains From Getting Stuck Again

Here are tips to keep your bathtub drain from ever getting stuck again:

• Clean monthly using a baking soda and vinegar home remedy to break up soap scum and hair buildup.
• Use a drain catcher and bath hair screens to trap debris before going down the drain.
• Check bathroom ventilation to prevent humidity leading to corrosion.

Staying on top of minor maintenance keeps drains clear and working smoothly for years.

As you can see, a stuck bathtub drain is a common nuisance that can be caused by a handful of culprits like residue deposits, rust, and awkwardly stuck crossbars. While frustrating, this plumbing headache is solvable using some penetrating lubricants and the right fixture-gripping tools.

Knowing the step-by-step process to dismantle the drain assembly, lubricate stuck components, gain leverage with pliers or a specialty basin wrench, and ultimately pry free the stuck stopper gives you the ability to remedy the situation yourself.