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Start by unscrewing the overflow valve, which is located on the wall of your tub between the floor drain and the tub spout. Gently insert a plumbing snake down into the pipe, move it back and forth, and pull it out. Remove any hair, debris, and soap scum that comes out with it. Repeat the process until the snake comes out clean, and then reinstall the cap on your overflow valve.

A small amount of diluted bleach is okay to pour down a garbage disposal. As part of your weekly garbage disposal maintenance, use 1 teaspoon of bleach with your concoction of ice cubes and lemon peels. Turn on the disposal and run the water until the blades chop up the ice cubes.

Any more bleach in your disposal can harden oils and greases in your drain, which can cause problems. Always wear gloves when working with bleach, and know that you really don’t need bleach at all—vinegar, baking soda, salt, and ice should do the trick.

It is safe to flush small amounts of bleach down the toilet. Don’t flush more than ¼ cup of bleach. Instead, consider diluting it and pouring it down the sink drain.

If methods like hot water or a plunger don’t work on your clogged drain, you can snake your drain to dislodge the plug. This can be a messy process, taking some physical effort and additional time over the other drain-clearing options. You can purchase a drain snake at a hardware store and choose from handheld options or those attached to a drill. Just work slowly, and be ready to call a plumber if you’re unable to reach the clog from your drain or P-trap.