A bathtub drain stopper is used to seal the drain and keep water from going down the drain. Often, it can get stuck, making it hard to turn the faucet on and off. If you decide to take out the drain stopper at this point, you’ll be able to see the problem more clearly. It’s also important to know how to remove your drain stopper in case it’s not in the right place. If your tub stopper doesn’t cover the bottom of the tub completely when it’s in place, it might not keep the water in very well, which would make taking a bath a pain.
The first step in figuring out how to remove a drain stopper is figuring out which kind you will need to fix the problem. In the article below, you can read about the most common types of drain stoppers for bathtubs.
Push or Pull Stopper
This kind of stopper has a rod on the side that you can push and pull. One end of this rod has a round handle, and the other end has a hole that your finger can fit into. The push-pull mechanism is connected to a plunger that goes down into the drain to stop the water flow. To take off a push-pull tub stopper, do the following:
- Take off the knob from the top of the stopper. Handle the stopper and knob to take them off. Move the knob around with one hand until it comes off.
- Is it too hard to turn with your hands? Grab a towel and carefully wrap it around it. Then, use regular pliers to get it off.
- After you take it off, look for the exact point where the strainer’s crossbar meets the stopper. Using a regular flathead screwdriver, take the pot off the strainer.
Toe-Touch Bathtub Stopper
Toe-touch tub stoppers look like pliers and can be used to open the drain by pulling them up. As you push it down, the handle comes off and the stopper closes off both drains in your bathtub. How do you take off a stopper that you can touch with your toe?
- Turn a screwdriver or a pair of pliers around one end of the plunger rod that sticks out from under the rubber top. Use your tools to pry up on this rod until it comes out of its place.
- Once you’ve taken out the plunger, pull up on the rubber top to pull it off of its base. You should now be able to open your strainer by turning its head clockwise with your hands.
- After unscrewing the head, pull it up and away from the stopper to take it off.
- Grab the knob on top of the bathtub drain that is connected to this type of stopper. Carefully pull up until the stopper comes off its base.
Turn and Lift Tub Stopper
A lift-and-turn tub stopper is held in place by two screws. How do you get this kind of drain stopper out of a bathtub?
- With the stopper in the “open” position, you should put one hand on top of the body to hold it in place.
- Remove the stopper from the strainer and slowly turn the knob in the opposite direction while looking for a screw set on the knob. If you can’t find one, turn the stopper counterclockwise until it can be taken off the filter.
- Sometimes the threads get taken out, making it impossible to take off. Try gently turning it up and pulling it up.
- If your stopper doesn’t have a screw on the knob but still won’t come off, lift it up and turn it until you find a small screw.
- To loosen the screw, use a screwdriver or a wrench. To get the stopper off, don’t take the screws all the way out. When using this method, you need to be very careful because the screw can easily fall down the drain if it is completely removed.
- If neither the stopper nor the knob has a set screw, it’s probably a channel/pin mechanism.
- Take the stopper out of the channel and slowly turn it the other way until the bottom slot lines up with the pin on the top part.
- Move the stopper up and down to open it.
Other Stoppers for Bathtubs
One screw holds the flip-it® tub stopper to the bottom of the overflow plate. This kind of tub stopper is usually easy to take off. To remove the stopper, grab it by its body and twist it up and down (try all directions) until it comes off.
What to do after the process is done
Once you get the bathtub drain stopper off, use a flashlight to look down the drain. If it takes a long time for your bathtub to drain, there may be a buildup of soap scum, hair, and other debris that is blocking the drain. If the blockage isn’t too deep, you can try to take the strainer off and unclog it yourself, if you’re brave enough. Even so, you can avoid all the nasty mess and let West New York Plumbing and Heating take care of your bathtub.
Get in Touch With Our Staff Today
Let us help you if you are trying to take off a bathtub drain stopper. Call us at (201) 977 – 6775 to get in touch with our staff right away. Our team of experts will be more than happy to help you and help you get your bathtub back in shape.