Last Updated on April 16, 2025 by Anta Plumbing Master Plumber
At one stage or another, every home experiences a blocked drain. It happens for a variety of reasons, and in most cases, it can easily be solved. However, in order to ensure that it doesn’t happen more than it should, it is important to understand the underlying cause. In many cases, there are a few things you can do to prevent clogs, so let’s take a look at those common causes.
#1 Most Common Cause of Bathroom Drain Clogs: Debris and Foreign Items
When foreign objects build up inside the system, it can cause choking and blocked drainage between the drainpipe and those pipes that flow out of the home. These clogs normally have a gradual build-up that continues to collect more debris until it blocks the drain and slows down the flow of the water.
Too much toilet paper and paper products are the main cause of blocked toilets. Due to the unpleasant nature of a blocked toilet, it is a good idea to seek help from a professional drain service right away.
#2 Most Common Cause of Bathroom Drain Clogs: Hair
Hair looks great on your head, but when it falls from the follicles while you’re in the shower, it can enter the drain and create net-like traps deep inside. Anything that is flushed down the drain will gather in this hair trap, leading to a clog. It is particularly common in the p-trap or u-traps that sit directly under the drain in your sink, and it won’t respond to a plunger.
Call Anta Plumbing to remove the snarl using a special motorized drain snake.
#3 Most Common Cause of Bathroom Drain Clogs: Soap Scum
One would imagine that soap scum dissolves easily in water inside the drains, but think about it: soap contains oils that dissolve because you shower in hot water. As the water cools, so the oils congeal, leading to clogs in bathtub drains. At first, this mixture of soap scum, body oils, cosmetics, and dead skin cells will be soft, but over time it will congeal and harden inside the drain walls. More debris and small items will get stuck inside the drains, leading to clogs.
#4 Most Common Cause of Bathroom Drain Clogs: Hard Water Deposits
Do you have hard water? If so, it can cause solid deposits on the walls of your drains, constricting the flow and causing otherwise insignificant debris to stick and cause major clogs. It’s not visible when it happens, but soap scum and hair can add to this to create a nasty clog.
#5 Most Common Cause of Bathroom Drain Clogs: Incorrect or Broken Plumbing Installations
Broken pipes or incorrectly installed pipes can prevent your drains from flowing freely. It could also collapse, resulting in blocking off the flow entirely. At best, poorly installed pipes can be misaligned, and at worst, it can collapse completely.
If you are experiencing any of these 5 common causes of bathroom drain clogs, it is important to avoid DIY plumbing techniques and rather call the experts. Anta Plumbing is standing by with a wide range of solutions.
