Common blockages can occur at the strainer or stopper.
1.
To Clear a Floor Drain Strainer
1) Unfasten any screws holding the strainer, and then carefully pry it up and out with the tip of a screwdriver.
2) Clear debris from the strainer, and then rinse the strainer and wipe it clean.
3) Re-install the strainer.
2.
To Clean a Stopper
First, you have to remove the stopper. There are a few ways to do this, depending on the kind you have:
a) The type shown in Figure 1 closes the drain when the rod is pushed down. A lever in the ball joint reverses the open/close action. The stopper is removed with a half-twist.
b) Figure 2 shows a drain that closes when the stem is lifted. The stopper has a hook through which the lift lever (called a pivot rod) fits. With pliers, unscrew the lift lever to remove the stopper.
c) Figure 3 shows a spring-type bathtub drain. To remove this type of stopper, first remove the plate, and then the spring assembly. Pull stopper out.
After you’ve removed the stopper, clean it at the base of the drain opening, and then re-install it.
Note: For the type of stopper shown in Figure 2, in many cases debris will be hanging on the lift lever instead of the stopper. In this case, also remove the lift lever and let the debris fall into the trap. Replace the rod and stopper and flush the line with hot water.
