The most common reason for sewage coming up through your bathtub is a clogged sewer line. All the sinks, toilets, and tubs connect to a single drain pipe that leads to the sewer line under your house. This drain line carries all wastewater and sewage away from your home to the city’s sewer system.

How do you unclog a toilet that’s backing up into the bathtub?

How to Unclog a Toilet That’s Backing Up Into the Bathtub

  1. Close the tub drain or have a helper block it while you plunge the toilet. …
  2. Clear the blockage with a toilet auger if plunging has no effect. …
  3. Find a cleanout fitting if you can fully extend the auger into the toilet without encountering resistance.

What to do if sewage backs up in shower?





How to Fix a Sewer Line Clog

  1. Turn off the water: At the first sign of a sewer line clog, turn off your main water supply. …
  2. Check your vent pipe: When vent pipes become blocked, it prevents your sewer line from draining properly. …
  3. Snake the drain: Drain snakes can be very helpful when clearing clogs in your sewer line.

Why is my bathroom sink backing up into my bathtub?

If you see waste water backing up in multiple tubs or sinks, you have a clog in the main plumbing drain line. Any water you send down a drain has nowhere to go, so it will flow back up through the plumbing fixtures.

Will Drano unclog sewer line?

Bust a Sewer Clog With Enzyme-Based Drain Cleaner
It’s hardly ever a good idea to put Drano or a similar product in the toilet because it contains sodium hydroxide, which generates heat and can damage the pipes.

How do you know if your main drain is clogged?

Early warning signs of the drain being clogged are hearing bubbling or gurgling sounds coming from one or more of your drains. Or your toilet water or faucets may bubble, and waste water may back up into your tub or shower drain when you flush.

Why is my bathtub filling up with dirty water?





When dirty water comes up in your bathtub, it is usually considered a sewer line problem. The sewer line connects to your toilet, sink, bathtub, and shower and runs outside to your septic tank or the city’s sewer system. A sewer line clog can be caused by tree roots, flushed items, or grease buildup.

What is the black stuff coming up from bathtub drain?

The “creepy black stuff” in your drain is made up of a combination of things, mostly decomposing hair, soap scum, toothpaste grit, shaving cream residue, skin cells, etc.

How do I unblock my main sewer line?

Mix 1/3 of a cup of vinegar with 1/3 of a cup of baking soda and pour the fizzy mixture into the clogged sewer drain immediately. If you don’t know how to unclog main sewer line, take advantage of vinegar to eliminate the grime, grease, and hair in the pipe. Flush the pipe with hot water after one hour.

How do I clear my main sewer line?

Steps For How to Clear A Main Sewer Line Clog

  1. Loosen the Drain Pipe Cap (Cleanout Pipe) The first step is to find your main drain cleanout location. …
  2. Remove Cap, Allow Build-Up to Drain. Once you remove the cleanout cap, step away quickly. …
  3. Insert the Snake into Pipe. …
  4. Run the Tool Until Clog Is Gone. …
  5. Clean Up.


How do you unclog a main sewer line without a snake?

All you need to do is take a cupful of baking soda and pour it down the drain. Consequently, pour a cupful of white vinegar down the same drain. Thereafter, wait for around 10-15 minutes for the baking soda and vinegar solution to break up and clear the clog.

What are signs of sewage backup?

Early signs of sewer backup

  • Gurgling sounds coming from a drain.
  • Unusual odors coming from the sinks, showers, or drains.
  • One or more drains moving slower than usual.
  • Water backup into the shower or tub.


How do you clear a sewer line backup?

Quick Fixes for Sewer Backups

  1. Use a Plunger – the easiest and most available drain opener around. …
  2. Buy a Liquid Drain Cleaner – to unclog a sink or bathtub. …
  3. Release Pressure – by turning off the water at the main supply first. …
  4. Chemical Drain Cleaning – help with tree roots blockages.