Bathroom blockages

Specialist bathroom drain clearance

A blocked toilet is both a problem and a health hazard. Our engineers arrive with specialist clearance tools — closet augers, low-pressure jetting heads and cameras. In most cases, we clear the blockage without removing the pan. We work on domestic WCs, macerators, Saniflos, pub and restaurant toilets, and commercial washrooms. Every job includes a clean-down and camera check to confirm the line runs clear.

Furthermore, bathroom blockages need a different toolkit from kitchen blockages. Specifically, the trap shapes, hair-and-soap buildup, and shared waste pipes all behave differently from grease-driven kitchen drains. As a result, sending a generic plumber instead of a drainage specialist often leads to a second callout.

For example, hair binding with soap scum forms a tight cylindrical plug that conventional rodding pushes deeper rather than removing. In contrast, our flexible micro-augers and low-pressure jetting heads break the plug apart and pull the debris back to an inspection point. Consequently, the drain stays clear for months rather than re-blocking within weeks.

In particular, older properties with cast-iron stack pipes need careful handling. These systems work reliably when maintained. But internal scale and corroded fittings mean heavy jet pressure can crack the pipe. So we always start with a CCTV pass on pre-1970s installations. This maps the pipe condition before we choose a clearance method.

Types of bathroom blockage we clear

Bathroom blockages range from a slow-draining basin to a toilet that is actively overflowing. However, the approach is always the same: we clear from the fixture outward, using the least invasive method first, before jetting the underground run if needed.

• Blocked toilet. The most urgent bathroom blockage. We use closet augers and micro-jetting to clear blockages through the pan without lifting it in 90% of cases.
• Blocked bath drain. Hair and soap scum compound over months into a dense plug. Our flexible tools reach the trap and waste pipe run without panel removal wherever possible.
• Blocked shower trap. Shower traps are shallower and more accessible than bath wastes. We remove the cover, clear the trap and check the waste run.
• Slow basin drain. Slow-draining hand basins are almost always a build-up of toothpaste, soap and hair in the waste bottle trap — cleared in minutes.
• Macerator and Saniflo faults. Saniflos need specialist knowledge. We service, repair and replace macerator units from all major brands.
• Soil pipe and shared waste blockage. When multiple bathroom fixtures slow at once, the blockage is in the soil pipe or underground run. We jet the underground section.