Most people have been there, you want to enjoy a long hot soak, you head to the bathroom, only to find the plug is missing. This is when you wished you’d paid the extra and got the plug mechanism built into the bath.
The good news is that plugs can be bought and, until you can get one, there are ways of blocking the drain without a plug.
In most cases, you won’t need the services of your local plumber Sydney although it is always a good idea to have their number handy.
This is especially true if you do have a plug mechanism on your bathtub and it’s failed. A plumber will be able to rectify the issue for you.
If you’re ready to run your bath you still can. You’ll probably have at least one of the following items in your home and they can be used to block the bathtub drain:
You can use an unused coffee pod but this does mean you’ll be wasting a cup of coffee. That’s not usually an attractive option.
The majority of coffee pods are the same size, meaning you can use any make of coffee pod. They are also approximately the same size as your bathtub drain.
Simply place the pod, wider section down, into the drain and start filling the bath with water. If it still allows a little water through you can put an elastic band or two around the pod to help create a watertight seal.
You’ll be amazed at how effective this is.
If you don’t have any used coffee pods available then take a look at the lids you have in your house. You will probably have a jam jar lid or perhaps even the plastic cap from a Pringles tube. The lid should be large enough to fit over the entire drain plug.
All you have to do is dampen the flat side of the lid and put it over your drain plug. The dampness will improve the seal.
Again, start adding water and hold the lid in place to create the right pressure. As soon as there is enough water in the bath the pressure of the water will stop the lid from moving.
The only issue with this is that the lid sits over the drain, making it more likely that you’ll accidentally dislodge it while enjoying your bath.
You can use a flannel or washcloth to create a drain plug. This is an exceptionally good idea as it can be made to fit your bathtub hole perfectly.
However, flannels tend to absorb water and then allow it to pass through. In other words, using a flannel means your water will be slowly escaping.
However, if you couple it with a plastic bag you can’t go wrong. Simply place the flannel into the plastic bag and place the plastic bag into your drain hole. Then push the flannel down, wetting it if necessary, to ensure it fills the hole.
The flannel will collect water and when it drips the plastic bag will prevent the water from going down the drain. Best of all, the weight of the flannel or washcloth when wet will ensure everything stays in position.
A twist on the above technique is to fill the plastic bag with water. The water will make the bag heavy enough that it won’t move and the fluidity of both the bag and the water will ensure it completely blocks the bathtub drain.
It’s exceptionally easy to create, can be pulled out virtually effortlessly, and the bag can even be reused to create a plug until you get the professionals in to sort the issue properly.
The above techniques will allow you to enjoy a bath regardless of when you find out you’ve lost your plug. But, you will still want to replace your plug and the best way to do this is to speak to your plumber.
They will provide a new plug and an attachment that will help to ensure the plug never goes missing again.
