Bathtub drains seep water, accidents happen, and you end up with poop in your bathtub drain. Having poop in your bathtub drain will result in many issues, both draining-wise and health-wise.
While it is not the best scenario, you must devise a means to get rid of the poop without causing damage to your bathtub drain. Consequently, can poop go down the bathtub drain?
No, poop can not go down the bathtub drain. The reason is that the bathtub drains have smaller diameters and can’t deal with poop passing through them. Bathtub drains also lack the pressure and water capacity to properly move poop out of the pipes. As a result, you risk clogging your pipes if you let poop go down your bathtub drain.
Can You Flush Poop Down the Bathtub Drain?
The toilet can handle poop disposal, while your bathtub drain is not. As such, you can not flush poop down the bathtub drain.
Because toilets have pipes with a large diameter, when you apply the needed pressure and volume of water, poops easily flush down the toilets.
However, the amount of pressure won’t work for bathtub drain because the pipes have a nominal diameter.
The bathtub drains architecture is to drain water through the pipes and, as such less comprehensive, making it difficult for bathtub drains to handle the pressure needed to flush your poop.
Having a better understanding of how a flush toilet works will clearly explain to you while you won’t be able to flush poop down the bathtub drain.
Having a solid material accidentally get into your bathtub drain will lead to a possible blockage of the bathtub drain.
While you may try to figure out a way to fix your bathtub drain, it is more advisable to call a plumber to help fix your tub.
Although most people consider stomping poop down the drain, you risk damaging your bathtub.
What Happens If You Poop In the Bathtub?
Poop is a waste product for a reason. Aside from the fact you stand the chance of obstructing water drainage of your bathtub when you poop in the bathtub, you are putting your health at risk.
Generally, poop contains microbes, both beneficial and harmful, depending on your health status. In addition, the bathtub drain is not supposed to remove the poop.
As such, the blocked pipes will eventually start to smell, making your bathroom uncomfortable.
The bathtub is not an ideal place to poop because there is no logical way your poop will safely pass through the bathtub drain.
Generally, the bathtub drain cannot sustain any solid waste. Meaning you will end up clogging the pipes of your bathtub.
So, except if you are willing to bear the cost of calling a plumber to come and fix your blocked pipes, it is better to skip the idea of pooping in the bathtub.
It is not pleasing to poop in the bathtub, but if you go with the idea of pooping in the bathtub, you must also be prepared to clean the mess.
Various pathogens found in poop carry a variety of diseases such as diarrhea, hepatitis A, E.coli infection, polio, Giardia, cases of vomiting, pink eye infection, and a lot more.
Therefore you are putting your health at stake when you poop in the bathtub.
Can You Put Poop Down the Drain?
You can not put poop down the drain because the drain bore can not contain the solid poop.
Therefore the poop will eventually get stuck in the drain, leaving you to deal with fixing a plugged-up drain.
In addition, no matter how small is the size of the poop, because the design of drains will not contain or evacuate poop, the poop will clog your drain, leaving you with a lot of plumbing problems.
Having to call a plumber to come and help unblock your drain can be tasking. While we all know what we can flush in the drain, it is tempting to spin anything into the drain with the hope that it will eventually get dislodged.
While trying to put poop down the drain is terrible and an unhealthy habit, there are chemicals that you can use to dissolve your poop down the drain.
Typically most of the home’s plumbing system is hidden, and you have to protect your plumbing system against any blockage and possible corrosion from the clogged poop.
Poop contains chemicals that, if left for a long time, will harm the drain system. As such, you ought to be observant about what goes into your drain system to prevent and save repair costs.
How Do You Get Poop Out Of a Bathtub Drain?
Getting poop out of a bathtub drain is a big problem, especially when you allow the poop to block the drain. Also, getting poop out of a bathtub depends on the type of tub you use.
When dealing with a baby tub, it is easy to toss the poop and give the bathtub a quick rinse, and applying any disinfectant of your choice will serve.
The amount of poop in your bathtub drain will go a long way in deciding on the best method to get rid of the poop.
If the poop is your baby’s, maybe during a bath, the first thing to do is ensure you don’t panic, and then remove the baby from the bathtub before trying any other thing.
While it is customary to freak out, rest assured you will deal with the procedure again. Try the following steps to get the poop out of a bathtub drain.
- Extract as much of the poop as you can. Use a disposable cup to trap the poop and unload it in the toilet. Ensure to get rid of all the chunks of poop.
- When dealing with the lumps of poop, go ahead and fetch the watery leftover. Then, you can drain the rest of the watery poop through the bathtub.
- The next thing is to clean the bathtub thoroughly. Then finally, you must scrub the entire bathtub with non-toxic cleaners properly.
- After a thorough wash of the tub, ensure to rinse appropriately. Also, it would help if you considered disinfecting the entire bathroom for safety purposes.
Also, for a blocked bathtub drain, you can try other homemade solutions to remedy the situation.
You can as well try out any of the following methods.
- Make use of a plunger. While using a plunger will work, if you are not too careful, you will splash poop around the bathroom and make the environment messier.
- Use hot water to get rid of poop in your bathtub drain. While water is not your usual cleaning chemical, hot water has a way of dissolving poop in drains. Depending on your tub’s materials, you must be careful not to use boiling water not to damage the tub drain.
- Another great thing to consider is using vinegar and baking soda. You are to mix 2 cups of vinegar with a cup of baking soda and pour it into the tub drain. Allow the mixture for some time. The solution will help dissolve the poop and enable it to pass through the bathtub drain.
- Other things to consider are a drain snake, liquid soap, products for waste removal, detergents, and bleach.
Are Toilet And Bathtub Drains Connected?
Yes, the toilet and the bathtub drains are connected, although both drain through separate pipes.
The central pipe through which all the drains in your plumbing system lead connects the toilet and bathtub drains.
As such, you don’t have to be surprised if you wake up and notice poop or any other weird substance draining back into your bathtub.
You can connect the toilet and bathtub drain, but it is advisable to ensure they have separate waste trap units. However, you must know that not all bathtub blockages are mainly from the drain.
The sewer line sometimes will cause a drain back into your bathtub, and in such a situation, you must call on a plumber to check and know the exact reason to get it fixed properly.
Aside from poop, many other materials cause bathtub drain blockage, including hair, soap scum, cosmetic pipes, bath bombs, and even damaged pipes.
However, knowing the cause of your bathtub clog can make for an easy fix. There are a few ways you can tell if your bathtub is obstructed, including the following.
- You will observe gurgling noises.
- There will be a fowl odor coming from the drain.
- There will be a slow water drain.
- There will be water backing up in your bathtub.
You must note that while bathtubs are a great deal, most people still prefer showers for various reasons.
Notwithstanding, bathtubs present both advantages and disadvantages when compared to showers.
Some of the pros and cons are in the table below.
| Pros | Cons |
|---|---|
| Bathtubs are ideal for bathing children. | It is difficult for the elderly and injured people to get in the tub. |
| More comfortable and helps in relaxing sore muscles. | Bathtubs require more water. |
| You can place freestanding bathtubs anywhere. | Filling up a bathtub is time-consuming, especially in a hurry. |
| Bathtubs come in various sizes and designs and can fit into any bathroom. | Bathtubs consume more space. |
Final Thoughts
The design of tubs is to drain water, and except it is by accident, it is advisable never to poop in the bathtub, and poop won’t drain and consequently block your bathtub drain.
In cases of a blockage, make use of a plunger, vinegar and baking soda, and hot water, or call on a professional plumber to assist in fixing the blockage.
