We all run into drainage problems at one point or another, especially if you live in a busy home. And while a sink or bathtub that drains very, very slowly might throw a wrench in your day, you don’t have to call an expensive plumber to come to your home to fix it.
From drain snakes to liquid clog removers, we rounded up the best home improvement products for bathroom and kitchen drains that shoppers swear by from Amazon and Walmart. According to these shopper reviews, you don’t need to break the bank to call a plumber to fix your drainage issues.
Even if you don’t have a lot of experience clearing out a blockage in a bathtub or sink, these items are easy to use and just get the job done.
Ahead, you’ll find our recommendations for the best drainage products that don’t require a plumber, according to shoppers. Remember to use everything ahead with caution and follow directions on the packaging.
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Complete with a 35.5-inch long metal clog remover, as well as six 25-inch sink drain snakes, this drain clog kit goes for just $8 on Amazon. And shoppers swear by the kit’s ease of use and overall effectiveness in clearing up any clogs. So much so that many shoppers didn’t feel a need to call an expensive plumber and just did the job themselves.
The kit also comes with two metal overflow brushes for clean up.
Promising review: “Super useful for clearing our drains! We had a slow drain in our sink and shower, but using the orange snake, we were able to clear out a bunch of hair and not have to call a plumber. Saved us money and we can keep them for future use! I haven’t used the claw snake, but I know just how handy that can be!” — Nathaniel
Green Gobbler is an industrial strength drain clog remover that has a 4.3 out of 5 star rating on Amazon. This stuff is heavy duty, as it liquefies just about anything blocking your drain, such as hair, grease, toilet paper, soap scum, organic material, flushable wipes, and much more. Just pour it in still water in a blocked toilet, sink, shower, and tub, and let Green Gobbler do the rest.
Promising review: “This enzyme did a great job of getting rid of a nasty sulfur smell in the bathroom sink. I used two treatments following the directions- 20 minutes didn’t have an effect, but two hours did the trick combined with removing and cleaning the sink stopper. Very relieved to have a resolution without calling the plumber! I had meant to order the odor control version rather than the unclogging, but it had the same effect and I’ll be glad to have this on hand to try on any future clogs. I do wish a smaller size was available but, again, I’m sure it’ll come in handy in the future.” — Nat
You could also replace your drain stopper altogether with the Mer-Maid Drain Magic stopper. It’s a clever two-in-one rust-proof drain plug that seals up a sink drain when you need to fill it with water for a shave or hand-washing clothes, and it also functions an anti-clog device that catches grime and hair before it becomes a problem. Just push it down to seal and push it again to drain. It’s easy to use and install, as it fits over most standard bathroom sink drains.
Promising review: “It’s really easy to install and looks great. My only complaint is the water around it doesn’t all go down the drain. But that easy to fix by lifting it out for a second. I did test to see if it kept water in place one night till morning. It did work perfectly. It is nice to have my sink work again so easily and not pay plumber prices. The three different size washers makes it fit my sink perfectly too.” — K.M.
These drain field cleaner tablets promise to clear out just about organic clogs and sludge from septic tanks and drains to make it easier to get to the source of any blockage. Just add a tablet to still water in a sink, tub, or toilet, wait for clogs to dissolve, and then flush out the blockage for a working drain. It also eliminates bad odors from a clogged drain.
Promising review: “Try this root destroyer to keep the lines clear of roots and dirt, septic treatment and accelerator to speed up the process- all three products every 3 months depending upon the size of your family. It has kept me from calling a plumber.” — latondavis
The AquaPlumb plumbers putty provides a water-tight seal that prevents leaks, and it’s super malleable to take the shape of where it’s needed the most. Think of it as Play-Doh, but for fixing leaks in bathrooms and kitchens. The plumber’s putty is ideal for kitchen sinks, bathroom tubs, toilets, fountains, garbage disposals, and more.
Promising review: “I replaced a tub pop-up drain assembly. This plumbers putty was pliant and readily did the job. I don’t have a big need to use this product often, but it was perfect for my DIY project. Arrived safely and timely, well packaged.” — T. Paine
The Drain Weasel is a hybrid clog remover and drain snake in one long 18-inch tool that’s easy to use and effective for clearing and unclogging drains in your bathroom and kitchen. Just place it into a clogged drain, spin it around to collect any hair or grime, and then pull it out to release the obstruction from the pipe.
Promising review: “I was skeptical but it cleared out my bathroom sink fast and efficiently. Very good product to use on your drains without having to call a Plumber. I don’t know if it would work on a heavy duty clog. It worked well for snaking hair out of my bathroom sink that stopped draining. Cleared it all out. Very pleased.” — Lisa Marie
Is your kitchen garbage disposal starting to slow down and get gnarly? These garbage disposal cleaner drops help clean and deodorize funky disposals as they eliminate smells and clear drains. Each drop deep cleans and breaks up any smelly fats, oils, and food particles in a kitchen garbage disposal to leave it as safe, fresh, and clean as possible. Just add one to your garbage disposal and it works in about 15 seconds or so. Then just run water to clear away residue.
Promising review: “This actually worked as promised. Saved a plumber bill for sure.” — B. Harral
Promising review: “There were at least three places we could identify in our case that had leaks; all of them are now sealed up–and all for less than the cost of a plumber’s house call.” — 4-Door
Every sink in your home needs a drain plunger underneath it, just in case you have a stubborn clog that has to be cleared away. This drain plunger — which is on sale for $14.99, or nearly 15% off its list price — is small, lightweight, and surprisingly powerful, as it’s a very popular one on Amazon. It earned a 4.5 out of 5-star rating from more than 27,000 shoppers and is designed to clear blockages in mere seconds.
Promising review: “Before calling a plumber to clear my bathtub drain, I decided to order this plunger. Wow, after seven months of a clogged drain, it worked immediately. Try it, you’ll love it.” — Karina
Why wait to deal with a clogged drain when you can prevent one? This drain protector fits in most standard bathroom sinks, catching hair and grime before it becomes a problem down the line. Once full, just lift the protector out of the drain and dispose of the detritus, so your drain remains clear and you don’t have to call a plumber for help.
Promising review: “Our bathroom sink was taking forever to drain. Eventually we checked the pipes and they were backed up with whatever goes down the drain. This sink shroom has prevented build up of hair and floss in the pipe for months now and our sink is draining perfectly. It’s super easy to clean, you just pull it out and remove whatever is caught in the catch, and replace it back in the sink. We were so close to calling a plumber but with a little elbow grease and some ingenuity we could avoid it. The price is right and it matches the finishings on the sink.” — Denali