| A hammer and punch may be necessary to do the job. UNSTOPPING BATHTUB DRAINS
To unstop bathtub drains, try the running hot water, the plunger, or the chemical method. Remember to plug the overflow outlet before using a plunger.
If the chemical, the plunger, or the hot water treatments do not open the clogged drain, you'll need to remove the trap located under the tub. If the tub is on the first floor with crawl space or basement access to the pipes, this can be relatively easy.
In older homes this trap will be a drum trap which has a removable top. This top often becomes corroded and may be very difficult to remove. Apply penetrating oil to the top and let it set for a few minutes. Then use a large wrench to remove the top. If that fails, a hammer and punch may be necessary to do the job (see image)
Tubs in newer homes usually have a tubular trap. The bottom portion of this trap can be removed by loosing the two large nuts that hold it in place. Prior to loosing these nuts hang a pail under the trap to catch any water that is in the trap.
After you have removed the trap or the cover check for debris in the trap itself and in the pipes leading to and from the trap. In tub drains clogs of hair and soap are quite commonplace. A pair of rubber gloves might be a good idea here.
After you have removed the clog and resealed the drain, run hot water through the drain for a few minutes. This will allow you to check the operation of the drain and to flush any remaining debris from the drain.
Good luck, Tom | 
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