Do Bath Bombs Clog Drains?

Nothing beats treating yourself to a relaxing, soothing bath after a long, hard day… and when it comes to running a luxurious bath, you can’t go wrong with bath bombs.

Incredibly popular, millions of bath bombs are sold every year, and there’s plenty of choices when it comes to size, aromas, and special ingredients.

It’s easy to see the appeal, but once your chosen bath bomb has fizzled away and you’re ready to dry off, what happens next?

You’ll feel far from relaxed if you realize that an innocent bath bomb has caused a blockage in your drain or plumbing.

Can bath bombs really clog drains?

Yes – although it depends on what they’re made from and how you use them. That might sound a little odd, but we’ll explain why shortly. It’s unlikely you’d get an issue after using just one of these products. Like a blockage with your kitchen sink, it can take a while before you notice any issues.

However, there are a few possible plumbing problems caused by bath bombs.

How do bath bombs cause plumbing issues?

Different companies use different ingredients to create their bath bombs. However, it’s pretty common to find these ingredients in most bath bombs on the market:

Bath salts
Oils
Scents/fragrance
Cocoa butter
Flower petals
Glitter
Other things that look cool but don’t dissolve and are unfriendly to your plumbing

It's easy to assume natural ingredients that are cruelty-free and vegan friendly; they must be drain-friendly too, but they can still cause issues.

You probably already know that pouring hot oil down your kitchen sink causes issues when that oil cools and solidifies. The oil in bath bombs can do the same thing.

Similarly, allowing little bits of food to go down your kitchen sink causes blockages. If the bath salts in the bath bomb don’t properly dissolve, those are going to sit in your pipes and gradually cause them to narrow. That prevents water from flowing away.

Eventually, several bath bombs down the line, that relaxed mood is going to come to an abrupt end when you try to drain out the water and realize nothing much is happening.

How to stop bath bombs blocking your drains

Don't worry, we're not going to tell you to give up your ‘me-time' in the tub.

Here are a few things you can try to keep your drain free from bath bomb residue.

First, try to only buy high-quality bath bombs with high-quality ingredients, they’re more likely to dissolve fully (apart from any glitter or flower petals, obviously!)

Next, if you really want glitter and flower petals in your bath bombs, there are ways you can prevent – or at least limit – blockages happening:

Pop the bath bomb in a net made from fine mesh – A little drawstring bag would be ideal. That is vital if you prefer bath bombs with glitter or any other tiny ingredient in the design. It can still fizz and dissolve, but the little bits that can cause issues when they find their way into the drains are stopped from getting into the tub (and eventually your plumbing).
Get a plug strainer – Plug strainers sit inside your tub's plughole and prevent larger items from getting into the drain. It should stop most undissolved salts. You can then get it out of the tub once the water has drained away and tip anything in it into the bin. A quick wash, and it's ready to use again.
Keep a bottle of vinegar handy. When your bath is over (or at least once a week or so), pour some vinegar down the drain and leave it for a while. Flush it away using some hot water to help prevent bigger blockages from occurring.

What to do when a bath bomb clogs your drain

Call professional drain cleaners in.

As professional plumbers, we’re used to seeing blocked pipework and drains caused by bath bombs. Fortunately, we carry all the right equipment to clear out any blockage you might have, from your tub’s plumbing right through to the outside drain.