Do Bath Bombs Clog Drains?

Plop and fizz – that’s the sound of a night well spent in the bath. Using bath bombs transforms an already relaxing experience into something even more luxurious. Light a few candles and put on your favourite playlist and you’re in for a treat.

While using bath bombs might help you feel more tranquil after a hard day at work, your bathtub drain (and your wallet) won’t be thanking you. Bath bomb debris can clog drains!

Not all bath bombs pose the same risks, however. So how, exactly, do bath bombs clog drains? It comes down to what they’re made from.

What Goes In A Bath Bomb?

To understand what goes in a bath bomb to make it fizz when you drop it in water, you need to cast your mind back to primary school and that paper mache volcano we all made.

This classic science project combined white vinegar and baking soda to create a fizzing volcanic eruption. Mixed together, this reaction produces sodium acetate, water and carbon dioxide gas. The gas released is what causes the fizzing and bubbling.

Bath bombs work in very much the same way but are a little less dramatic – replacing vinegar with water tones down the reaction just a touch. Bath bombs more often are made with more than just the fizzing ingredients though.

Other than the fizz-making ingredients, what are most bath bombs made out of? You’ll commonly find:

• Epsom salt or other bath salts for muscle-relaxing abilities
• Cocoa butter as a moisturising agent
• Essential oils for fragrance
• Flower petals and dyes for a colourful bathing experience
• Glitter to add some sparkle to your tub

How Do These Result In A Clogged Bathtub Drain?

Due to the cooler temperature of your drain compared to your hot bath, the dissolved oils and salts from your bath bomb can congeal and clog your drain. Other chunky additives that make your colorful bath bomb look nice are also a cause for concern. Your drain wasn’t designed with flower petals and glitter in mind.

Chances are, there’s also a build-up of hair, skin cells and more which will only make the blockage worse and lead to slow drains.

With a drain blockage, expect the water to drain slowly even after you remove the plug from the tub, or in a worse situation, the water may not drain at all!

What About Bath Bombs In The Hot Tub?

So you want to enjoy bath bombs in a hot tub? You’d be wise to reconsider.

Jetted hot tubs use a pump to suck warm water in and jet it out. Not too long after sucking in your bath bomb’s essential oils, glitter and flower petals, you can expect to need to replace the whole pump.

Probably worse than clogged drains, you’ll be up for a big bill to repair this damage.

How to Prevent Your Bath Bomb Clogging Your Drain

With all this information, you’d be forgiven for thinking that using bath bombs regularly is a lost cause. But don’t lose all hope just yet! There are a few ways you can still use bath bombs and still keep your drains flowing smoothly.

Consider putting it in a fine mesh screen or bag. This could be a washing bag or even a pair of tights. Even placing your bath bomb inside a nylon sock can do the trick.

The mesh will release the oh-so-important fizzing ingredients (such as the Epsom salts) into the bath water as well as much of the colour and sweet-scented fragrant oils. But it will capture the chunkier ingredients as well as solids that did not dissolve.

When your fingers are nice and wrinkled and it’s time to drain the tub, you can prevent some nasty clogs here too.

For bath tubs with a removable plug, you can also prevent clogs by using a strainer to catch debris from bath bombs when you drain it. You might use a specific strainer made for your tub, or you could simply hold the same mesh from earlier over the drain. Just toss the remaining chunks in the bin!

Drain the water and then give your bathtub a thorough clean. Take care with any glitter – it might scratch your tub! After wiping out the tub, run hot water and drain it to rinse away any solids or debris that may have accumulated in your pipes.

So… Are Bath Bombs Safe?

Now, we’re not we’re not madly waving our hands about crying “BATH BOMBS BAD”. They’re a little luxury that can really elevate your bathing experience. However, a night in the tub with some bubbles and bath oils can be just as good as bath bombs, plus there’s less risk of a plumbing catastrophe.

That said, many bath bombs clog bathtub drains and damage sensitive components if you don’t take the steps to mitigate them. Following these steps to prevent blockages means you can use bath bombs and indulge in a relaxing, colorful bathing experience without getting into hot water.