Drain Cleaning & Unclogging in Paris
Clogged sinks, showers, or toilets? We clear blockages fast using professional equipment, from simple plunging to hydro-jetting.
- Avg. 20-30 min response in central Paris
- Free phone estimate, 35 EUR call-out and diagnostic
- Available nights, weekends & holidays (surcharges disclosed upfront)
- Licensed plumbers, 2-year workmanship guarantee
- Pay in 4 interest-free instalments with Alma
Free Quote in 60 Seconds
No commitment — response in under 5 min
What is your problem?
Or call directly: +33 1 80 85 63 90
A backed-up drain is unpleasant for anyone.
A backed-up drain is unpleasant for anyone. Whether it is a slow shower drain or a completely blocked kitchen sink, we clear it the same day with upfront pricing — no hidden fees, which is why visitors and locals recommend us equally.
Pricing
Drain Cleaning & Unclogging in Paris: 80 - 320 EUR per intervention. Typical duration: 30 min - 2 hours. Full quote provided before work begins.
Common Risks
- Complete drain blockage causing water backup
- Foul odors from decomposing organic matter in pipes
- Recurring clogs from mineral buildup in hard water areas
- Tree root intrusion in older sewer lines
What Happens When Our Plumber Arrives
- 1
Work out how far the blockage goes
One slow basin is a trap or a branch. Several fixtures backing up at once, or a ground-floor drain overflowing, points at the building's shared waste stack instead, which is a different job and a different bill payer.
- 2
Clear mechanically, not chemically
We use rods, an electric drain machine or high-pressure water according to what the pipe is made of and what is in it. We do not pour caustic products into old Paris pipework, and if a previous product is still standing in the trap we tell you before we open it.
- 3
Look at what came out
Hair and soap, kitchen grease, limescale narrowing an old pipe and a foreign object each mean something different about whether it will come back. We tell you which one it was.
- 4
Camera the run if it keeps returning
A blockage that recurs in the same place is usually a defect rather than a habit: a collapsed section, a badly angled joint from an old renovation, or root intrusion at ground level. A camera inspection settles it instead of clearing the same pipe every few months.
Why Paris Drains Block the Way They Do
Paris water is hard, and that matters more for drains than most people expect. Scale builds on the inside of waste pipes and narrows them, so a pipe that coped with kitchen grease for twenty years stops coping. In practice this is why so many blockages in older flats are not caused by any one event; the pipe simply ran out of bore.
The other structural factor is the shared waste stack. Flats in a Haussmannian block discharge into a common cast-iron stack, and a blockage low down in that stack shows up as water rising in the lowest flats first. If you are on the ground or first floor and your neighbours are fine, the problem may well not be yours, and clearing your own trap will not fix it.
Renovations leave their mark too. Kitchens and bathrooms get moved during refits, and the new waste run is sometimes laid with too little fall or with a tight bend to get around a beam. Those runs block repeatedly, in the same spot, and no amount of clearing changes that.
Call us straight away if
- Waste water is rising into a bath, shower tray or sink rather than draining
- More than one fixture has stopped draining at the same time
- A drain is overflowing onto the floor
- There is sewage smell together with slow drainage across the flat
It can wait for a booked slot if
- One basin drains slowly but always empties
- A shower drains slowly only after a long shower
What Decides the Price
The 35 EUR call-out and diagnostic applies here as everywhere, deducted from the invoice if you accept the quote.
A trap or a single branch is at the lower end. A long run, a stack access from the cellar, or a job needing high-pressure water sits higher.
A camera inspection is quoted on top and is worth it only when the blockage keeps coming back in the same place.
Why English Speakers Trust Us
Trusted by customers across Paris and Ile-de-France — particularly loved by international visitors for our fair, no-surprise pricing.
100% English-Speaking
Every technician speaks fluent English. No language barrier, no miscommunication, no stress.
Fast Response Time
Average 20-30 min arrival in central Paris, longer in outer suburbs. We confirm a realistic ETA on the first call.
Licensed & Insured
Fully licensed French plumbers with comprehensive professional liability insurance. Your property is protected.
Transparent Pricing
Free phone estimate. Call-out and on-site diagnostic: 35 EUR flat, deducted if you accept the quote. Full written quote before any work begins.
Judged on Our Work
International visitors and Paris residents call us back for the same reason: clear prices and work that holds.
24/7 Emergency Call-Out
Plumbing emergencies do not wait for business hours. Standard service 7 AM-10 PM, emergency call-out 24/7. Surcharges disclosed before dispatch.
Customer Reviews
“Shower was barely draining in our rental near the Louvre. Called in the morning and they came within the hour. Turns out it was years of limescale buildup. All sorted and draining perfectly now.”
Emily R.
Australian - airbnb
Job done
“Kitchen sink completely blocked in our Bastille Airbnb right before we were cooking dinner for friends. Plumber came within 40 minutes and cleared it out. Saved the evening!”
Tom H.
Australian - airbnb
Job done
“Bathroom drain in our Sentier apartment was backing up with a horrible smell. Plumber used a camera to find the blockage and hydro-jetted it clean. No more odor. Very thorough.”
Jessica N.
Australian - apartment
Job done
“Blocked kitchen drain in our Batignolles apartment. Plumber came same morning and cleared out a massive grease plug. Also gave tips on preventing it recurring. Excellent service.”
George L.
British - apartment
Job done
“Bathtub draining incredibly slowly in our Belleville Airbnb. The plumber found massive hair and limescale buildup. Cleared it out and the drain works like new. Thank you!”
Hannah J.
American - airbnb
Job done
“Bathroom drain in our Invalides apartment was making gurgling sounds. The plumber found the issue quickly — a partial blockage further down the shared pipe. All clear now. Great communication.”
Michelle D.
Canadian - apartment
Job done
These are customer testimonials collected by Plumbers.fr after the job, published with the customer's first name and the month of the intervention. They are our own record, not independently verified reviews, and the arrival times quoted are individual cases rather than an average.
Book Drain Cleaning & Unclogging in Paris
Call now for a free quote. No commitment required.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I just use a supermarket drain unblocker first?
We would rather you did not. Caustic products struggle with hair and grease in a pipe that is already narrowed by scale, they can damage older waste pipework, and they leave a standing pool of corrosive liquid that whoever opens the trap next has to deal with. If you have already used one, say so when you call so we arrive prepared.
Several drains in the flat are slow at once. Is that different?
Yes, and it is the useful clue. One slow fixture is local to that fixture. Several at once, or water rising in the lowest fixture in the flat, usually means the blockage is further down, in the branch serving the whole flat or in the building's shared stack. That changes both the method and, when it is the shared stack, who is responsible for the bill.
Why does the same drain block every few months?
Because the cause is usually the pipe rather than what goes into it. Scale narrowing the bore, a section laid with too little fall during a renovation, or a damaged joint will all trap debris in the same place indefinitely. A camera inspection identifies which, and the repair ends the cycle instead of resetting it.
Do you clear the blockage or just push it further along?
We clear it and, where the pipe allows, flush the run afterwards so the debris leaves rather than resettling twenty centimetres downstream. Pushing a blockage into a shared stack is how a private problem becomes the whole building's problem, so it is not a shortcut worth taking.
The drain was already slow when I moved into the rental. Do I pay?
Normally not. A pre-existing blockage is the owner's responsibility, not the occupier's. Photograph it, tell the host or the agency, and let us contact them: with their agreement we invoice them directly and you owe nothing. If they refuse or cannot be reached, we tell you before we dispatch, not after the work.