Is your bathtub or shower drain clogged? Hair is most likely the culprit. You’re not alone, hair clogs are a problem almost everyone will experience at some point in their lives. Short and long hair alike will still find its way down the drain, forming clumps that steadily clog your pipes even if you use a drain stopper.
You'll need to figure out how to pull your hair out of the drain in this case but know there's a great solution in the market already. TubShroom fits inside the bathtub drain opening – unlike others that just sit on top of the drain.
The TubShroom Hair Catcher Drain Protector
This hair catcher fits inside any standard 1.5” – 1.75” bathtub drain-opening. The TubShroom drain guard hair catcher is our favorite because its design effortlessly captures any sort of human or pet hair. Not only does it prevent clogged drains but also costly calls to the plumber. The best part is that it doesn’t interfere with water flow.
As we said above, TubShroom fits inside the drain, unlike ordinary, ugly bathtub hair catcher plugs that go over it. Thus, it elegantly collects and conceals hair around it.
Try TubShroom and say goodbye to tangled messes! It’s very easy to clean; all you have to do is wipe it off. Cheers to no longer having to handle harsh chemicals!
The TubShroom drain catcher was named a 2018 KBB Product Innovator Award Winner in the home renovation and bathroom gadgets category. Its unique design is now covering over six million drains as it’s the most innovative hair catcher on the market. It only costs about $13 on Amazon and comes with a 60-day money-back guarantee. There's really no reason to not give it a shot!
by TubShroom
Get Rid of a Hair Clog With These Five Steps
The main problem with hair clogs in the tub is the build-up will continue over time even if you use a drain stopper like TubShroom. The good news is you don't have to quit shaving or limit yourself in any other way if you have a hair clog in your tub, shower, or bathroom sink drain. There are a few simple measures you can take to clear it out and free your drain. Continue reading for some tips on how to do so.
Try Baking Soda and Vinegar First
The combination of baking soda and vinegar is extremely useful for clearing hair blockages. Baking soda, in addition to dissolving hair in drains, provides antiseptic properties that can help battle fungi and germs. To clean clogs with baking soda and vinegar, follow these steps:
Start by squirting a little dish soap down the drain, followed by a cup of vinegar and a cup of baking soda for optimal results. Wait five minutes or so for the vinegar and baking soda to react chemically, then follow up by pouring a liter of boiling water down the drain about 10 minutes after the fizzing stops.
This should clear away most of the hair clog. Verify if the water is draining properly by turning on the faucet. If not, remove any remaining hair with a cup plunger on your drain. Make sure you're using a cup or "flat" plunger if the clog persists.
Repeat the first three procedures if the drain is still blocked. For difficult hair clogs, you may need to repeat the technique multiple times.
Use Needle-Nose Pliers or a Wire Hanger
Unlike heavier clogs, the stringy texture of hair can make it tough to pull out. If your drain has a removable cover, removing hair with pliers or a wire hanger could be a simple task. Additionally, you’ll need rubber gloves, a screwdriver, and a flashlight.
Thus, if you've tried plunging a hairy obstruction out of your drain but still can't get it out, try tugging it out with the needle-nose pliers. You can also use tweezers or a wire hanger. Does your drain have a stopper? You'll need to remove it first, if so. So, drain the water by removing it. Depending on the type of drain, you may need to do so manually and may also need a screwdriver.
Clean any accumulated hair off the stopper, too, while you’re at it. After that, shine a flashlight into your drain to get a better look at the clog in question and use your needle-nose pliers to remove the unwanted hair collection. You might want to use gloves while doing this because pulling hair out can be rather unpleasant (the nightmares of slimy, stringy hair commence!). Flush any loose hairs down the drain with hot water after you've finished.
Try a wire hanger if the pliers won't fit in the drain or reach the clog. Make a hook at the end of a coat hanger by straightening it out. Insert it into the drain, look for a clump of hair, and pull it out. Flush the drain with one liter of hot water after it's clear.
Invest in a Plumber Snake
Ok, so you’ve tried loosening your hair clog with baking soda and vinegar. You’ve tried digging it out and removing it with nose pliers, tweezers, and the wire hanger didn’t work. This is the time to use a snaking device to split it apart. What sort of snake will you need? Definitely not the hissing kind!
Well, there are many options and your selection depends on the severity of the clog. Straightening out a wire hanger and inserting it down your drain to break apart a clog can work in less severe circumstances. However, you might want to invest in a zip-it drain cleaner in some instances.
These plastic drain cleaners are inexpensive, disposable, and simple to use, and you can easily find them online. There are also a variety of additional drain snake gadgets available at your local hardware store or online, all designed to deal with obstructions of various sizes. Snaking your drain should break up any clogs and even help scrape the walls of your line clean. Try the baking soda and vinegar method described above afterward or, at the very least, flush your drain with hot water to make sure the clog is gone.
Ok, so a plumbing snake sounds great but, what in the world is it anyway? This tool is also known as an auger and it’s a flexible long wire or plastic tool that "snakes" its way down drains, rapidly and efficiently breaking up obstructions. You can usually find them at a local hardware shop. They’re available in a variety of sizes and types, depending on the intended usage
Consider the following when selecting a plumbing snake:
This kind of tool is available in a variety of thicknesses and lengths, and a 25-foot cable that’s at least 14 inches thick should suffice to unblock a shower, tub, or sink. A plumbing snake with a 50-foot cable can reach obstructions in longer pipes in multi-story homes, especially those with bathrooms upstairs.
Coil heads and cutting heads are the two most common types of heads on plumbing snakes. The first one can help you grip clumps of hair and pull them out of the drain. The second type has razor-sharp blades that slash through solid blockages in pipes.
There are also manual and electric drain snakes. All you have to do with a manual one is push the snake down the drain, spin the handle to grab the clog, and then pull it out with a manual auger. In turn, the electric drain snakes move the cable forward and backward at the stroke of a button. Of course, this is a much better solution (naturally, a more expensive one, too!) for clearing severe obstructions.
by TubShroom
Plunge With a Plunger
These are the most popular tools when it comes to unclogging drains. Plungers come in a variety of shapes and sizes, each designed to function with different types of drains. For instance, the regular sink plunger is great for unclogging bathroom sinks, tubs, or shower drains. Then there’s the rubber cup plunger, which sits at the end of a wooden or plastic handle. The cup needs to sit flat over the bathtub drain so it's best for flat surfaces like a sink or tub.
Here's how you unclog a drain with a plunger:
First, plunge the drain with the plunger. Then, fill the sink, tub, or shower with water until the plunger is completely immersed. In a fast sequence, pump the plunger down and up six or seven times. Remove the plunger from the drain opening to see if the water drains away and go through the process again if it doesn’t. Once you’ve cleared the clog, pour about a quart of water down the drain to rinse out any debris.
You might want to use a chemical drain cleaner if all else fails and there are many of them on the market. Be sure to read and follow the usage instructions and never, ever mix them with other commercial or homemade cleaners. This is because such a chemical reaction could create a hazardous gas and/or lead to an explosion. Keep in mind that liquid cleaners are often inefficient as they just stay on top of a clog rather than eating through it. Not only that but they also contain dangerous chemicals that eat away at your pipes.
You can Prevent All of the Above by Using TubShroom
This product is built with long-lasting, industrial-strength silicone so you won’t have to replace it for many, many years. Say goodbye to harsh chemicals, costly plumbers, and clogged drains forever, and enjoy your showers.
Removing the Entire Drain
Ok, so you’ve tried everything from DIY treatments to chemical cleaners and the clog is still in your drain. The final and most thorough way to clear a hair clog is to completely remove your drain and try to clear it out that way. Especially if the clog is still there after you've tried it all.
Are you ready to do it yourself? Well, then, unscrew the p-trap beneath the sink – this part is there to release sewage gasses. Then, place a bucket beneath it to catch any water that might drip out. You’ll need a plug wrench, a tool specifically designed to fit into your drain's crossbars to easily remove the drain from the shower/tub. As we said above, removing a drain is quite messy, so wear rubber gloves.
You may also fix a clogged tub drain fast and easily by removing the stopper and fishing out the hair and sludge that causes the problem in roughly 80% of the cases. The following instructions will show you how to open and unclog the most common drain kinds.
You’ll need a 4-in-1 screwdriver, needle-nose pliers, a utility knife, and heavy wire or a coat hanger you can bend into a hook.
You can fix slow-draining or clogged tub drains in about five minutes in most instances without using chemicals. Most cases require a screwdriver and a stiff wire or a bent coat hanger. The problem is usually just a sticky wad of hair that collects on the crossbars, a few inches under the stopper. All you need to do is figure out how to remove the stopper (that’s almost always easy) and fish out the grime.
Bathroom Stopper Removal Techniques
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Drop Stopper: Remove the stopper from the set screw by unscrewing it. Lift and turn the noticeable knob on a drop stopper to open the drain. There’s a setscrew beneath the cap.
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Push/Lock Drain Stopper: Press down on the stopper to release the drain. These stoppers lock when you press down on them, and seal and release when you press down a second time. Remove the stopper by holding the stem while unscrewing the cap or simply detach the shaft entirely. You may need to adjust the screw tension on the stem to obtain a good seal when putting it back together.
If all of this sounds too hard, or you're not confident doing this much plumbing work on your own, you can also call a professional drain cleaning service.
Professional Drain Cleaning
So, you went, you saw, you didn’t conquer… don’t feel bad, removing a drain clog is often hard and the good news is many professionals can help you with it so consider calling one. They’re your best choice to clear the most tenacious balls of hair, grease, soap scum, grime, and other debris. Not only do they master the best drain cleaning techniques but also have the best tools for the job. Be sure to find a trained, licensed, and insured plumber. Get recommendations from your friends and acquaintances or read customer reviews online.
A good plumber should be able to clear clogs made of hair, soap scum, grease, food, toilet paper, and a variety of other difficult-to-remove things because, as we said above, they have the best drain cleaning gear and technology. Did you know that some plumbers are accessible for emergencies 24/7? Convenient, right?
Ways to Keep Hair Out of Your Drains
Ok, so we’ve established that hair clogs in drains aren’t only disgusting but also time-consuming to remove. It often costs several hundred dollars to hire a professional plumber or purchase chemical drain cleaners to get the hair out of the drain. Thus, the best course of action is to prevent clogs from occurring in the first place. Here are a few things you can do to keep your hair out of your tub.
Brush Your Hair Before You Shower
Brushing your hair before showering will assist to reduce the number of stray strands that fall out and into the drain, especially if you have long hair. This practice also applies if you're going to bathe your cat or dog in the bathtub.
You Can Use a Kitchen Strainer
A kitchen strainer with a wire mesh and small apertures can capture hair while allowing water to pass freely and you can use it in your shower, tub, or bathroom sink drain. Clean the strainer regularly to keep hair from accumulating.
Hot Water Treatment
Pouring about a quart of hot water down your drains once a week is a good maintenance treatment for dissolving debris in your pipes and preventing hair clogs.
Fabric Softener Sheets
This type of porous sheet will trap any hair or debris on the surface while allowing water to flow through it so place an old one over the drain opening. Be sure to toss the sheet in the trash after your shower.
Add the TubShroom Drain Hair Catcher to Your Bathroom Accessories
Many individuals turn to harsh chemical drain cleaners when their drains become clogged. The majority of these products, however, are caustic and may harm your plumbing pipes over time. Others rush to contact a plumber and wind up paying a lot of money. Thus, you could save hundreds of dollars on plumber bills and also on other gadgets with the TubShroom.
The product is well built so it’ll last a long time and it’s quite easy to install: just plug it. The best part is you won’t even notice it’s there as the design blends well with any standard tub drain and collects every hair, every time. Finally, we leave you with the words of a reviewer pleased with the product: “TubShroom works really well. My hair collection has grown so much. I might have enough to make a hair friend soon. I shall try on the first full moon.”
