Most people have had to deal with a hair-clogged shower drain. It’s nearly impossible to avoid getting any hair down the shower drain, so here is some information on how to clean hair out of your shower drain.
First of all, you may think to reach for the harsh chemicals that you can buy at your local store, like Draino, but more often than not, these harsh chemicals can damage your own health and lead to the corrosion of your pipes. Try these other methods instead.
1. Hair Snake
This is a long piece of plastic that has barbs on it. You’ll put this into your drain and (hopefully) pull out most if not all of the clump of hair that’s causing the clog. This is a great way to avoid chemicals and get the process done in a few minutes.
2. Baking Soda
Instead of opting for a harsh combination of chemicals that you’ll find in store-bought products, you can utilize baking soda for a similar effect without putting your family at risk of ingesting harsh chemicals for weeks. Here’s how to do it:
- Pour one cup of baking soda down the clogged tub drain.
- Pour one cup of vinegar down the drain.
- Let the mixture fizz up for about 6 minutes.
- Pour two quarts of boiling water down the drain.
- Test your drain. If it’s not working properly, you can repeat these steps again. If the clog is extra stubborn, try letting the mixture fizz up overnight.
3. Tweezer
If you can easily access the portion of the pipe or drain that has the clog, you can try to manually remove the clog with plumber tweezers. Throw some rubber gloves on and start pulling the clogged hair out.
4. Auger
An auger is a plumbing tool used for trickier clogs. You might have one at home, or need to call in a plumber to handle this job.
5. Plunger
If you’ve exhausted most of your options, using a plunger can loosen up the hair clog. Just run the faucet and place the plunger over the top of the drain. Seal the plunger completely and plunge the drain. For best results, use a cup plunger, as opposed to a flange plunger that has an extra seal lining the inside.
