How to Clean Hair from a Shower Drain
It’s inevitable that at some point, your shower drain will be clogged with hair whether you use a drain stopper or not. This clogging slows down the shower drain. In most cases, when the shower or bathroom drains start experiencing poor drainage, clogged hair is the cause. Try one of the following ways as soon as you notice slow draining. Most likely, you’ll remove the hair and treat the problem quickly. We’ve provided you with the gear you’ll need to avoid contacting the toxic material.
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Before Plunging it Out, Try Baking Soda and Vinegar
The two elements are exceptionally excellent at clearing clogs. Start by squirting a little dish soap down the drain, followed by a cup of vinegar and baking soda for optimal results. Wait five minutes for the vinegar and baking soda to react chemically, then follow up with a cup or two of hot water. Although this should clear away most hair clogs, you should still use a cup plunger on your drain to remove any remaining hair. Make sure you’re using a cup, and if the clog persists, repeat the operation.
Using Tweezers, Remove the Drain Stopper
Although plunging the drain is less disgusting, pulling the hair out will almost certainly be more productive. Needle-nose pliers, a flashlight, rubber gloves, and a screwdriver are some drain cleaning tools needed for the job. Remove the drain stopper first. You might be able to peel the stopper off with your fingers, but you’ll almost certainly need your screwdriver. Use this time to clean the drain stopper in your sink. Just make sure any hair caught in the stopper doesn’t end up in another drain. You need a clear opening to the drain below after removing the plug. Use a flashlight to observe its content. Wear gloves to cover your hands when reaching in with your needle-nose pliers to grab the hair. You might also try constructing a makeshift snake out of a hanger if your pliers can’t reach or fit. After removing the hair, run some hot water down the drain to ensure everything is working properly before replacing the stopper.
Keep a Close Eye on Things
Keeping a close check on the hair shed throughout the shower helps avoid clogging. Keep hair at the far end of the tub to avoid it getting too close to the drain. Also, try keeping it tied up with your foot and then dispose of it when toweling off. Some people recommend baking soda and boiling water. Nevertheless, weekly checkups, making sure as little hair as possible goes down the drain, and plucking the hairs that do go down the drain helps minimize the regular visits to the plumber.
Check out these easy techniques to keep hair out of your drain:
- Think of getting a hair catcher for your shower drain. That has to be the simplest method for ensuring that your shower never clogs. The majority of hair catchers are unsightly. Do your research before choosing. This is a highly recommended alternative.
- When shaving, run the tap to flush the hair down. It’s best if you run a lot of water.
- In case you have a drain screen, keep it clear.
- Before you shower, brush your hair.
Use a Snaking Device
If all the other basic options are not getting results, a snaking gadget is the next best option. These devices might be confusing if you are well acquainted with how their work. Depending on the degree of the blockage, you might have a few options. Straightening out a wire hanger and inserting it down your drain to break up a clog in less severe circumstances can work.
Take Out the Drain
The tools required for this job include a plug wrench, locking needle-nose pliers, a flat-head screwdriver, and a pair of gloves. The steps taken include:
- The stopper should be removed.
- Fit the plug wrench into the drain’s crossbars after inserting it into the drain opening.
- To release the drain from the threads, take the plug wrench in your wrench or pliers and turn it counterclockwise.
- Remove the plug wrench and replace it with needle-nose pliers after the drain is loose.
- When you clamp the needle-nose pliers around the drain’s crossbar, they will stay in place.
- Grip the needle-nose pliers as tightly as possible with your standard pliers or wrench. Turn the locking needle-nose pliers counterclockwise slowly with the pliers or wrench.
- Turn the needle-nose pliers by hand until you can pull the drain out completely when the drain is loose enough.
Applying the above points will ensure your drain is restored to perfect working condition. The process of cleaning a shower is simple and consumes less time than one might imagine.
Alan Roodey is a professional Author and contributor to many sites. He loves to write on various topics.