Nobody likes a clogged shower drain. Not only is it a hassle to clean, but it can also be a sign of bigger drainage issues in your home. Fortunately, there are many ways to prevent hair from clogging your shower drain, and most of them are easy and inexpensive to do.
You can dissolve the hair clogs with natural cleaners like vinegar and baking soda, or with strong synthetic cleaners like Drano. In addition, you can use tools like a tweezer, hair snake, or plunger to remove hair out of the shower drain.
Further, in this article, I will discuss five different ways how you can keep your shower drain clog-free.
5 Ways to Get Hair out a Shower Drain
A shower drain is responsible for clearing water in your shower space. But when it gets choked due to hair, the shower space overflows, and the water may spread around the bathroom space, making it messier. Moreover, you can also fall due to the slippery shower floor.
Here are 5 ways you can employ to get rid of hair stuck in the shower drain. Follow the proper steps in each case to fix your problem.
#1 Use Baking Soda and Vinegar Duo
One of the cheapest ways to clear any clogged shower drain or toilet is using a vinegar and baking soda combo. You will easily find these two substances in your kitchen.
Unlike harsh cleaners, vinegar and baking soda don’t damage your pipes. They also have disinfectant properties, in addition to clearing up hairs.
Here’s a step-wise method to get the hair out of a shower drain:
- Pour down a kettle of boiling water into the drain.
- Then, pour down a cup of vinegar followed by a cup of baking soda.
- Let the mixture settle and magically remove hairs. For best results, I would suggest you wait for an hour.
- After that, pour a couple of cups of hot water down the drain.
#2 Purchase a Synthetic Cleaner to Dissolve Hairs
Sometimes, the natural cleaners don’t do the job effectively, especially when the clog is hardened. In that case, you will need a strong chemical cleaner with acidic ingredients.
Bathroom cleaners with alkaline ingredients like caustic soda are good for getting rid of soap scum. However, for the dissolving of hairs, you need something strong like Drano So, so make sure you buy a liquid that mentions hair removal in its cleaning qualities.
- Before using any chemical cleaner, make sure to wear safety gloves, otherwise, you can get skin burns.
- Pour down an estimated cup of hair cleaner down the drain.
- Let it say there for 5-10 minutes. Don’t use the shower space during that time.
- Pour down the hot water over the drain.
Don’t use strong acidic cleaners frequently. You can use them once a month. If you use them often, they may damage the PVC pipes.
#3 Use a Hair Snake
Hair Snake is another tool to clear off your sink and shower drains. A hair snake is a small strip of plastic with some sharp pointers along its length.
You will find different kinds of hair snakes in the local hardware. However, you can also create one at your home with a piece of metal wire or a zip tie.
To remove hairs from the shower drain, take off the cover of your drain. It mostly has screws, so take them off.
Then, swirl the hair snake into the drain hole; its hair residue will wind around the hair snake. Take it and remove the sludge. Repeat this process until the drain is cleared.
#4 Pull Hairs Out with A Tweezer
Your old hair tweezer will also help to remove the hair that is visible on the outside. However, you won’t have to touch that mess with bare hands, wear gloves.
- Take off the visible hairs outside the shower drain with a tweezer.
- Remove the drain cap, and then see inside. You can use a torch for clear visibility.
- Pull out the hair mess with the tweezer, if that’s within your reach. If not, try using different such as a plumber’s snake; a metal hanger may also help.
#5 Plunger Might Help Unclog
The plunger is known greatly known for its clog-clearing abilities. So, you can also use it in this case. A plunger cannot clear the drain completely, but it will help you loosen the hard-clogged hair. Once they loosen, you can take them out.
- Remove the drain cap and run the faucet over the shower drain.
- Place the plunger cup directly over the shower drain. Make sure the plunger’s bottom is submerged in water and it makes a good seal.
- Plunge back and forth a few times.
- Turn off the faucet and see if the hair sludge has loosened. If it has, picks with tweezers.
How to Prevent your Shower Drain from Clogging with Hair
A clogged shower drain is not a good sight and you will have trouble cleaning it, so why don’t you prevent it from happening in the first place?
I have listed five ways through which you can drain your shower from blocking down hair.
Comb your Hair Before Taking Shower
Make it your practice to comb your hair before taking shower and dispose of any stray hairs. In this way, very fewer hairs will fall out and block your drain.
Place Fabric Softener Sheet on Drain
Take an old fabric sheet and place it straight over the shower drain. The fabric softener sheet is semi-permeable i.e. it only allows water to pass through but catches any hair or dirt on the surface. You can throw it away after your shower.
However, you can only employ this approach if your shower drain is covered sufficiently. If it’s not, the sheet will get pulled down into the drain itself, causing more trouble.
Use a kitchen strainer
Just as a fabric cloth blocks off hair, a kitchen strainer does the same job. So, position it directly over the drain. And when it collects off a sufficient amount of hair, empty it and place it again.
Get a Drain Screen
A drain screen is a metallic mesh guard that is placed directly over your shower drain. It prevents hair from getting inside and clogging the drain. It is a removable attachment, that is easily available in hardware stores.
Pour Hot Water Down the Drains
As a proactive step, pour hot water down your drain weekly or bimonthly. If there is any hair or muck stuck in the pipes, the hot water can quickly remove it. In this way, you will fix the problem before it becomes worse.
FAQs
Here are short answers to a few questions people often ask regarding shower drain clogs.
Which chemicals can dissolve hair?
You can use natural cleaners like vinegar and baking soda to dissolve hair. In addition, synthetic chemical cleaners like Drano can also help you clear hair clogs.
What is a good substitute for chemical cleaner Drano?
Frequent use of chemical cleaners like Drano is not advised. So, the good substitutes are your kitchen staples; vinegar, and baking soda.
Final Words
Shower Drains often get clogged with your hair. You can clean them easily with the natural combo of vinegar and baking soda. In addition, physical tools like a drain snake, or a plunger may also help. However, to prevent shower drains from clogging, comb your hair before getting into the shower, and install a drain screen or a kitchen stain over them.
Amos Christen graduated with a bachelor’s degree in Interior Design from Drexel University — Philadelphia, PA. Since 2003, Amos has worked with top interior design professionals in this area, including architects and interior/graphic/lighting designers. As a skilled interior designer, Amos Christen is highly versed in fine arts and crafts and uses that to supplement his main area of expertise. He often publishes articles related to home décor on several websites, including Sprucetoilets.com, Sprucebathroom.com, and Mybesuitedhome.com. He also contributes to leading interior design magazines.