There are many things that clog drains in homes but for bathroom drains the most common culprit is definitely hair. Every bathroom drain (tub, shower, sink) needs to have a hair catcher. They’re cheap and easy to use. But even if every bathroom drain has a hair catcher, some amount of hair can get through and cause a clog. Here are a few ways to clear a hair clog.
The Vinegar and Baking Soda Plunge
For this method you need dish soap, hot water, a cup plunger, baking soda and vinegar. Start boiling a large pot of water. Then squirt some dish soap down the problem drain. Follow that with a cup of baking soda, making an effort to actually get it down. Follow that immediately with a cup of vinegar. The combination should start a chemical reaction that breaks up the clog, and makes a fizzing sound. Once that sound dies down, wait five to ten minutes and then slowly pour the boiling water down the drain to wash it all away. To help finish the job, start plunging until you feel that the drain is clear.
Zip-It Hair Snake or Hanger
Another method to remove hair from drains is to use a long flexible plastic hair removal tool called a Zip-It or a hair snake. This may require a trip to the store but they’re cheap and easy to use. You simply insert the hair catcher into the drain, and try to snag the hair clog and pull it out. These can be cleaned and reused many times. If the store is all out of these you can try using a coat hanger, twisted straight. Make a little hook at the end to hook the hair with. Be careful, not to be too forceful, because the metal may damage the inside of your pipe.
Tweezers or Pliers
If the hair is close to the top of the drain you can use tweezers or needle-nosed pliers. For this and the Zip-It, you’ll have to remove the hair catcher first, but that shouldn’t be too much trouble. You may want a flashlight for this, and perhaps a pair of gloves.
If All Else Fails
If none of these methods are able to unclog your drain, your remaining options are:
- Use a chemical drain cleaner such as Drano or Liquid Plumr. Don’t use too much, as this can damage your pipes.
- Remove the whole drain. This is more complicated than the other methods and requires more tools.
- Call a plumber. After all, this is exactly what they’re trained to do.
From emergency plumbing services to toilet repairs, count on Puget Sound Plumbing and Heating to provide sound solutions to all your plumbing problems. For more than 20 years, we’ve been offering both plumbing and heating services to the entire region of Puget Sound, WA. We’re locally owned and operated, and we offer several lifetime warranty programs to back our work. At Puget Sound Plumbing and Heating, trust our team of licensed plumbers in the greater Seattle area to get the job done.