Have you ever wondered why your bathroom drain seems to clog more often and more easily than other drains in your home? The answer is on your head: hair. Not only does the hair get caught around the drain when it comes off your head, but then other particles get caught in the hair, and soap scum gets caught in the particles, creating a massive clog that won't budge. So, what can you do to prevent hair clogs? And when they do occur, how do you remove them? Here's a look.
Preventing Hair-Based Clogs
These easiest solution is to catch hair before it goes down the drain. You can buy a metal basket that fits over your drain, allowing water to pass through but stopping hair from entering. These baskets are typically sold at dollar stores and home improvement stores. You can find plastic versions, which also work well, although they tend to accumulate soap scum faster and therefore need to be cleaned more often. Empty your hair basket daily.
If you are afraid the occasional stray hair will still make it down the drain, perhaps by sneaking around the outside of the drain basket, you should also seek to minimize soap scum in your shower. This way, if hairs do make it down the drain, at least they won't get coated in sticky soap, so there's a better chance they will pass on through rather creating a big clog. Use liquid body washes rather than bar soap -- they do not create as much scum. Also, if you have hard water, have a water softener installed. Soft water does not react with soap to create as much scum.
Freeing Hair Clogs
What if you get a hair clog because someone showered without the basket? The easiest way to free it is to take the cover off the drain, and use needle nose pliers to pull out any chunks of hair and grime that you can see. Then, give the drain a good rinse with boiling water. If there is still some grime lingering, pour some baking soda down the drain, and follow it up with white vinegar. Let the mixture foam for 15 minutes before rinsing it away.
If these methods do not clear the clog, it may be further down the line rather than directly in the drain. Contact a plumbing service — they can come snake the line and remove the clog.
Share22 May 2019
My homes have always had either copper or PVC plumbing pipes. But when my plumbing system needed an overhaul last spring, I wanted a piping system for my home that I could work on myself when needed. There were a lot of good reasons to choose PEX piping, but my favorite thing about the PEX piping is that it's easy to work with, even if you're a beginner like me. Now I can make small repairs myself instead of calling the plumber every time I have a minor leak or other small problem. I still call the plumber for the big stuff, but it's more affordable now that I can take care of small issues myself. I started this blog to help others learn how they, too, can do DIY plumbing repairs at home.