It doesn’t matter whether you are a longtime homeowner, a rental dweller, or a new homebuyer: in time you’ll have to clean hair out of a clogged drain. The reality is that even if you use a drain stopper, enough hair will eventually slip into the drain, making it difficult to function properly. Over time, that will make certain plumbing issues more likely.
If you’re a DIYer and feel confident to deal with this problem on your own, there are a series of steps you can take to help you clear out hair before it becomes a serious plumbing hazard.
Below are four things you may try to clear hair out of a drain.
Pour Baking Soda, Dish Soap, and Vinegar Down the Drain
If you were the kind of kid who liked to do scientific experiments in school you know that baking soda and vinegar create two chemicals, carbonic acid, and sodium acetate. What you may not know is that the second reaction involves decomposition. It is precisely this type of reaction that will help you in your fight against hair!
First, pour some dish soap down the drain then follow with a cup of baking soda. Immediately after, pour a cup of vinegar down the drain. Wait five minutes after the initial fizzing dies down and then slowly pour boiling hot water.
The chemical reaction of the baking soda and vinegar plus the grease-fighting properties of dish soap will help to break up hair. The hot water helps to make it pass down the drain.
Repeat as needed.
Pull Hair Out with Tweezers!
Sometimes, the hair that is causing the drain to malfunction is sitting all at the top. If that is the case, it might be easier to clean the drain than you think!
While wearing rubber gloves, remove the drain stopper with a screwdriver. Using a flashlight, look into the drain to see where the clump of hair is located. With needle-nose pliers, reach to try to grab the hair out of the drain. Before putting the drain stopper back in place, run some hot water down the drain to make sure all the hair was removed.
Use a Wire Coat Hanger
If the tweezers didn’t do the trick because the clump of hair is too deep, you can use a wire coat hanger instead.
Straighten out the hanger, leaving the hook in place at the end, then insert it into the problematic drain. Remember, the hook-end must go down first.
As you reach deeper, make a slight twisting motion. This will guarantee that the clumps of hair will be caught in the hook. Gently remove the hook. Repeat as many times as necessary.
Zip It!
A zip-it is a barbed plastic tool designed to clear drains. The stick is long and flexible and they are available in most hardware stores. If every single one of the previous steps failed, there is still hope! All you have to do is to simply purchase one of these zip-its and then insert the barbed stick down the drain. As you pull the zip-it tool back up, the tool catches the hair that is clogging the drain.
While zip-it tools often fit most drains, it is important that you twist the stick as you place it down the drain. The motion will ensure that the tool works as it was intended.
Whatever happens, make sure to pour some hot water down the drain following the cleanup so you are confident the hair is all gone and everything is functioning properly.
If all these steps fail and you still have a clogged drain, don’t hesitate to contact us at Paul Henderson Plumbing if you live in Hamilton County surrounding areas or contact a plumbing expert near you. Chances are that if a simple cleanup doesn’t suffice, you might have deeper problems that require the help of a professional.
Having plumbing issues? Call Paul Henderson Plumbing at 317-872-3535.