Ew. Hair clogging a drain is just gross. What’s more gross? Trying to remove hair from a drain! Good news is, there are some easy ways to remove hair from a drain and we’ll cover them in this article. 

Hair is one of the most common blocked drain causes in Australia. We love washing those locks down the drain. 

Even with a reliable drain stopper, fine hair can easily slip through the drain pipes and lead to major clogs. If you wish to ensure that your drain is letting water flow properly, you need to get that hair removed.

You can either pull out the clogged hair from the pipes manually or break hair clumps down to allow them to pass through easily. 

Signs Your Drain is Blocked with Hair

Concerned about blocked drain due to hair? Here are some signs you’re probably right. 

• Your Bathtub or Shower Drains Slowly

  A slow drain is the first sign of a blockage due to hair. This mostly occurs when the pipe’s diameter is constricted due to thickening layers of hair mixed with soap and grime.

• An Unpleasant Odor Coming From The Drain

  A stinky odour is a potential sign of a blocked drain with hair. The smelly odour usually happens before your drain flow starts slowing down. As the hair gets caught in the drain and other material passes along it (like soap) it will get stuck to the hair and start to stink things up. 

• Toilets Backing Up Rather Than Flushing Properly

  These blockages can be a result of too much hair going down the drain and getting caught further along the pipes. This is a serious issue because continuous blockage can damage the pipes and make its way to the sewer line. If the sewer line gets blocked, then this is a major issue. It could also damage your overall bathroom when dirty and unhealthy water comes back out of the toilet.

  Our professional opinion is to call a professional blocked drain specialist and professional plumber as we will be able to assist in your emergency plumbing situation. Our team has the necessary training and tools necessary to unblock your pipes and have your plumbing system running perfectly in no time at all.

  Did you know that a blocked drain is considered a plumbing emergency?

• Gurgling Drains

  Is your drain making a gurgling sound? It implies that air might be trapped somewhere in the plumbing system. It is due to the buildup of materials like hair, grease, soap, food particles and foreign objects like wet wipes getting stuck together and forming a small block or a massive block. Otherwise known as a fatberg. As soon as you observe uncommon sounds in the drainage system, you can be confident there is a blockage somewhere. 

Why Is It Important To Unclog Your Drain Quickly? 

When life is busy it’s easy to forget about things like your home’s plumbing maintenance or routine plumbing inspections. 

If you’re like most homeowners, your drains are really only thought about when there’s an issue. Sometimes, this is a little too late. The best way to manage your home’s plumbing is through preventative maintenance. 

When you do have a clogged drain is it imperative that you clear it ASAP to prevent further damage and larger blockages. The continuous buildup of hair and other materials in the drain pipes can cause ample damage. When you routinely clean the pipes, you can prevent leaks in the first place. 

Why is Keeping Hair Away from the Drains So Important?

Most people might be unsure of what happens when hair goes down the drain. Out of sight, out of mind. But what happens is that hair can get trapped, spun around other debris existing in the pipes and form the perfect place for more debris to get caught. Within days you can have a massive blockage on your hands. 

Oil deposits from soaps, moisturisers and body washes can create a sticky surface on the insides of the pipes. The sticky surface continues trapping various materials – including hair. You are not even aware of the deposits until the clog has damaged your pipes. This is the reason why you should regularly inspect, clean and prevent hair from blocking the pipes.

Tips to Keep the Drain Clear Of Hair 

Here are some effective tips to minimize the chances of a blocked drain due to hair deposits:

• Covering Your Hair Before A Shower

  In case you are bathing and not washing your hair, you can cover your head with a shower cap to keep water out of your hair altogether. Your hair will remain intact and your drains will be protected from the onslaught of loose hair.

• Brushing Before Bathing

  You can brush your hair before you get into the shower if you’re planning on washing your hair. It can effectively help in preventing a clogged drain. Try brushing thoroughly for removing loose or dead hair before you wash your hair. Once you shampoo, if clumps of hair still come down, you can collect the same and set them aside before allowing them to go down the drain.

• Using A Drain Catcher

  Ensure that the shower or bathtub drain has a catcher or cover for only allowing water to slide through. Make sure that the catcher fits the drain properly while featuring smaller holes to catch hair effectively.

How To Remove Hair From A Drain 

• Bi-carb soda (baking soda) and vinegar

  Mix one cup of vinegar with one cup of hot water and pour down the drain. This creates a chemical reaction with the bi-carb and you hear a fizz. Leave drain covered for a few minutes.  Pour another cup of hot water down the drain to clean the bi-carb away.

  You can always use an old toothbrush with some bi-carb to clean around the drain opening and pour the vinegar and water solution on this also. (You can ditch the toothbrush after this!)

  Why does this method of cleaning your drains work to remove hair from a drain?

  An amazing thing happens when you mix bicarb and vinegar together; they form carbon dioxide and sodium acetate which bubbles and cleans the drain walls as it’s flushed down the drain, taking with it any loose debris. Here’s the great thing: bi-carb, vinegar, and water are all eco-friendly, natural homemade cleaner and will not harm you or your drains or pipes.

• Borax, salt and vinegar

  You can start to remove hair from a drain with the trusty bicarb method, but this way will have a little more oomph. Start with 1/4 cup of salt, 1/4 cup of Borax, and then a 1/2 cup of vinegar. Add a kettle full of boiling water and let it sit for at least an hour to 1.5 hours, or until it clears.

  The hot water is essential here: When mixing Borax with other ingredients, it is the warm water that helps it dissolve. Finally, rinse with hot tap water to ensure all the ingredients are definitely down the drain.

   
•  Make Use of a Plunger

  Plunging is both a time-saving and cost-effective solution for dealing with clogged bathtub drains. Depending on the nature & location of the blockage and the design of the drain,you can use plunging. The plunger makes use of the concept of suction for working. Therefore, if the blockage is deep enough and composed primarily of hair, then this technique might not help.

• Drain Snake

  It serves to be an effective tool to remove hair from a drain AND you can easily find at any hardware store. You are simply expected to push down the plumber’s snake into the drain until you reach the clog. Continue turning the tool’s handle to bring the blocking material out of the drain.

• Tweezers

  If you can see hair just inside the drain, or hair is wound around the drain, you can pick it out with tweezers. Wear gloves, wash your hands and have some paper towels handy.

• Call a pro!

  This is the preferred method. Shower or bath drains that are perpetually clogged are highly inconvenient. Moreover, the cost of fixing them up can increase easily. For preventing and fixing clogged drains, you can contact the trusted plumbers in our team. We’ll most likely give your pipes a thorough clear and clean with a high-pressure jetter.

An unfortunate side-effect of a blocked drain is the overall damage to the property. Water damage caused by a leak in the wastewater drains can be highly detrimental to your property. The benefits of clear drains and a sewer clean-out include the prevention of such structural damages.

Try to fish out the blocked drain all by yourself is not a pleasant experience. Moreover, with the absence of the right knowledge or expertise, you might even damage the pipes. Your best chance is to reach out to a professional plumber to unclog the drain. Call our team at VIP Drains today on