Remove Hair from the Drain

Manually pulling hair out of the drain opening is the most effective first step for a slow shower drain, since hair is the number-one cause of shower clogs. Remove the drain cover, then use a bent wire hanger, plastic drain hair tool, or needle-nose pliers to hook and extract the tangled mass of hair and soap scum sitting in the drain opening and just below the surface.

How to Do It

• Remove the drain cover by unscrewing it or prying it up with a flathead screwdriver
• Bend the tip of a wire hanger into a small hook, or use an inexpensive plastic barbed drain strip (available at any hardware store for a few dollars)
• Insert the tool into the drain and twist slowly to catch hair, then pull it out
• Repeat several times until no more hair comes out
• Flush with hot water for 30 seconds to clear loosened debris

Tips

• Wear rubber gloves because the hair clump will be slimy and foul-smelling
• A plastic barbed drain strip (such as Zip-It) works better than a wire hanger because the barbs grip hair without scratching pipes
• Do this monthly as routine maintenance to prevent clogs from forming
• If the clog is deeper than a few inches past the drain opening, a drain snake is more appropriate