No More Clogged Bathtub Drains. EVER.

There’s few things more annoying than standing in ankle-deep water while you’re trying to shower. The dingy pool at your feet prevents you from getting clean, but it also sloshes and splashes to help create an irritating start to your morning. When this common occurrence takes place, it makes it impossible to rinse and clean your body efficiently, and when you finish your shower, you’ll have to take extra steps if you want to eliminate the soapy bubbles and residual dirt left on the bottom of your bathtub. Unless you take drastic action before your next shower, you’ll be faced with a repeat episode of puddle splashing the very next day.

Most people just pour gallons of toxic liquids down the drain to free anything that’s stuck inside, but it’s really not necessary, and it can amount to a huge waste of money. Even worse, those liquid plumbers will always leave some of the gunk behind, and it accumulates, over time, inside your drain pipes. With enough abuse, you may be forced to call in the professionals, and that can be really expensive. If you have a spare minute, and if you’re willing to make a small investment, you can easily prevent clogged bathtub drains forever.

Why Does It Clog?

When anything more than water and soapy bubbles washes down your tub drain, it can lead to clogging, but the main culprit of clogged bathtub drains is hair. It could be pet fur or long human hair, but when it mixes with the other stuff in the water, it can stick like glue to the insides of your drain pipes. When build-up is light, you’ll notice slow draining water, and when it get worse, and the flow restricts even more, the water will slow down further. If the blockage completely fills the pipe, the water will stop draining, and it’ll begin filling up your bathtub instead. It usually takes weeks or months for a drain to clog all the way, and once the problem surfaces, it will take some work to free gunk that’s preventing the water from draining.

How To Clear A Clog

Most slow or stopped drains can be easily fixed with DIY methods, so no expensive plumber is usually necessary. You could easily spend over $100 to have a professional come out and do it for you, but you could also attempt to do it yourself using one of the methods listed below.

1. Snake It Out. One of the most effective ways to clear a bathtub drain clogged with hair, is to reach in and pull it out. It’s pretty gross to look at and touch, and it can stink pretty bad if it’s been in there a while, but when you remove it with a tool designed for the job, you can be pretty sure that water will flow will be back to normal when you finish. There are several tools available to do the job, but they’re all basically just long skinny things with some sort of hook or catch at the end. To use it, you need to remove the strainer that covers your drain, and then insert the drain snake all-the-way. Once you feel the blockage, you pull it back out to collect the accumulated debris. Most will come out with the first attempt, but you may need to repeat the process in order to eliminate the clog completely. Be sure that you push it in far enough because the curved part(trap) of the pipes may feel like the problem, but it can often occur past the trap.
2. Burn It Out. Chemical drain treatments are a favorite of many because they’re so easy to use, but they’re also quite dangerous, and not exactly fool-proof. In most cases, enough of the toxic liquid will burn through and dissolve the stuff stuck in your drain, but in other cases, it will just be a waste of money while it makes the air in your bathroom difficult to breathe. To use it, make sure you read the directions for the specific product you’re using because they all vary a little. The basic usage instructions will always require you to pour a certain amount down the drain, and then let it sit to do the work. Once the clog is dissolved, after about 15-30 minutes, flush the drain with water, and it should drain quickly.
3. Bubble It Out. Baking soda and vinegar have proven to be a powerful combination for unclogging backed up drains, and it can be the perfect home remedy because most people have both ingredients on hand already. When the two substances react, they bubble and fizz, and this action works well to free stubborn debris and get the water flowing again. You’ll want to use equal parts baking soda and vinegar, and to try this method, simply add the baking soda down the drain, and then pour in the vinegar. You’ll be able to hear it bubbling to know it’s working, but just let it sit for several minutes to give it time to work. Once the job is done, flush with hot water to finish, and the water should travel down the drain quickly and efficiently.
4. Plunge It Out. When liquid solutions won’t budge it, but pulling it out seems way too yucky, a toilet plunger can be your best friend. With tub drains it can be a little bit tricky, but with the right steps, you can use the pressure created by the plunger to force the clog down the drain. To make it work right, it’s important to cover the overflow drain holes that every tub has because if you don’t, you won’t get the right level of suction. You’ll also need to fill the tub with a couple inches of water if there isn’t already standing water in there. After covering the top holes and filling with water, position the plunger over the drain, and push straight down several times. It should be a little bit difficult to press on the plunger, but it should only take a few up-and-down motions to eliminate the most stubborn debris. Use a quick motion, and plunge about ten times before lifting up and checking your work. When successful, the drain should immediately begin draining as soon as you lift the plunger up off the drain.
5. Sweat It Out. Many clogs are created by body oils and other greasy build-up. When this oily grime combines with hair and other stuff, it can be pretty tough to remove, and many of the above methods won’t work. Fortunately, there’s a simple solution to clear drains that are clogged with greasy grime. When you pour salt down the drain, and then follow with boiling hot water, it can help to loosen this sticky blockage, and allow it to wash away. One cup of salt and a single kettle of prepared water is usually all it takes, but if the water doesn’t flow freely after a single application, just follow with another to finish the job.

The Easy Way To Prevent Clogged Drains Forever.

If you’re tired of unclogging the drain every time it stops or slows, or if you’re worried about long term damage to your plumbing, then you’ll love our Bath Tub Hair Catcher. With this amazing little drain modification you can collect every strand of hair, before it enters the drain, and that will prevent any possibility of clogged pipes in the future. Without hair and other large debris flowing through drain pipes, there will never be the type of accumulation necessary to slow or stop the water, and the substances that would normally act like glue for the strands of hair, will more easily wash away over time. The benefit to you, beyond a drain that always works, is that you’ll save money by avoiding off-the-shelf solutions or resorting to professional plumbers, and you’ll have piece of mind knowing that you can shower in the morning without wading through dirty water.

What Is It?

Some people like it for the mushroom-like shape it has, but the design is less about appearance, and more about function. Made from 100% silicone, it is rigid and kind of squishy at the same time, and it’s meant to replace the factory installed strainer that covers the drain hole in your bathtub. Once in place, it will not affect water flow at all, but it will catch every piece of hair or other larger debris, and stop it from washing down the drain. It’s totally reusable, and the durable material will last for years, so it offers an affordable way to avoid clogged pipes for a long time, and because it’s so easy to install, anyone can use it to make showering in the morning more enjoyable.

How Does It Work?

Once in place, the mushroom top with protrude slightly from the top of the drain hole, and the water will flow underneath. The lower ring will fit snug inside the drain, and the center cylinder is smaller to allow room for water and other stuff. As you shower, water will flow down, and the natural cyclonic action will cause hair to wrap around the center like a spool. Several large holes will allow for adequate water flow while preventing any debris from washing down the drain, and little feet at the base with smaller holes above ensure that water can flow straight down without taking pet fur or other unwanted things with it. The large lid has extra holes so that water from above does not pool, and to avoid any possibility of overflow, and the outer rim makes it easy to lift out when cleaning is required.

How To Use It

Anyone can install this bathtub drain strainer in seconds, and once in place it will work as a fool-proof solution to prevent clogs. It’s recommended that you take care of any problems that you have before you switch to this solution, but once your pipes are totally clear, you can keep them that way with very little effort or money required.

1. To begin, you’ll need to remove any aftermarket product, or factory installed strainer already in place. This will usually require the use of a screwdriver, and the removal of a single screw. Once you do this, you should be looking at an empty and open drain hole.

2. Once the drain strainer is off, simply take the silicone hair catcher in your hand, and press it into the hole, all-the-way. It should fit snug, and there should be slight resistance as you slide it into place.

3. Make sure to press in place completely to ensure proper function. Once it’s installed properly, the top portion should stick up out of the drain slightly, so don’t try to push it down flush with the bottom of the tub. After you press it into place, the setup process is complete, and you can begin using your shower without worry of slow drains.

Why It’s Better

There are certainly other preventative products out there, but none can guarantee the results of this one. With our silicone hair catcher, there is no chance of water flowing under or around it, and there is no possibility of it floating up out of the drain. In fact, you can even leave it in place while filling the tub for a bath, and it will remain in place until you’re done, so you can drain the tub without worry too. Other options allow hair to sneak past, or they collect it on top, so it can easily float or wash away into the water, after it is gathered, but this one secures every piece, and it collects it down below, out of sight. It’s not only more effective, it’s also easier to install, and longer lasting. When you install this simple device, and empty it when necessary, it will provide one of the best ways to prevent clogged bathtub drains for as long as you have it in place.

Products Mentioned

• Mushroom Shape Hair Cather – find out more or buy one.

Related Products

• Disposable Tub Strainer – Use for months, then throw away when yucky.
• Disposable Shower Strainer –  Never touch the gross gunk, just toss in the garbage when it’s time.
• Hair Stopper Drain Protector – A large drain strainer designed for collecting long hair.