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How to Prevent Hair Clogs in Your Shower Drain

Posted on March 11, 2021 by Melbourne Plumber

We all know the disappointed feeling when the water is not draining as fast as usual. Its a clog and you have been down this road before. After you get the clog resolved you think to yourself “I will try harder to prevent that from happening.” But what steps can you really take to prevent a clog from occurring in your shower drain?

90% of shower drain material is hair. This protective part of our skin keeps the sun from damaging us, it keeps us warm, and helps regulate body temperature. So, if it does all these things then it really is a tough material. And that’s why it clogs the drain.

The rest of the material in your drain is a combination of dirt, skin cells, and various shampoos and soaps. That stuff is all water soluble but when it is combined with hair it can become a tough cookie to break.

Preventative Measures

Drain Screen – You can purchase a device which sits over your drain and collects most of the hair it traps. This is will certainly save you from getting clogs. Or at the very least it will make them occur much less frequently.

Brush Your Hair Before You Shower – It seems counterintuitive to brush your hair before you bathe but this will reduce the amount of hair that ends up in your drain by up to 90%.

Super Flush – If you have multiple members of your family living with you, good. You will need them to accomplish this. Fill up all sinks and tubs with water. Position a member of your family in each bathroom and kitchen. At the same time, everyone should open/remove the drain stopper and let the water start flowing. Turn on the water for the sink and tub/shower. Also, flush all the toilets. Try to do this all within a few seconds. The massive amount of water pushing through the pipes has been known to move stubborn debris along. You only need flush once and keep the sinks going for a few minutes.

We hope this info helps you avoid getting clogs in the future. If you get a real tough one feel free to call your local plumber. If you live in the Brevard County area, feel free to call us at 321-725-5996