Can Hair Clog My Drains?

Tackling Hair Blockages in Drains

Hair commonly causes blocked drains and adopting various methods can address this issue effectively within your home. Shed hair that accumulates in your sink gradually becomes a primary cause of blockages, particularly in high moisture areas like showers and bathtubs.

Our technicians in Menai, Sydney, regularly help homeowners prevent hair from causing drain blockages. During shampooing or shaving, if not controlled, strands of hair make their way into drains, increasing the risk of blockages. Though seemingly harmless individually, accumulated hair strands can significantly clog your drains.

This article will cover the most common signs of hair blockages, understand why hair causes issues, provide tips for removing hair from drains, and detail preventative steps to avoid future clogs.

Understanding Why Hair Causes Drain Blockages

The stringy nature of hair can cause it to intertwine, forming clumps that are difficult to remove from drains. As long hair and loose hairs start going down drain pipes, they combine with oil, grease, soap residue and other particles to form dense clogs.

As we shed hair daily, over time, thick meshes of hair, soap scum, and grime adhere, causing clog walls and making it challenging to get hair out of the drain. During washing, hair clings to pipe walls, leading to blockages in kitchen and bathroom sinks, showers, and tubs.

Wet hair often sticks together and coils around pipe bends in showers, resulting in accumulations that can lead to blockages. Once an initial hair clog forms, it can grow as more loose hair strands get ensnared. Eventually, if water backs up, it’s time to realise that a dense hair clog has become a serious issue.

Bobby pins, toilet paper, cotton swabs, and dental floss often get entangled in hair build-up, leading to obstructions. When hair combines with other materials, it can create a dense obstruction within your plumbing system. Hair binds with grease, soap scum other residues, oils, and skin cells, becoming problematic in plumbing systems.

To combat hair clogs, installing a suitable hair-catching drain cover in showers is a practical measure. Regular maintenance ensures no hair passes down the drain during shower trap unclogging. Using hair catcher stoppers can help guide shed hair to appropriate waste pathways during washing, preventing clogs.

Identifying Signs of a Hair-Clogged Drain

There are Several clear signs indicating your drain may be clogged with hair:

• Water draining slower than usual down your sink drain, tubs or your shower drain
• Gurgling sounds as water is going down the drain
• Standing water around drains or in shower stalls
• Unpleasant sewage odours emanating from sinks
• Toilets flushing sluggishly or not completely

Such symptoms, if mild at first, can worsen, signalling the need for a comprehensive pipe clearing. The slower drainage and gurgling sounds, improved by a cup baking soda in your shower, suggest a partial blockage, where expert intervention can help clear severe clogs that could damage your plumbing.

Identifying early signs of a hair clog is crucial before the problem affects other areas where pipes can suffer damage. When hair and debris build up, drainage can back up over time, allowing water to infiltrate and damage walls or floors around pipes. It’s important to catch and remove hair quickly to clear clogs and protect your plumbing.

If you’re pondering over how to unclog drains blocked by hair, consider that you can easily use a drain snake or a chemical drain cleaner as a first step. However, if DIY methods are unsuccessful, professional help provides access to high-powered tools to clear major hair obstructions.

Preventing Hair from Entering Drains

There are several effective ways to prevent hair from entering drains and causing clogs:

• Install drain screens designed to catch hair in sinks and shower drains. Clean them regularly to remove trapped hair shower that might otherwise go down drain.
• Brush or comb hair out your head before bathing to prevent strands from going down the drain.
• Gather loose hair from grooming and dispose of it in the trash rather than down the drain.
• Use hair catching stoppers to trap hair for efficient drain use, allowing them to catch strands during the hair washing process.
• Consider getting drains professionally cleaned once a year to clear any small clogs before they worsen.
• Use drain maintainer products that can dissolve hair monthly to address soap residue and other debris that may accumulate.
• A way prevent hair from binding with fats, oils or grease down drains is by catching it before these substances exacerbate clogs.

Proactive steps to keep your drains free of hair clogs ensure that accumulation is never enough to cause severe blockages. Catching strands early and practising good drain hygiene is crucial.

Clearing Hair Clogs from Drains

Using Baking Soda and Vinegar

One effective homemade solution to clear clogs is the baking soda vinegar method. Here is a simple way get a step-by-step soda vinegar process:

1. pour one cup of baking soda down the tub drain to begin clearing it with boiling water.
2. Follow with a cup vinegar of heated white vinegar - this will help break down the clog.
3. Seal and remove drain obstructions, allowing the mixture to sit for 5-10 minutes.
4. Boil a full kettle and meticulously pour hot water down the drain to expunge debris.
5. For stubborn blockages, repeat the procedure 2-3 times to enhance its efficacy.

Using a Drain Snake

A wire hanger, fashioned as a makeshift snake, can also tackle hair obstructions mechanically. This inexpensive tool is something you can find readily available at most hardware stores. To use:

1. Slowly feed the hooked end down the drain line.
2. Crank the handle when you feel resistance to work the hooked end through the clog.
3. Extract out hair or debris dislodged by gently withdrawing the snake.
4. Flush with hot water.

Wear rubber gloves to protect your hands and avoid scratching your drain, opting for a plastic snake if available.

When to Call a Professional

If DIY methods fail to open the drain, call our team at Menai Plumbing on 1300 349 338. Our professional equipment, including hydrojetting, is effective against severe clogs from hair build-up and tree roots.

For With drains clogged at complex drain opening junctures, a professional plumber can locate and dismantle the piping to manually extract the blockage. Compared to the hassle and cost of repairs from water damage, the expense of a plumbing call-out is generally cheaper.

Using Drain Snakes to Remove Stubborn Hair Blockages

Drain snakes, also referred to as plumber’s augers, are an effective DIY solution for when drains get stubborn hair clogs. This affordable tool threads down the drain pipe, using metal hooks to catch and extract hair obstructions.

How To Use a Drain Snake

1. Slowly insert the drain snake down the pipe, cranking the handle gently as you feel resistance from blockage.
2. Once the clog is reached, twist and push the hooks through the debris.
3. Carefully extract the snake to remove clumps of hair and waste from the clog.
4. Flush clear running water afterwards to finish clearing residue.

Be cautious not to scratch the pipes when using the snake. Consider a plastic version instead of metal snakes to prevent damage.

Seeking Professional Assistance

For severe hair clogs, which in some cases are exceptionally persistent, call our team at Menai Plumbing on 1300 349 338. We have industrial strength drain augers that can bore through even the toughest obstructions.

Alternatively, hydrojetting is an advanced solution we can do for the sewer line, using highly pressurised water to scour blockages away. This achieves deeper cleaning than standard snakes.

With extensive equipment and expertise clearing all types of drain blockages, contact us for urgent assistance or to prevent recurrence of problems.

Natural Home Remedies for Dissolving Hair in Drains

Baking Soda and Vinegar Treatment

Mixing vinegar baking soda is one of the most effective home remedies for dissolving hair clogs. The chemical reaction can take effect, generating fizzing and heat that helps break down hair.

To remove hair blockages with this treatment:

1. Use cup of baking soda down the blocked drain.
2. Follow with 1 cup of heated white vinegar - carefully as the fizzing may splatter.
3. Allow the mixture to sit for 5-10 minutes to work on dissolving the clog.
4. Boil a full kettle of hot water and pour it slowly down the drain to rinse away residue.
5. To get rid of stubborn obstructions, repeat the treatment 2-3 times.

Enzyme Drain Cleaners

Enzyme drain cleaners, which are accessible at supermarkets and hardware stores, can dissolve hair within a few hours. These products contain bacteria cultures that break down organic matter like hair over 12-24 hours.

Simply pour the cleaner down the clogged shower drain as detailed in the product instructions. Do not combine with other drain cleaning chemicals, and for severe clogs, you may need multiple applications of enzymes.

If DIY treatments fail to clear hair from your drains, contact our team at Menai Plumbing on 1300 349 338. Our high-powered water jetting can scour away even the toughest hair obstructions.

Knowing When to Call a Professional Plumber

Signs You Need a Professional

While many minor hair clogs can be cleared with DIY methods, certain situations indicate the need to call in a professional plumber:

• Recurring drain blockages indicating a persistent clogged hair problem despite clearing attempts
• Foul sewage smells coming from drains, signalling a severe obstruction
• Backed up water flooding your floors around pipes
• Multiple plumbing fixtures like sinks, tubs and toilets all draining slowly
• Strange gurgling noises from pipes aside from normal draining sounds
• Unusual moisture on walls or wet spots on ceilings around pipes

Trying to remove these blockages mechanically with drain snakes or pressure hoses can aggravate the issue and harm the pipes. Have an expert inspect to locate and resolve the blockages.

Professional Drain Cleaning Services

At Menai Plumbing, we offer a suite of comprehensive services, including drain cleaning using advanced methods like hydro jetting. Our powerful jet streams can clear your drains of years of built-up hair, restoring free flow.

Our high-capacity augers, similar to those used by specialist plumbers, can effectively cut through tough blockages. Our camera inspections accurately identify all blockage locations. For extensive hair damage or pipe repairs, our expertise is crucial.

Don’t hesitate to email us or call 1300 349 338 to schedule an appointment if you suspect a severe hair clog. Prompt action can help minimise further drainage issues and costly repairs.