Slow Drain-- Any Suggestions to Dump in the Drain?

First - pull the drain plug out and clean out any hair and yucky residue that's reachable and visible. You can use an old toothbrush or something. Second - I can't remember the name of the stuff, but Home Depot (and probably Target, too) sells some stuff that specifically targets hair clogs. It usually works for us... but cleaning out even just the stuff you can reach is most effective and lasts longer.

The ONLY thing that works at my house is a product that I have only found at Home Depot. Its in a black plastic jug that comes in a big ziploc type plastic bag and its called "Hair and Grease" desolver or something. You can't miss it by the description-nothing else they sell looks like this. Its about $10. It is the only thing that works, just follow the directions. Good Luck!

I use this for all my drains: equal parts of salt and baking soda, then add an equal amount of vinegar and let it fizz. Wait about 15minutes then pour a kettle of boiling water down the drain. It works wonders and is non-toxic!

We own a few rental properties & have lots of experience with clogged drains. Our plumber told us NOT to use drain-O & other solutions to unclog the drains. They are too harsh & can damage your pipes. He advised us to instead simply use a cup of bleach. Luckily, cheaper than any of the other stuff anyway! Pour it directly down the drain & let it sit for a while. Then rinse. I had one tough clog that took 2 treatments but most clear up easily the first time.

There is a product called Earth Enzymes that you can buy at any health food stores. It is similar to Liquid Plumber in what it does, but it is all "chemically safe".
Also, once your drain is cleaned there is a little hair basket that you can insert in the drain to catch it before it goes down and clogs it. You just empty it out each night after you shower.

Unscrew the little flat metal circle that is under the faucet. It allows you to easily pull the hair out in one big clump. Then screw it back on. That's what the plumber will do. I'm embarrased to say I have experience with that. Don't pay $100 an hour for something you can do yourself. After you reconnect the metal disk, pour a giant pot of boiling water down your drain. That will dissolve and move along any soap solids that are slowing down the works. Switching to liquid soap helps A LOT. If that doesn't work, buy a reusable mechanical (water pressure) drain opener. There is one that you can get for about $20 called the Drain King VIP1 that works great! It's awesome! You will use it time and time again. http://www.amazon.com/G-T-Water-VIP-1-Drain/dp/B001CL4ZU2... Good luck!

Put a few tablespoons of baking soda down the drain, pour in about a half cup of really hot water to get the baking soda down into the drain and P-traps, and then follow it with a cup of white vinegar. It fizzes and foams and makes a little commotion in the drain, but it is absolutely harmless to plumbing and is safe to use with septic systems. Let it stand for an hour or two and then flush the drain with hot water. This is a good maintenance tip - maybe monthly. If yours is just slow, you might want to try it daily or weekly until it resolves and then do it monthly. My kitchen sink was completely clogged last month and I tried this and it worked immediately! There is also some stuff at Home Depot that works good, but I can't remember what it's called - but it's pretty toxic, it can't touch the tile drain or anything, you have to use a funnel to put it down - kinda freaky.

I use arm & hammer baking soda and white vinegar, hot water and a plunger. Poor the baking soda down the drain, then the vinegar, they begin to fizz like mad. Let them fizz for a while. Then go in with a plunger and hot water to break it loose. Let the hot water run for a bit to flush the clog completely out of the pipe. It takes a little more elbow grease but it's better for the environment and the health of your family. I have past the waist length hair so it clogs the drains a lot. I do this all the time when my shower drain clogs up.

Hello M.,

I have the same problem with my garage sink. We went to Home Depot and spoke to a guy that helped us chose the right drain stuff to pour down our sink.

I don't know the exact name of the stuff, but its where you get the Drain-O, at ours its an end cap by the trash cans.

Anyways, it comes in a black bottle and is then placed in a big Ziploc Baggie. The guy we spoke too gave it high regards and said he uses it in his bathtub.

I believe the price of it is like $11-12. We use it once a month and its great!!!

Hope that helps,
M.

M.,

I use baking soda and white vinegar. It may take more than once, but it works like a charm! (pour as much baking soda as you can down the drain followed by the white vinegar - it will fizz and bubble, then rinse the drain with hot water) Good luck!

Whatever you do stay away from the Draino, chemical products. I just did the maintenance thing with the baking soda and vinegar followed by hot water. Works everytime. In fact I get the big size from Costco and use these products around the house for cleaning everything. The baking soda is great for pans that you have a hard time getting clean, anything that you would have used Comet for use this instead. It is a lot cheaper, better for your family and the better for the environment. Vinegar is great for the windows and mirrors.

A powerful wet/dry shop vac helps get a lot of gunk out followed by a baking soda/vinegar combo to get it completely clear.

TELL your husband to snake the drain. Does he just not want to do it? Or he doesn't know how? Obviously, you have to have the proper equipment. My husband does it a few times a year....It's definatly a pain in the butt!
But, other then that I don't have any special remedy for unclogging drains. Good luck!

Most stores sell a thin plastic thing with little spikes all over it for cleaning hair clogs. It costs a couple of bucks. You put it down the drain, then pull it up, and it brings the hair with it. My husband does our bathtub every few months (because it's just too gross for me!) It works, but it's slimy.

Hi,

We have used baking soda and vinegar in the bathroom sink and it works really well. It's interesting to see all the gunk that bubbles up and out of the drain!

Good Luck!

Boil water and pour it down the drain. Several times. This works surprisingly well.

Hi M.,

There's also this handly little tool, I don't think it has a name, but you can get it at Walmart/Target. Its a long white piece of plastic with little prongs sticking out and you stick it down the drain and as you pull it out it grabs all the hair. I dont even bother with pouring anything down there anymore, this always works great for me. My 3 teenage daughters and myself all have long hair so you can imagine what's in our drains. Good luck, and I would try this before you call a plumber.

M.

Try Drain-FX. I heard about it on the Gary Sullivan show and it cleared my drains easily & effectively. It turns your faucet into a mini pressure washer...no need for chemicals. I bought it online. Great plumbing tool.

My daughter and I have long hair and have to deal with this about once a year. I have a metal hanger that I've straightened out and left a 3/4 inch hook at the end. I put this down the drain as far as I can and the hook pulls up gobs of hair and slime. It is truly disgusting and I do this 4-5 times until nothing else comes up. You can't believe the amount of hair that gets caught up in there! But - it works like a charm and no chemicals. I told a plumber I did this and he didn't see any harm to the pipes and said it was okay to do this and he said no Drano or harsh chemicals. Good luck.

try putting bleach down the drain! It works for my sink.

T.

Two things...Try unscrewing the stopper and using any device (like SS tweezers)to remove the hair that wraps around the strainer (whatever this is called)-it's gross and that will help a ton! Then good old fashion Foaming Drano. It will work.

I actually bought a device at safeway for about $3 about 2 weeks ago that is a long piece of plastic with little ridges on the sides that you just stick down the drain and pull back out. Kinda GROSS but worked like a charm, pulled the hair and yuck right out.

Drano Max worked wonders for me! I would try that before a plumber or snake. Much cheaper!!!

I use industrial strength Resolve(Only the gel kind) or Drano Max Gel and it works wonders. Pour it in there at night and let it sit overnight and water will drain normally in the morning.

I bought a long brush at Virgil's Hardware in Glendale. It's almost like a very skinny bottle brush, about two feet long and flexible. You stick it down the drain and it pulls up all the hair clogs. Gunky and gross to do, but it really works.