There is nothing worse than trying to bathe when you are standing in a tub or shower full of dirty water. Somehow, you just feel less clean, no matter how much soap you use. And the reason for this less than hygienic situation is often a buildup of sticky residue in your home’s drains and a nasty wad of hair. But what many homeowners are not considering is that these hair clogs will eventually find their way into your home’s sewer line, and the result will be a backup of raw sewage rather than just dirty water. Fortunately, there are simple steps that you can take to eliminate all hair clog issues from your home’s drain and sewer lines.

Remove Loose Hair

Eliminating loose hair before you get into the shower or tub is the best way to ensure fewer clogs. All you need to do is take a minute to thoroughly brush your hair before you bathe. This simple task will remove loose hair that could end up clogging your drain. And it will remove any tangles from long hair that would complicate the washing process. Be sure that everyone in the family is on board with this new grooming tip to keep hairballs from prompting a call to your local plumber. Also, if you bathe a pet in the tub, make sure you give him or her a good brushing before the bath to eliminate any compounded issues from loose fur.

Use A Screen

You will never be able to eliminate hairs from your tub or shower unless everyone in the house is ready to shave their heads. That is a very unpractical solution when you have options as simple and affordable as a drain screen. These small mesh screens fit over the drain to catch all the loose hairs before becoming water-blocking clogs. The only thing you need to remember is to empty the trapped hair from the screen as needed. Pulling wet hair from a mesh screen can be messy and complicated. But if you let the screen and hair dry, it is fast and simple to remove before you turn on the water for your next bath.

Beware Of False Advertising

If you have been less than careful about loose hair up to this point, you could already be dealing with a slow clearing drain due to a partial hair clog. Do not be tempted by those bottles of drain cleaner that claim to dissolve away your hair clog issues in seconds. In reality, they are more likely to dissolve away your drain pipes. Those products are all made of harsh chemicals that can damage your drain pipes, contaminate your home with toxic fumes, and do little or nothing to remove the hair clog. For a mild clog, try a cup of baking soda followed by a cup of vinegar. Let the bubbles loosen the hair clog, then flush it away with hot water.

Clean The Drain

While it is not a fun or glamorous job, you can use a small plumbing snake or hair clog remover to pull minor clogs from your tub, shower, or sink drains. Don a mask, gloves, and old clothes to keep the mess off your skin and get to work. It’s a messy job but an easy and affordable way to avoid the cost of a plumber.

For more severe hair clogs in your home’s drains, call (701) 402-6442. The pros from Total Care Plumbing will get the clogs removed and your drains cleaned quickly and cost-effectively to eliminate your concerns about floods of dirty water or sewage in your home.