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Hair Clog Repair
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07/10/2010
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Tub or shower not draining properly? You've come to the right place. How to clean out a tub or shower drain!
The first thing that you should know when trying to clean out the hair clog in a tub or shower drain is that some shower drains and or bathtub drains are held in differently. The basic principle is the same though, they are usually screwed into the drain mechanism in some way. Most of the ones that I have seen are one solid unit that screws into the fixed portion of the drain.
As you can see this one has a screw on top. Most of the drains I have come across do not have a screw on top like this; they tend to have a bolt built into the bottom of them.Here are two other types. You can see at the base of each unit there is a small threaded end(The very tip of the bottom). This is the part that spins out on most models I have encountered.The push type usually will just unscrew in a counterclockwise direction, while the spin down type usually will spin off at a certain height - you just have to lift it a little bit and then turn it in a counterclockwise direction.
If you have either of these two types then please proceed to the section where I already have the plug off.
As you can see in this picture, the one that I am working with is the one with a screw directly on top of the unit. The first thing you will need to do with this type of plug is take out this screw. Once you have taken this screw off set it out of the way where it can not roll into the drain.Most all screws loosen counter-clockwise and tighten when turned clockwise. A good little phrase I remember from childhood is, "Righty tighty, lefty loosey." It may not be the best grammar, but it helps you remember.
Once you have done that, this is what you should see.
Next, grab the plug handle and spin it in a counter-clockwise direction until it comes off and set it to the side.If the entire unit is spinning then you might need to lift the plug up a little and hold it with your other hand to keep this from happening. If it is really tight you might need a rag, and or a few pairs of pliers.
Once you have the handle off, the final piece should just lift off. You can simply set this to the side.
At this point I would recommend setting these pieces out of the way as to not knock them into the drain.I may have left them in the following pictures, but they are actually too close to the drain.
At this point you are going to need some sort of pick tool. I like to use a flathead screw driver because it seems to work best for me, but everyone is different. Just be careful with whatever you use.You will need to scrape the edges of the drain with this tool and try to pry up the hair stuck to the drain.
I find it is sometimes better to try this when the hair is wet because it tends to slide out easier.
Reapeat this process on all edges of the drain that can catch hair. If you haven't ever done this before - don't be surprised at what comes out.
Here you can see the hair I got out of this drain to the right of my hand. When you are pulling on the hair, try to do it slowly as you want to get the entire clump. It took a few tries, but it came out.
Here is a picture down into the clean drain. You can see that there is no hair left hanging on the two drain arms.
Here is a picture of what the hair looks like. It is usually covered with soap and algae. Don't be alarmed, just put it in a bag and take it to the garbage.
Once all that is done set the plug support into the open position and start reassembling the plug. If you have a different type of plus then simply reinstall the plug in the opposite of the way you removed the plug.
Place the handle back on, screwing it in the (righty tighty) clockwise direction.
Once you are finished with that you simply replace the screw in the top and you are done.Congratulations, you have just cleaned out your shower or bathtub drain!
If you have any questions, please email Question@thehandyblog.com
Thanks for reading!
Don't forget to check out my other blogs!