Top 5 Ways to Get Hair Out of Your Drains

Alright, let’s have a straight talk. I’ve been wrestling with pipes and drains since back when your phone just made calls, and let me tell you, the number one reason a shower backs up hasn’t changed a bit. It’s not some deep, dark mystery down in your plumbing. It’s hair. A nasty, slimy clump of it that teams up with soap and conditioner to form a blockade.

You know the scene all too well. You’re halfway through a shower, and suddenly you notice you’re standing in a shallow, gray pond. The water drains so slowly you could time it with a calendar. It’s one of those little household problems that is just plain frustrating. It makes you think you need to call in a professional and get ready for a big bill.

But I’m here to tell you that’s not always the case. Learning how to get hair out of a shower drain is one of the most useful and, honestly, satisfying skills you can learn. Today, I’m going to walk you through the entire process, just like I’d show a new apprentice on their first day. We’ll start with the easiest methods and work our way up. No fancy technical words, just practical advice that works. You can do this.

First Things First: Get Your Gear Ready

Before you dive in, let’s get prepared. You wouldn’t start cooking without your ingredients, and you shouldn’t start plumbing without your gear. This part is non-negotiable, especially for your own comfort.

Rubber Gloves: Don’t even think about skipping these. The gunk you’re about to confront is a vile mix of tangled hair, old soap scum, body oils, and who knows what else. It feels as gross as it sounds. Protect your hands.
A Bucket or a Plastic Bag: You’re going to be pulling out a “hair monster,” and you need a designated place to put it right away. Having a small trash can, a bucket, or even just a plastic grocery bag right next to the shower will prevent you from dripping that nastiness all over your bathroom.
Old Towels or Rags: Put an old towel down on the floor around the drain. Things can get a little splashy, and this will make cleanup much easier.

Got your supplies? Good. Let’s get that water flowing again. We always start with the simplest, most direct method first.

Method 1: The Manual Removal (It’s Gross, but It’s Often Enough)

This is your first line of attack because, more often than not, the clog is sitting right near the top of the drain, just out of sight. This method requires no special tools, just a strong will.

Step 1: Get That Drain Cover Off

First, you need access. Your shower drain will have a cover or strainer that needs to be removed. Here are the most common types you’ll see:

Simple Drop-In Strainer: This is a basic grate that just sits over the drain opening. You can usually pry this up with your fingers or by gently wedging a flathead screwdriver under the edge.
Screw-In Cover: This type is held in place with one or more visible screws. You’ll need the correct screwdriver (usually a Phillips head) to take it off. Be patient here. These screws can get rusty and stuck. Apply firm, steady pressure to avoid stripping the screw head.
Pop-Up Drain Stopper (Common in Bathtubs): These look more complicated, but they’re usually simple. To remove most models, make sure the stopper is in the “open” position, then try to unscrew the cap by turning it counter-clockwise. Some might require you to rock them back and forth while pulling straight up. Look for a tiny set screw on the body of the stopper if it doesn’t budge.

Step 2: The First Pull

With the cover off, grab a flashlight and take a look down the pipe. You’ll probably see the top of the hairy culprit staring back at you. With your gloves on, reach in and grab whatever you can. Pull slowly and steadily. It will likely come out in one long, disgusting, stringy clump. Drop it straight into your bag or bucket and take a moment to appreciate your bravery.

Step 3: The DIY Hair-Fishing Tool

If the clog is just beyond your fingertips, it’s time to make a simple tool. This is a trick that’s as old as plumbing itself.

Find a wire coat hanger. Untwist it and straighten it out as much as you can.
Using a pair of pliers, bend a very small hook on one end—make it no bigger than a small pea. If the hook is too large, it won’t fit down the drain pipe.
Now, you’ve got a homemade drain snake. Carefully feed the hooked end down the drain.
Push it down until you feel resistance. That’s the hair clogged drain you’re looking for.
Gently push and rotate the wire. The goal is for the hook to snag onto the tangled mass of hair.
Slowly and carefully, pull the hanger straight back up. Don’t yank it, or you might break the clog apart. You want to coax the entire blob out.
You may need to repeat this process two or three times to get all of it.

After you’ve pulled out everything you can, run hot water for a couple of minutes. If it drains quickly, you’ve solved the problem! If it’s still sluggish, it’s time for a tool built for the job.

Method 2: The Plastic Drain Snake – The Best Tool for the Job

If you want to know how to remove hair from a shower drain efficiently, this is your answer. These tools are genius. They are long, thin, flexible strips of plastic lined with little, sharp barbs. They are designed specifically to latch onto hair and pull it out. You can find them at any hardware or big-box store for just a few dollars.

How to Use It:

Insert the Tool: With the drain cover still off, simply push the barbed plastic snake down into the drain pipe. Its flexibility allows it to easily navigate the curves of your plumbing.
Spin and Wiggle: As you push it deeper, spin and wiggle it. This action allows the barbs to grab onto the hair from all sides, locking into the clog. Keep feeding it down until only the handle is sticking out.
The Big Reveal: Now, pull it back out—slowly. This is the moment of truth. As you retrieve it, the barbs will drag the entire clog up with them. Prepare yourself, because what comes out is often shocking in its size and sheer grossness.
Dispose and Repeat if Needed: Throw the entire hair-covered mess away. These tools are so inexpensive that most people just toss the tool with the clog, but you can try to clean it if you’re feeling frugal.
Final Flush: Once you believe you’ve gotten it all, run hot water for 5 to 10 minutes. This will wash away any smaller particles you broke loose and confirm that your drain is flowing freely.

For 90% of household hair clogs, this simple plastic tool is the perfect solution. It physically removes the blockage, which is always better than just trying to dissolve it.

Method 3: How to Dissolve Hair in a Shower Drain

Let’s talk about chemicals. I’ll be honest, most professional plumbers are wary of pouring harsh chemicals down drains. They can be tough on pipes, especially older metal ones, and they’re not great for the environment. But I know they’re a popular option, so if you’re going to use them, let’s cover the right way to do it.

Option A: The Safer, Homemade Fizzing Potion

Before reaching for a commercial product, give this much gentler, non-toxic method a try. It’s great for breaking down soap scum and can loosen minor hair clogs.

You Will Need:

1 cup of baking soda
1 cup of white vinegar
A large pot of very hot water (boiling is okay for metal pipes, but stick to very hot tap water for PVC pipes to be safe)

The Steps:

If there’s standing water, wait for it to drain as much as possible.
Pour the dry baking soda directly down the drain opening.
Follow it with the white vinegar. Pour it slowly and enjoy the science-fair volcano effect. You’ll hear fizzing and bubbling—that’s the acid-base reaction working to scrub the inside of your pipes and break down the gunk.
Let this mixture sit and do its thing for at least an hour. You can put the drain plug in to keep the reaction focused down below.
After an hour, flush everything out by pouring the pot of hot water down the drain.

This won’t always defeat a massive, compacted clog, but it’s an excellent first chemical step and a fantastic monthly treatment to keep drains from slowing down in the first place.

Option B: Store-Bought Chemical Drain Cleaners

If you decide to go with a powerful store-bought chemical, you must do so with extreme caution. Read and follow the directions on the label to the letter.

Ventilate! Open a window, turn on the bathroom fan. The fumes from these products are no joke.
NEVER, EVER MIX CHEMICALS. This is the most critical rule. If you use one product and it doesn’t work, do not follow it up with a different brand or type of chemical cleaner. Mixing them can create highly toxic gas.
Know the Types: There are generally two kinds. Enzymatic cleaners use bacteria to “eat” organic material like hair. They are much slower but far safer for your pipes. Caustic or Oxidizing cleaners (the most common kind) use powerful chemicals to create a reaction that dissolves the clog quickly. These are the ones that can damage pipes if used too often or incorrectly.

Use them as a last resort before moving on to mechanical means.

Method 4: The Heavy-Duty Approach for a Stubborn Clog

So, you’ve tried everything above, and your drain is still blocked solid. This means the clog is either very dense or located further down the line. This is where you might need to tackle it like a pro, which is especially important for anyone wondering how to unclog a bathtub drain full of hair, as they have a slightly different setup.

For this, you need a plumber’s snake, also called a drum auger. It’s a long, flexible steel cable coiled inside a drum with a crank handle.

Access Through the Overflow Plate: On a bathtub, don’t try to force a large metal snake down the main drain. There’s a tight, built-in bend called a P-trap right below it that is difficult to get through. Instead, look for the overflow plate—the round, usually chrome plate on the front wall of the tub, just under the faucet. Unscrew it.
Feed the Snake: The overflow opening provides a more direct path to the main drain line. Feed the end of the auger’s cable into this opening. Keep feeding it in by hand until you feel it stop. You’ve found the clog.
Attack the Clog: Lock the cable and begin to crank the drum’s handle clockwise while applying gentle, firm pressure. You are essentially drilling into the clog. You’ll either feel the clog break apart and the resistance will disappear, or you’ll feel the cable’s corkscrew tip hook into the mass.
Retrieve the Beast: If you’ve hooked it, stop cranking and slowly pull the cable back out of the drain. You’ll likely pull the entire blockage out with it.
Test Your Work: Once the cable is clear, put the overflow plate back on. Turn the hot water on full blast and let it run for 5-10 minutes to flush the line completely.

Prevention: The Easiest Job of All

You did it. The water is rushing down the drain with a satisfying gurgle. Now, let’s make sure you never have to do this again.

Go to the store and buy a drain protector or hair catcher. They make simple mesh screens and silicone devices that sit right over your drain. They catch all the hair before it can enter the pipe. All you have to do is wipe it clean after each shower. This tiny, two-second task will save you from all the trouble we just went through.

You’ve now learned a fundamental piece of home maintenance. You’ve faced the hair monster and won, all while saving yourself the cost of a service call. Keep those drains protected, and you’ll keep the water flowing freely.