Is the drain in your bathroom shower area not draining as quickly as before? Often, the cause is unclear while bathing, but a major reason for this could be hair gradually accumulating in the drain. When we bathe, broken hairs go down the drain with the water and start sticking to soap lather, oil, and other dirt. Over time, this dirt builds up, narrowing the water exit path. The result is that water starts pooling in the drain, and problems with dirt and odor in the bathroom can also increase.
However, you do not need to buy expensive drain cleaners or call a plumber every time to solve this small problem. A simple plastic bottle cap available at home can be helpful in this task. If it is placed in the drain in a special way, the water flow remains continuous, while the broken hairs get trapped around the cap. This method can prevent hair from entering the pipe to a large extent, reducing the trouble of the drain clogging quickly.
The bottle cap acts like a small hair catcher when used here. Hairs washed down during bathing can get caught around the cap. This prevents the hair from going directly into the pipe; instead, it stops there, and it can be easily removed later. This method can be particularly useful for households where multiple people use the same bathroom and family members have long hair.
Hairs falling during the shower gradually accumulate in the drain. Soap particles and other dirt also stick to these hairs. Initially, you might not notice it, but over time, the water drainage can slow down. Sometimes, water starts pooling around the feet while bathing, and even after cleaning the bathroom, the problem of dirt or odor from the drain may persist. Therefore, it is more convenient to remove the hair before it enters the pipe.
For this process, first take a clean plastic bottle cap. Install or place it near the drain in such a way that it does not completely obstruct the water flow. The objective is not to block the drain, but to catch the hair. Instead of placing the plastic bottle cap on top of the drain, insert it inside the drain. Position it so that water can easily go down, but broken hairs get stuck around the cap while bathing. After bathing, remove the cap and clean the trapped hair. This cap can be reused.
Note: It is important to keep one thing in mind while using this trick. The cap should not be forced into the drain. It should be placed in a way that it can be easily removed and water drainage is maintained. If the cap starts slipping, water stops, or there is a risk of getting stuck, do not use this method.
If it is already clogged, the cap alone will not unclog the drain
If the water in your shower is already draining very slowly or the drain is almost blocked, simply placing a bottle cap will not solve the problem. This trick is mainly for preventing hair from entering the pipe and for preventing initial blockages. In such a situation, it will be mandatory to remove the accumulated hair and dirt first. If the water still does not drain after cleaning, there might be a deep blockage inside the pipe, which may require the help of an appropriate drain-cleaning tool or a plumber.