Blocked Plug? 5 Ways to Unblock Bathroom Plugholes
A large contributor to bathroom plug is human hair. If you’re finding that your shower is taking a while to drain away, or that your bath plug is getting easily clogged, here are a few easy to follow options to unblock the plug.
How to unblock Bathroom Plugholes
- Firstly, lift/unscrew the plug itself (if possible) and use tweezers (or your fingers!) to remove the offending articles. It might be an off putting sight and smell the first time you do this, but repeating this regularly (perhaps once a fortnight, or once a week) will allow you to keep on top of the blocked plug problem.
- Hair removal cream for legs (scientific name – depilatory cream) – don’t spend too much but put a tube of hair removal cream down the plug hole and leave for 30 minutes to an hour. Some even suggest overnight. Then rinse, preferably with the power shower directed at the plug for maximum cleaning effectiveness! Your hair will have been dissolved and the water will wash it away.
- Bicarbonate soda, followed by white vinegar. A natural solution that uses nature’s own power, the soda will fizz when it hits the wet pipe, the vinegar then cuts through and encourages the blockage to move.
- Hot water and salt. Boil a kettle of water and then pour a small amount of salt down the plug. Allow to settle for about a minute and then wash down with hot water.
- Plughole chemicals – whilst there are many well-known brands, a number of plumbers and drainage experts actually warn against these solutions. Yes they work, and yes they are an affordable fail safe, but the chemicals within aren’t always suitable for your specific pipes. Whilst providing immediate relief, don’t become dependent on them and find that it causes further trouble down the line.
When it’s time to call in a professional
If you’ve tried all of the ideas above, it may well be time to call in a professional. They’ll have the tools and know how to unblock everyday problems – they do this day in, day out after all. They may use a Plumbers snake, or some small rods to correct the drain blockage. Alternatively, a professional plumber or drainage expert may choose to use chemicals that only tradesmen have the experience to handle correctly.
