How to get hair out of a drain without a snake?

Author: Ms. Meredith Morar  |  Last update: Saturday, May 10, 2025

For best results, start by squirting a little dish soap into your drain, followed by a cup of vinegar and a cup of baking soda. Wait five minutes or so, for the chemical reaction of the vinegar and baking soda to take effect, then chase that with a cup or more of boiling water.

What will dissolve hair in a drain?

Heat 2 or 4 liters of water on your stove or in a kettle to just short of boiling. Add about 1/2 cup of salt. Try pouring this down the drain, then wait 15 minutes before seeing if it will clear more easily. If you need a stronger cleaning, pour 1/2 cup of baking soda down the drain, then add 1/2 cup of vinegar.

How to get hair out of drain without drain snake?

Boiling Water: Boil a pot of water and carefully pour it down the drain. The hot water can help break down the hair and wash it away. Repeat this process a few times to ensure that the hair is completely cleared.

What is the fastest way to get hair out of a drain?

Boiling Water: Boil a pot of water and carefully pour it down the drain. The hot water can help break down the hair and wash it away. Repeat this process a few times to ensure that the hair is completely cleared.

What can you use instead of a drain snake?

4 DIY Ways to Unclog Drains
  • Wire Hanger. This age-old technique has been used by many an amateur plumber – to much success. ...
  • Plunger. Creating a suction in your drain can break up clogs caused by hair and soap residue build up. ...
  • Baking Soda and Vinegar. ...
  • Drain Snake/Hair Clog Tool.

How To Unclog Any Drain Easily - Best Tool For The Job (No Messy Augers!) | Handy Hudsonite

How to make a homemade drain snake?

To make a drain snake, all you need is a wire coat hanger that you can unwind and straighten. Bend the end of the wire into a hook shape and insert it into the drain. Move it around until you feel resistance and then pull out any hair or debris that may be blocking the drain.

Why should you never use baking soda and vinegar to unclog a drain?

The fizzing reaction and gas created may help loosen some small blockages. However, it is not typically strong enough to break down larger clogs or remove hard-to-reach debris. As a result of the above facts, if you have a serious drain clog, using baking soda and vinegar is unlikely to be effective.

What is the best hair dissolver for drains?

The Santeen Sulfuric Acid Drain Opener proved to be the most potent among all the chemical drain cleaners we tested, effectively dissolving 80% of the hair, 80% of the organic matter, 40% of the grease and 76% of the paper products.

Why does hair get stuck in drain?

Hair is one of the most common culprits of a clogged shower drain. The lightweight strands easily wash down the drain and into your pipes. Accumulated hairs in the drain can clump together and cause blockages, turning a simple, relaxing bath or shower into a nuisance.

How to unclog a bathtub drain full of hair without baking soda?

Use a Drain Snake

If you've tried melting the clog with baking soda and vinegar, plunging, and tweezers, a drain snake might help. A drain snake, also known as a plumber's snake, is great for breaking up hair clogs. It can also clean the walls of your drain line.

Will vinegar clean hair out of the drain?

Baking Soda And Vinegar

Start by pouring some liquid soap and then 1 cup of baking soda down the drain. Follow that up with an equal amount of white vinegar and wait 5-10 minutes. The mixture will bubble and fizz as it works to remove the hair clog from your drain.

Why won't my hair snake go down the drain?

The answer may be that you are either using the wrong kind of drain snake, or you are trying to force it through a P-trap, or you are forcing the snake cable through the pipe too quickly or the clog is just too darn big.

How to unclog a bathtub drain full of hair?

For this home remedy, all you need to do is pour a pot of boiling water down the bathtub drain. Then pour a mixture of one cup baking soda and one cup vinegar into the drain. Insert the drain plug, or close the filter, and wait 5–10 minutes. Finally, flush the drain with another pot of boiling water.

Do baking soda and vinegar really dissolve hair?

Another option for dissolving hair in a drain is to use a mixture of baking soda and vinegar. This mixture will create a chemical reaction that will break down the hair.

How to unclog hair from shower drain without a snake?

If boiling water and removing the hair do not work, you may still have to figure out how to unclog a shower drain. To make a DIY cleaning solution, mix 1/3 cup of baking soda with 1/3 cup of vinegar in a heat-resistant cup. Remove the drain cover and pour in the solution, which will immediately start fizzing.

Will bleach unclog hair in a drain?

It is not a great drain clog remover. Bleach has no effect in dissolving the common culprits of household drain clogs, like hair, food scraps and grease. Also, pouring bleach can harm the integrity of your drains and pipes. It's a lose-lose scenario.

What eats hair out of a drain?

Use Baking Soda & Vinegar on the Hair Clog Before Plunging It Out. Baking soda and vinegar can be an extremely effective way of dispatching many clogs, and hair clogs are no exception.

How do you get hair out of a drain fast?

HOW TO GET HAIR OUT OF YOUR DRAIN
  1. USE BAKING SODA & VINEGAR PRIOR TO PLUNGING IT. ...
  2. REMOVE IT WITH TWEEZERS. ...
  3. REMOVE THE DRAIN. ...
  4. CALL A PROFESSIONAL. ...
  5. INSTALL A HAIR CATCHER. ...
  6. APPLY HYGIENE TIPS TO KEEP HAIR OUT OF THE SHOWER. ...
  7. DON'T POUR CHEMICALS INTO YOUR DRAINS. ...
  8. RUN WATER THROUGH YOUR DRAINS.

How long does it take for hair to clog a drain?

Eventually, this ball of hair results in slow-draining water and sometimes even a complete blockage. Depending on how often your drain is used, how much debris makes its way down the drain, and the material your pipes are made of, a hair drain can take a few months all the way down to a few weeks to form.

What do plumbers use to unclog drains?

Plumbers choose hydro jetting equipment for the most stubborn, deep-set clogs. This drain clearing tool uses high-pressure water to flush your pipes and remove years of buildup. The water jet is so strong that it can even break up any tree roots that have found their way into your sewer line.

What liquid dissolves hair?

Enzymatic cleaners, baking soda, vinegar, and hot water are natural options for dissolving hair without using harsh chemicals.

Does hydrogen peroxide dissolve hair in drain?

Thanks to its strong oxidizing properties, hydrogen peroxide can effectively break down organic materials such as hair. This makes it a powerful option for clearing hair clogs in your drains.

Can I pour boiling water down the drain?

Pouring boiling water is quite risky as it might lead to a steam burn or scalding. Another thing to keep in mind is what type of material you are pouring in into. If you have a porcelain sink, it is likely to crack due to the heat. All in all, pouring boiling water down your drain will only cause issues down the road.

What is the best homemade drain cleaner?

Baking Soda + Vinegar
  • Pour 1/2 cup baking soda, followed by 1/2 cup vinegar down drain.
  • Plug drain and let sit for one hour.
  • Then, pour a pot of boiling water down drain. Repeat if necessary.

What do you do if your drain won't unclog?

Pour one cup of fresh baking soda down the drain, followed by one cup of white vinegar. Place a rubber stopper or other sink hole cover over the drain opening. Wait 15 minutes to allow the vinegar and baking soda to unclog your drain, Then take out the drain cover and run hot tap water down the drain to clear the clog.

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