The Top Shower Drain Unblockers for Maximum Clog Removal

The tangled mess that results when hair clogs a drain is something that all of us have witnessed at some point. Get rid of the problem quickly using one of our top picks for bathroom drain unblockers.

In May of 2021, we conducted research to determine which technique was the most effective in removing hairballs from shower drains. The products we evaluated included Mr. Muscle, Ecozone, and Buster, in addition to a home cure consisting of bicarbonate of soda, salt, and vinegar. If your sink and drain are clogged with food rather than hair, take a look at our results for the best kitchen drain unblockers instead of using the items listed below, which are primarily intended for use in bathrooms.

The most effective drain cleaners for the shower, according to our research

Best Buy/Great Value: Removes Clogs from Bathroom Plugholes with Buster

The best deal you’ll find is at ASDA and Tesco, where the price is only $2.29. In addition, it can be purchased from Homebase, Morrisons, Ocado, Sainsbury’s, and Waitrose.

Size: 300ml

Yes, it is appropriate for a septic tank.

Clears the pipes, works in 15 minutes, and the directions are simple and easy to comprehend.

Bottles made of plastic that are only good for one usage Our conclusion is that this was a quick and efficient product that removed all of the hair from the pipes. Due to the effectiveness with which it cleaned in a short amount of time, the Buster Bathroom Plughole Unblocker earned the title of Best Buy. During the course of our experiments, the two big hairballs that we had created by combining various forms of tangled hair were shrunk down to the point where they were able to fit through the U-bend without any additional difficulty.

Best Buy/Great Value: Mr Muscle Power Gel Drain Unblocker

The best deal I saw was at Ocado and Waitrose, where I paid only $2.75. In addition, this product can be purchased through Amazon, Asda, Ocado, Tesco, Sainsbury’s, and Wilko.

Available in both 500 millilitre and one litre sizes.

Yes, it is appropriate for a septic tank.

The benefits include unclogging the drains and having an effect on hair within twenty minutes.

Cons: Due to the reduced capacity, each bottle can only be used once. The final judgement is that this was a very effective product that had a significant impact on the hair, transforming it into an appalling dark sludge. In our tests, we gave this solution an allowance of twenty minutes because of the difficult nature of a hairball clog; nonetheless, we discovered that it appeared to function much faster than that. We did this since the product instructs users to leave it on for a longer period of time in order to remove difficult clogs. As a result of its performance as a Best Buy in our evaluations of products to unclog kitchen drains, we consider this to be an extremely practical addition to any storage space designated for cleaning supplies.

How well the remaining bathroom drain uncloggers that we evaluated performed

The results of our research on the various products designed to clear clogs from kitchen drains are presented below in alphabetical order.

 

 

Bathroom Blocks Away Plughole Unblocker

Cheapest price: £5.99  offered at Lakeland

Size: 250ml

Suitable for a septic tank: Yes

Pros: Two uses per bottle

Cons: Required a plunger to get rid of the hairball, makes a very overwhelming aroma, takes at least six hours Our verdict: We still needed a plunger to dislodge the hairball after waiting for the product to work overnight. This product also creates an extremely unpleasant and persistent stench of burnt hair. Between the wait time, the stench and how it needed extra help on both instances in our tests, we weren’t thrilled with this product.

Hair Unclogger for Plugholes by Ecozone.

Cheapest price: £8.98 available at Amazon

Size: 250 ml

Yes, it is appropriate for a septic tank.

The bottle can be used for two different purposes, and the directions are straightforward and easy to understand.

Negatives include the need for a plunger to remove the hairball, the production of a pungent and disagreeable odour, and the 12-hour wait time. Our conclusion is that it is slow, but it is effective, and it is rather pungent. This product required 12 hours to function, and during that time there was an awful stench of burnt hair in the area surrounding the sink. On both cases, a hairball was extracted with the use of a plunger after the initial period of time of 12 hours had elapsed.

 

Flexisnake

Amazon offers this device at the most competitive price of $14.01, while a number of other stores sell goods that are functionally equivalent.

45.72 centimetres in length

Yes, it is appropriate for a septic tank.

The product is reusable, and it is both quick and simple to use.

Cons: Difficult to clean, and a little bit messy Our conclusion is that this reusable tool is a chemical-free alternative that is suitable for environmentally aware households that want to avoid using chemicals. Those with more unrefined preferences can take a perverse pleasure in the challenge of removing hair clogs from the drain using a product of this kind. Others might find this technique to be a little bit revolting. In either case, utilising this instrument is a breeze and yields positive results.

HG Unblocker for the Hair

Cheapest price: £5.70 available at Amazon. Additionally accessible through Robert Dyas and Tesco.

Size: 450ml

Not appropriate for use in a septic tank:

The product cleans the pipes, and the instructions are easy to understand and follow.

Bottles are disposable, and the product consists of two plastic bottles packaged in a cardboard box. The results of our investigation reveal a substantial box containing an efficient product. This more substantial item comes in a substantial amount of packaging. The HG Hair Unblocker comes in a set of two bottles, each of which you are instructed to empty into your drain in turn. It takes about an hour for the product to function, and both times we used it, the hairballs flushed down our U-bends without any problems.

Soda Crystals

Ocado offers the best deal, with prices starting at just 80 pence.

Size: 1kg

Yes, it is appropriate for a septic tank.

Numerous cleaning choices are available, which is a definite plus.

Cons: Needed a plunger, did not appear to have any effect on the hairball, and this product required more preparation than the others do. Our conclusion is that while Soda Crystals have a wide variety of applications, one of those applications does not appear to be the removal of hair from the plughole of a shower. In both of our tests, the use of Soda Crystals had no discernible effect on the accumulation of hairballs. Because of this, we were forced to use a plunger to clear the blockage in the sink.

Did you have success with the home remedy that consisted of baking soda, salt, and vinegar?

It is possible that you will come across recommendations on the internet that assert baking soda, salt, and vinegar are effective ways to clear clogged drains and pipes. So that we could determine whether or not it is accurate, we put it to the test. Both of these attempts to remove the hairball with a combination that consisted of bicarbonate of soda (125g), salt (125g), and vinegar (125ml) in equal parts were unsuccessful. We were unable to extract the hairball without the use of a plunger.

The solution to the problem of hair getting caught in drains

The most effective treatment is prevention. The following advice can help to prevent a hairball from ever causing your drains to become clogged in the first place:

You could try to comb or brush your hair before getting in the shower or bath to reduce the amount of hair that ends up in the plumbing.

Pop-up plugs: if your device has a pop-up plug, you should periodically unscrew it to check for and remove any debris that may have accumulated. While the plug is still unscrewed, water needs to be poured down the drain.

Protecting the drain with a drain protector is an easy and inexpensive way to add an additional barrier between stray hair and the plughole.

The Hair Catcher has a design that makes it appear to be a drain protector; yet, its primary function is to collect hair.

Enzyme sticks are a type of cleaning product that can be used around once per month and are intended to work overtime; however, they are not effective in removing a serious blockage.

What exactly are the symbols for chemical hazards, and what do they indicate?

The majority of products on the market designed to unclog drains include chemicals that are harmful to both humans and the environment. The following is a list of symbols that may appear on certain products, along with their definitions and instructions for how to handle them safely.

Explosive (symbol: exploding bomb)

A substance that, when subjected to certain test conditions, such as being dry or being affected by flame or heat, has the potential to explode.

Learn how to use the material by reading the instructions provided.

Make sure the containers are stored in an area that is cool, has enough of ventilation, and has lids that fit tightly.

Keep out of the reach of any sources of heat or ignition.

It is imperative that the material and its containers be discarded in a secure way.

Flammable (symbol: flame)

flammable when brought into contact with sources of fire, sparks, or heat. When brought into contact with water, the chemicals denoted by this symbol may release gases that are combustible.

Avoid ignition sources (sparks, flames and heat).

Keep your distance.

Put on the appropriate protection gear.

 

 

Oxidising (symbol: flame over circle)

It is possible for this to trigger an explosion, fire, or damage to live tissue, which would then result in chemical burns. When it interacts with other compounds, it produces a reaction that is quite exothermic.

Learn how to use the material by reading the instructions provided.

Make sure the containers are stored in an area that is cool, has enough of ventilation, and has lids that fit tightly.

Keep out of the reach of any sources of heat or ignition.

It is imperative that both the item and its container be discarded in a secure way.

 

Corrosive (symbol: corrosion)

If it comes into contact with the skin, it could cause burns or the destruction of living tissue.

Wear adequate protective equipment (PPE).

Take off any clothing that may be contaminated, and dispose of it in a secure manner.

In the event that you come into contact with your skin, wash with plenty of water as soon as possible.

In the case that the substance comes into contact with the eyes, immediately flush them with lots of water for fifteen minutes and then seek immediate medical attention.

How we evaluated products that unclog shower drains

The following evaluation was performed on all of the products in our selection of drain unblockers so that we could determine which one was the most effective.

The frame work

We used a freestanding catering sink and one 44mm U-bend for each test. Each U-bend was stuffed with a hairball that we produced using equal parts shampoo and straight, wavy, and curly human hair. Before beginning the testing, 500 millilitres of hot water was put into the plughole. This was done so that each clog would be firmly secured in its position. After that, the products were applied according to the directions on the packaging, and the clogs were left for the shortest amount of time necessary. Following that, eight litres of hot water from the faucet were used to flush through the U-bends. At this stage, a plunger was utilised only when absolutely essential. When a plunger was required, it was described in the previous section.

It was a test.

Before and after the products were applied, the pipes were viewed through a tube camera to determine how effectively the product had performed its intended function. After that, we timed how long it took for eight litres of cold water from the tap to travel through the U-bend and the pipes. We compared these durations to those obtained from a test in which an unused U-bend was utilised. The more quickly the water was able to move through, the more effectively the product had functioned. Each product was put through two separate tests.

How we decided on these drain uncloggers for the kitchen

We chose one product from each company, and we focused on finding things that are sold in national retailers. We ended up buying all of the products that we evaluated.