Hair and soap
Long hair is the main ingredient, but soap is the glue. Bar soap leaves a fatty film that reacts with hard York Region water and turns sticky, giving hair something to cling to. Shower drains slow gradually over months; a lavatory sink can go from fine to standing water in a day. A gurgle in the tub when the toilet flushes is a different signal, and points us to the shared branch line instead.
Pop-up stoppers
Most bathroom sinks have a pop-up stopper worked by a rod behind the faucet. That rod passes through the drain body on a pivot ball, and hair loves to wrap around it. We remove the stopper, pull out the mat, check that the pivot nut is sealed, and reset the linkage so it closes fully. Tub drains with a trip lever get the same treatment through the overflow plate, and shower drains are cleared from above after we lift the strainer.
Cleaning without harsh chemicals
Caustic drain openers heat up inside the pipe, which can soften plastic traps and pit old metal. They also leave a hazard for the next person who opens the trap next. We use mechanical tools: hand augers for sinks and tubs, a small drum machine when the clog sits beyond the trap. Afterward, a hair catcher in the shower and a a kettle of hot water down the sink keep things moving.
- Brush hair before showering.
- Clean the stopper every few weeks.
- Switch to liquid soap if clogs keep returning.
Signs you need this in your house
- Ankle-deep water in the shower by the end of a rinse
- Sink stopper pulls up wrapped in hair
- Tub overflow plate gurgles
- Toilet bubbles when the tub drains
Questions people ask us
Why does my tub drain slowly but the sink is fine?
Tubs have a lower drop and more hair. The clog is almost always within the first foot of pipe.
Can you replace a broken pop-up?
Yes. We carry common drain assemblies and can match most finishes.