Plumbing tips · October 26, 2026
Hair-raising: the slow bathtub drain
A tub that takes longer to drain every week is almost always hair, caught on the stopper and in the first few inches of pipe.
Why tubs clog
Hair goes down the drain with every bath and shower. It wraps around the stopper and catches in the first bend below it, and soap scum sticks to it until the water can barely get past.
Pull the stopper and clean it
Most stoppers lift straight out or unscrew. A lift-and-turn stopper usually has a small screw under the cap. A trip lever stopper comes out with the overflow plate on the front of the tub. Clean the hair and buildup off it before you put it back.
Clear what is below it
A plastic drain strip, the kind with small barbs along it, pulls out hair from the first few inches of the drain. Push it down, twist it and pull it back out slowly. Repeat until it comes up clean and run hot water to check.
Skip the harsh chemicals
Drain cleaner rarely dissolves a hair clog all the way. It can sit in the tub and the pipe, and it is hard on older drains and on whoever opens the line next.
Questions we get asked
How do I keep the tub from clogging again?
Put a hair catcher over the drain and empty it after every bath or shower. Clean the stopper every few months, before it gets slow.Why is the tub slow but the sink is fine?
The clog is in the tub's own drain, close to the tub. If the sink, toilet and shower are all slow too, the problem is further down the line and needs a plumber.Why does the tub gurgle when it drains?
A gurgle usually means air is being pulled through a partial clog or the drain is not venting well. Clear the hair first. If it still gurgles, have the drain and vent checked.Plumbing questions we answer
Where we go
Parker, Wise and Tarrant County, out of the shop in Springtown. Springtown, Weatherford, Azle, Boyd, Decatur, Newark, Millsap, Fort Worth and the country in between.
Call 817-487-8866