How to Unclog Hair from Shower Drain Without a Snake (6 Steps)

You know that awful moment—you’re standing in ankle-deep water during your shower, and it just won’t drain. You already know the culprit: hair stuck down there. And the worst part? You don’t have one of those drain snakes. But don’t worry—you don’t need one.

You can still unclog your shower drain easily with things you already have at home. In this article, you’ll learn a simple, step-by-step guide to remove hair from the drain without using a snake. It’s easy, cheap, and you’ll be shocked at how well it works.

Remove the Drain Cover First

Before you can even get to the hair, the first thing you need to do is remove the drain cover. Most shower drains have some kind of cover or grate that stops big things like soap pieces and hair from going straight down. But guess what? That hair still sneaks in and bunches up underneath.

If your drain cover just pops off, you’re lucky. Use your fingers or a butter knife to gently lift it. If it’s screwed down, you’ll need a screwdriver. Look for small screws—usually there are just two. Take your time unscrewing them, and don’t drop them down the drain! Place the screws in a safe spot so you can find them later.

Sometimes, the cover is sticky because of all the grime or rust. If that happens, wiggle it side to side while pulling up. Don’t yank too hard—you don’t want to break anything. If it’s still stuck, spray a little vinegar around the edges and wait ten minutes. This helps loosen up gunk that might be making it hard to remove.

Once the cover is off, take a look. You might already see the hair ball sitting there. Gross, right? That’s years of soap, conditioner, and hair wrapped into a nasty clump. Now you’re ready for the next step: grabbing it out.

• Use a butter knife or screwdriver to pop the cover
• Unscrew any tiny screws if needed
• Spray vinegar if the cover is stuck
• Always keep screws in a safe spot
• Don’t force the cover too hard

Use Your Fingers or a Tweezer

Once the drain cover is off, it’s time to face the gross part: reaching in and pulling out that tangled mess of hair. It might feel a bit icky, but trust me—it’s the fastest way to get it out.

Start by putting on some rubber gloves if you have them. If not, you can wrap your hand in a plastic bag. You don’t want to touch all that slimy stuff with bare hands. Shine a flashlight down the drain so you can see better. You’ll probably spot a bunch of hair sitting right at the top or a little deeper down.

Reach in carefully and start pulling the hair out with your fingers. It may come out in small clumps or one big nasty ball. If you can’t grab it with your fingers, use a tweezer or a pair of long kitchen tongs. Move slowly and gently—you don’t want to push the hair deeper.

Some hairs may be wrapped around the crossbar inside the drain. That’s a little plastic or metal piece that holds things in place. Use the tweezers to carefully unwind or cut the hair from it. Take your time, and be patient.

Once you’ve pulled out as much hair as you can, throw it straight into a trash bag. Don’t flush it—it’ll just clog something else. If there’s still more hair you can’t reach, don’t worry. We’ll loosen it up in the next step.

• Wear gloves or use a plastic bag
• Use a flashlight to see inside
• Pull hair out slowly using fingers or tweezers
• Don’t push the hair deeper
• Toss hair in the trash, not the toilet

Pour Boiling Water Down the Drain

After removing most of the visible hair, it’s time to break down what’s left. One easy and powerful way to do that is by using boiling water. You’d be surprised how well this works.

First, boil a big pot of water on the stove. You can use a kettle if that’s easier. When the water is boiling hot, carefully take it to your bathroom. Make sure to pour slowly—don’t splash it on yourself or the floor. Aim straight into the drain.

The boiling water will help melt away any soap scum, conditioner residue, or greasy build-up that’s holding on to the remaining hair. It also loosens smaller strands of hair stuck deeper in the pipe. You might hear a gurgle or a swoosh sound—that means it’s working.

If the water starts to pool, wait a few minutes and pour more boiling water again. You can do this two or three times until the drain begins to clear. Just remember: don’t do this if your drain is made of PVC plastic, as boiling water can damage it. For metal drains, you’re totally fine.

After the last pour, wait a few minutes and then try running some regular hot tap water. If it flows smoothly, you’re doing great. If it’s still slow, the next step will take care of it.

• Boil a big pot of water
• Carefully pour it into the drain
• Wait and repeat 2–3 times if needed
• Don’t use boiling water on plastic (PVC) pipes
• Test with hot tap water after pouring

Mix Baking Soda and Vinegar

Now that you’ve used boiling water, it’s time to try one of the oldest and most natural cleaning tricks out there—baking soda and vinegar. This fizzy combo breaks down hair, grease, and buildup without any harsh chemicals.

First, pour about half a cup of dry baking soda into the drain. You might need to push it in using a spoon or your fingers if it clumps at the top. Once the baking soda is in, pour one cup of white vinegar slowly into the same drain.

As soon as the vinegar hits the baking soda, you’ll hear fizzing and bubbling. That’s the magic reaction! It works its way down the pipe, breaking apart gunk, grime, and yes—even hair. Let it sit for at least 30 minutes. If you can wait an hour, even better.

During this time, the mixture is doing the hard work for you. Go relax and let nature take care of the problem. After the time’s up, boil another pot of water and pour it down the drain to flush everything out.

This method works best when used regularly too. If you do this once a month, your shower drain will stay clear, and you won’t have to deal with giant hair clogs ever again.

• Pour ½ cup of baking soda
• Follow with 1 cup of vinegar
• Let fizz for 30 to 60 minutes
• Flush with boiling water
• Repeat monthly to prevent clogs

Use a Bent Wire or Coat Hanger

If you still think there’s some hair stuck deeper in the drain, you can make your own tool—a DIY version of a snake—using a wire hanger. It’s cheap, quick, and very effective.

Take a regular wire coat hanger and straighten it out. Then, bend one end to make a small hook. The hook should be just big enough to grab onto hair without getting stuck itself. If the hanger has a plastic coating, peel it off from the hook part to make it easier to catch the gunk.

Now, slowly lower the hooked end into the drain. Gently twist and move it around to grab any hair that’s hiding down there. Pull it up carefully—you might bring up another messy clump. Wipe it off with a paper towel and repeat until nothing more comes up.

Sometimes the hanger won’t go far because of a curve in the pipe. Don’t force it—just try changing the angle. This method takes a little patience, but it works better than you might think.

• Straighten a wire hanger
• Make a small hook on one end
• Insert carefully and twist to grab hair
• Pull slowly and remove any gunk
• Repeat until nothing comes out

Flush Everything with Hot Water and Dish Soap

After pulling out as much hair as possible, the final step is to clean out the pipe so it’s fully open and smells fresh. Hot water mixed with dish soap is perfect for this.

First, boil another pot of water. While that’s heating up, squirt a generous amount of dish soap—about 2 tablespoons—directly into the drain. Dish soap is great because it breaks down oily, greasy gunk left behind by shampoo and conditioner.

Once the water is boiling, pour it slowly into the drain over the dish soap. You’ll see bubbles forming, and you might even notice the drain sounding different—it’s a good sign. This final rinse pushes any leftover hair or grime down the pipe and clears it completely.

After that, run the hot tap water for a full minute to make sure everything flows freely. You should now have a clean, fresh-smelling, fully unclogged drain—and you didn’t even need a snake!

• Pour dish soap into the drain
• Follow with boiling water
• Let it bubble and clean inside the pipe
• Run hot tap water for 1 minute
• Enjoy a clean, clog-free shower

Final Thoughts

Clogged shower drains are annoying, but they don’t have to be a big problem. You don’t need special tools or a drain snake to fix it. With a little effort, some boiling water, baking soda, vinegar, and simple tools you already have at home, you can clear that clog like a pro. The best part? Now you know how to do it yourself and won’t need to call a plumber next time. Keep these tricks in mind, and you’ll always have a clean, smooth-draining shower.

Method Used	What You Need	What It Does
Remove Drain Cover	Screwdriver or butter knife	Exposes hair blockage
Use Fingers or Tweezer	Gloves, tweezers	Pulls out visible hair
Boiling Water	Pot/kettle	Loosens and melts build-up
Baking Soda & Vinegar	Baking soda, vinegar	Breaks down hidden clogs
Bent Wire Hanger	Coat hanger	Reaches deeper clogs
Dish Soap & Hot Water	Dish soap, hot water	Flushes and freshens drain

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

Is it safe to pour boiling water into my shower drain?

Yes, if your drain pipes are metal, it’s perfectly safe to pour boiling water. It helps loosen up soap and hair stuck inside. However, if you have plastic (PVC) pipes, avoid using boiling water because it can warp or damage them. In that case, use hot tap water instead. Boiling water is especially useful after using baking soda and vinegar, or dish soap, to help flush everything clean. Always pour slowly to avoid splashing and burns.

Can I use vinegar and baking soda more than once?

Yes, you can definitely use this combo more than once. In fact, using it regularly—like once every month—can prevent hair and grease from building up in your drain. It’s natural, cheap, and safe for your pipes. If your drain is really clogged, you can repeat the process a second time within the same day. Just make sure to let the fizzing settle before pouring in hot water. Over time, this method keeps your pipes healthy without chemicals.

Do I need gloves to pull out hair from the drain?

Gloves are strongly recommended. Pulling out wet, slimy hair can be really gross and sometimes sharp if broken pieces of plastic or soap are stuck to it. Rubber gloves protect your hands and make cleanup easier. If you don’t have gloves, a plastic grocery bag over your hand works too. Just don’t do it barehanded unless you’re really comfortable with getting dirty.

Is it okay to use a metal coat hanger?

Yes, it’s okay to use a metal coat hanger as long as you’re careful. You should bend a small hook at one end and insert it gently into the drain. Don’t force it or jab too hard, or it might scratch your pipe or get stuck. A coat hanger works well as a homemade tool for grabbing hair deep in the drain when fingers or tweezers can’t reach. Always twist gently and pull slowly.

Can boiling water damage my shower drain?

Boiling water can damage plastic pipes, especially PVC ones. If your shower has those kinds of pipes, it’s better to use hot tap water instead. But for metal drains, boiling water is safe and very effective. It melts away sticky grime and helps move hair clumps further down so they don’t clog. Always check what kind of pipes you have before using boiling water often.

Do I need to take off the drain cover every time?

You don’t always have to remove the cover unless the drain is really clogged. But when dealing with hair clogs, it’s a good idea to take it off. That way, you can see what’s going on and pull out the hair directly. Once it’s clean, you can leave the cover on and do regular maintenance like vinegar and baking soda to prevent more clogs.

Is it better to call a plumber?

You don’t need to call a plumber for a basic hair clog in the shower. Most of the time, you can fix it yourself using simple tools and home products. If you’ve tried everything and the water still won’t drain, then maybe call a professional. But for regular hair blockages, these steps work great and save you a lot of money.

Can I prevent hair from clogging the shower?

Yes, and it’s easier than you think. First, use a drain cover or hair catcher. Clean it after every shower. Second, do a baking soda and vinegar flush once a month to keep things clean. And try brushing your hair before you shower to remove loose strands. These small steps help stop hair from building up and keep your drain flowing freely.