DrainFunnel: How to prevent clogged hair in drains

Plumber debunks the common myth that you shouldn’t ever let hair go down the shower drain – but there’s a catch

Plumber invents product to stop hair blocking drains and pipes
DrainFunnel can be inserted into ‘standard bath drains’

By Carina Stathis For Daily Mail Australia

A plumber has invented a ‘genius’ product to prevent hair clogging up bathroom drains.

Justin, from the US, started developing the idea in 2016 then launched DrainFunnel during the pandemic on October 5, 2020.

And while plastic piping alone reduces the chances of hair causing a blockage, the small $21 rubber funnel sits in the opening and lets your hair flow smoothly down, preventing it from catching on the crossbars.

‘I quit my job in the middle of the pandemic to pursue something that I believed in and it turned out better than I could have imagined,’ Justin said.

While plastic piping alone reduces the chances of hair clogging the drain, the small $21 rubber funnel sits in the opening, catches hair as it hits and funnels it down seamlessly

Why does hair clog drains and how can you prevent it?

Hair typically gets caught around the tub stopper or in the grate that covers the tub drain. If you remove the tub stopper or grate you will see that your drain has metal crossbars.

These crossbars are in the majority of drains and are the cause of most bathtub clogs. Hair will tend to wrap around the crossbars causing a ‘snowball’ effect until finally you are ankle deep in slow-running water.

A funnel lets your hair flow smoothly down the drain, preventing hair from catching on the crossbars of the tub drain.

A video posted on TikTok demonstrated just how well the small contraption works, catching the attention of thousands.

In one clip, a clump of hair glides through the drain after the funnel is inserted and doesn’t get caught anywhere in the pipes.

Customers who have tried the product had nothing but rave reviews.

‘After trying all forms of hair catchers, this is the first to work long term and you don’t have to clean it out. Our tub regularly clogged up before and hasn’t since we bought one over a year ago. Completely solved a persistent problem,’ one woman wrote.

Another said: ‘As a person with very long hair, this works better than any drain product I’ve ever used!’

How does it work?

1. Remove your tub-stopper or grate

2. Clean out your drain

3. Insert DrainFunnel so it lines up with one quadrant of the drain

However, depending on the age of the pipes and type, the simple solution may not work for everyone.

‘Hair isn’t the problem, it’s the other stuff they put down the drains,’ one person commented on TikTok.

‘Hard water is a thing and it catches hair,’ another said, pointing out another possible issue.

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Read more at DailyMail.co.uk