Most plug holes get blocked because of cooking oil and grease, but in the bathroom it is often hair which causes a blockage. Soap scum can also cause a bad blockage, which needs to be sorted as soon as it is noticed. Mrs Hinch fans have taken to social media to share a variety of methods to flush the blockage through.
Posting on the Mrs Hinch Cleaning Tips Facebook page, Lin Whatley wrote: “Does anyone have any tips on how I can unblock hair down the plug hole please?”
There are a variety of different ways to target hair blockages, but one Mrs Hinch fan recommended using hair removal cream.
Emma Baker commented: “Cheap hair removal cream. Mix it with hot water in a jug and simply pour it down there and leave for 15 minutes before rinsing.”
Gemma Grayson said: “Hair removal cream works a treat followed by boiling hot water after.”
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Jules Wager said: “Put loads of hair removal cream down the drain, it will dissolve all traces of hair.”
Den Matthews agreed: “Yes, hair removal cream really works, absolutely holy grail.”
Hair removal cream can be picked up from supermarkets as well as retailers like B&M for as little as £1.
Typically, removal cream helps to attack the structure of the hair, breaking it down and effectively dissolving it away.
However, if there is a large amount of hair, this hack may not work and homeowners should look for another method, including using white vinegar or soda crystals.
Karen Hughes said: “I leave them in the drain overnight with white vinegar and then pour boiling water over.”
Christine Jago wrote: “Soda crystals. Follow the instructions but it always unblocks our drains.”
Soda crystals can help to remove grease and fat blockages as well as hair and they can be purchased for as little as £2 a bag.
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Removing hair from the plughole regularly can help to prevent build-ups from happening in the first place.
As well as bathroom plug holes becoming blocked, kitchen sinks can become easily blocked due to cooking fats, oils and food particles.
After asking for advice on the same Facebook page, Tasha said she had already tried baking soda along with white vinegar but it did “nothing”.
Amber Day said: “Take the U-bend off under the sink and clean it, it will easily unscrew and screw back on. I clean mine all the time.”
June Adamson replied: “Are you brave enough to open up the U-bend? There will be a YouTube video to help.”
Firstly, locate the U-bend, which is the first bend in the pipe immediately below the plughole.
Place a bucket under this and carefully unscrew the section of pipe, it is a common area where blockages tend to occur.
If you are not confident doing so, hire a professional to avoid any further damage occurring.