I should start with a disclaimer: Augers are typically used by professionals, not because of their complexity or effectiveness, but because they can cause real damage to your pipes. For instance, I live in an old Brooklyn apartment built in who knows when, the kitchen drain pipe already eroded away naturally and had to be replaced, this tool sticks METAL down your pipes, so there is a definite possibility you can crack or break your pipes.
But, if you're as stubborn as I am and won't head even your own good advice, read on!
The wife moved in a few years ago, so in order to deal with the newfangled long hair down the drain problem, I attempted a few solutions. One being a drain catch, which worked well until we stopped using it (who wants to throw THAT away every two months?). Another was Draino, but I'm not a huge fan of pouring chemicals down the waterways, and I'd been warned that it's basically a hazard should the pipe have serious issues. So I kicked the can down the road.
Late last week, the tiny Brooklyn shower-stall started draining very slow. The water backed up to just under the three-inch lip, so I checked trusty Amazon for a cheap snake. I saw some promising new tech with microfibers or nanofibers or some sort of old-timey pipe cleaner my dad used to use when he smoked tobacco. While scrolling, this product popped up and I figured, hey why not waste $15 when I was planning on wasting only $5?
It arrived about 20 minutes ago. Instructions were on the back of the label, a little overly-simplified so basically ignored. I unscrewed the screw, yanked out the metal wire thingy and stuck it down the shower drain, remembering to be gentle on my ancient pipes. At first pass I got a tiny feather of hair at the tip of the metal. I shrugged at figured the backup fixed itself (this weekend the shower seemed to drain fine, so not quite magical thinking).
I decided to give it another go, gently reeled it down, spinning the little wheel thing a bit. I enjoyed the activity, pretending it was basically urban fishing. I pulled up just as gently as I had pushed down, and I felt a little suction forming at the bottom. Did I catch a nibble? OH DEAR GOD I DID!
What came out (and while I just had a couple fishing metaphors, this is not a Big Fish Story) I kid you not, was a glob of hair(?) literally the size of my wrist to my elbow. It literally looked like someone had dropped a sock down the drain. So, as disgusting as that might be, I am extraordinarily happy to have purchased this, may I never have to use it again.
For cleanup, I picked the bulk up in a plastic bag. I used my pug's doggy bags to pull apart the hairs still attached to the auger, and eventually just used a knife to cut the strands that had wrapped themselves around the metal. Rinsed everything off, and was done. All together, the job took about 25 minutes: a minute to unwrap and disregard the instructions, 4 minutes to make two attempts at fishing down my drain, a minute to call the wife in to show off my catch, 8 minutes to clean, and 11 minutes to write a raving review of this amazing product.
| Manufacturer | DrainX |
|---|---|
| Part Number | DRX-1002 |
| Item Weight | 2.79 pounds |
| Package Dimensions | 11.7 x 6.8 x 6.6 inches |
| Is Discontinued By Manufacturer | No |
| Size | 25 FT |
| Batteries Included? | No |
| Batteries Required? | No |
