Grucky Stuff

[Roger Wright]

Anyone who has hair and practices some semblance of personal hygiene knows what I mean - the stuff that clogs the shower drain. Everyone has to deal with it, and no one I know looks forward to it. The question is, what's the least objectionable way to remove it? The best I've found is a combination of needle-nose pliers and a flat-blade screwdriver, but surely there's a better method! I envision a tool - perhaps I'll have to invent it - that resembles a Forstner bit. It would have flat blades on the bottom to shear the hair at the drain grate, with slightly rounded outer edges to avoid scratching the finish on the drain (which would lead to nasty corrosion). A T-handle would provide the leverage to cut the goop, and would provide tactile feedback to the user to indicate when metal is struck. Is there such a thing?

"...a photo album is like Life, but flat and stuck to pages." - Shog9

[PIEBALDconsult]

I just use my fingers.

[JimmyRopes]

I find the tool for fetching dropped things like nuts or bolts that have fallen to hard to reach places works well. I don't know the name if it but it has a flexable shaft with a set of 3 or 4 claws on one end. When you push the shaft that goes into the flex casing the claws extend from the other end. It is spring loaded and when you release pressure the claws retract and close around the object you are trying to retrieve. Once the drain cover is removed this works well to reach into a pipe and retrieve the hair ball that accumulate inside the drain pipe usually in the trap designed to catch things like rings dropped down the drain. -- modified at 17:35 Sunday 11th February, 2007 Thanks to Trollslayer I found a picture of the tool I was thinking of. Pick Up Tool[^]

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[Duncan Edwards Jones]

Rent and move every 6 months or so :-)

'--8<------------------------ Ex Datis: Duncan Jones Merrion Computing Ltd

[David Wulff]

Roger Wright wrote:

Is there such a thing?

A wife?

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[El Corazon]

David Wulff wrote:

A wife?

I'm telling you said that! :-D

_________________________ Asu no koto o ieba, tenjo de nezumi ga warau. Talk about things of tomorrow and the mice in the ceiling laugh. (Japanese Proverb)

[El Corazon]

Roger Wright wrote:

Anyone who has hair

I used to.... ;) about two feet of it. :cool: but not anymore.... however, they do make things that help. I use a hand snake, there are also brushes: http://www.improvementscatalog.com/parent.asp?product=207287x&dept%5Fid=16140&cm_ven=NexTag&cm_ite=16140&code=macs=MP6NEXTAG[^] http://www.nextag.com/Zip-It-63824787/prices-html[^] http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/B0001DA8YE/nextag-tools-20/ref=nosim[^]

_________________________ Asu no koto o ieba, tenjo de nezumi ga warau. Talk about things of tomorrow and the mice in the ceiling laugh. (Japanese Proverb)

[Mike Hankey]

Try a drain snake..plumbers use it and charge you a fortune..Has a flexible shaft and a small bulb with a point (kinda) at the end. It'll remove anything...almost!

Started out with nothing and still have most of it left!

[Jorgen Sigvardsson]

How about caustic soda, a toilet brush and running water?

-- Verletzen zerfetzen zersetzen zerstören Doch es darf nicht mir gehören Ich muss zerstören

[Lost User]

I think you're talking about a pearl catcher.

The tigress is here :-D

[Member 96]

You can buy a little plastic or rubber thing with a metal strainer built into it that pops into the shower drain and catches all that stuff without impeding water flow. They sell them at most hardware stores. When you want to empty it you just pull it out and thump it against the garbage can and pop it back in, end of problem. And no chance you will ever lose your wedding ring or an earring etc down the drain.

[JimmyRopes]

Yes - thank you Elaine - very similar to a pearl catcher. :cool: I hadn't heard of a pearl catcher before and when I searched for it the only difference that I could see was that the pearl catchers looked rigid whereas the tool I was thinking of is flexible and a bit longer. Turns out that a company called Maplin sells both a pearl catcher (£0.98) and the tool I was thinking of which they call a pick up tool (£2.99). See Maplin Pick Up Tool[^].

Simply Elegant Designs JimmyRopes Designs
Think inside the box! ProActive Secure Systems
I'm on-line therefore I am. JimmyRopes

[peterchen]

NaOH

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[Marc Clifton]

Roger Wright wrote:

The best I've found is a combination of needle-nose pliers and a flat-blade screwdriver, but surely there's a better method!

When the plumber was over replacing the heating elements in the water heater (which looked a bit like a Klingon Battle Cruiser after an encounter with the Borg), those two tools were exactly what he recommended for the "grucky stuff". Marc

Thyme In The Country

People are just notoriously impossible. --DavidCrow
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[Shog9 0]

How about a large, flat drill bit and a vicegrip (locking pliers)? I'd think you'd be able to get a bit of sufficient length and width to fit just about any drain... (I have a wife now, so no longer worry about such matters... :rolleyes: )

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[El Corazon]

you have inspired me... I cleaned the drain, the tub, the bathroom, the kitchen, the kitchen disposal (with all different grucky sediment in there -- and disinfected everything). :) of course now I will come down sick since I cleaned everything that would otherwise make me ill, so my defenses will wane and I will fall ill by next week. ;)

_________________________ Asu no koto o ieba, tenjo de nezumi ga warau. Talk about things of tomorrow and the mice in the ceiling laugh. (Japanese Proverb)

[S Douglas]

Roger Wright wrote:

the stuff that clogs the shower drain.

This is perhaps the most odd post I've seen in the lounge in a very long time. Did Link spoof your ID? :rolleyes:

Roger Wright wrote:

The question is, what's the least objectionable way to remove it?

Water pressure. Really good water presure to prevent the build up in the first place. :)

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I'd love to help, but unfortunatley I have prior commitments monitoring the length of my grass. :Andrew Bleakley:

[Roger Wright]

Once in a while, especially on weekends, it gets a bit stodgy in here. I like to come up with unusual topics to encourage out-of-the-box thinking as a public service.:-D

"...a photo album is like Life, but flat and stuck to pages." - Shog9

[Roger Wright]

Jeffry J. Brickley wrote:

you have inspired me

My work is done here. I'm so proud of you...:-D

"...a photo album is like Life, but flat and stuck to pages." - Shog9

[Roger Wright]

Good thought!

Shog9 wrote:

I have a wife now, so no longer worry about such matters

I wouldn't be taking that for granted...;)

"...a photo album is like Life, but flat and stuck to pages." - Shog9