Drain Weasel: a solution for hair-clogged sinks

Originally published at: http://boingboing.net/2015/02/20/a-solution-for-hair-clogged-si.html

Darin Weasel == Drain weasel?

Any thoughts on how it would work on the serious beard based slow down my bathroom sink is experiencing? I think my face hairs would be too short to tangle up in its business end.

stop it before it becomes a problem.

That won’t stop the beard trimmings.
And you can usually get a 3pack at a dollar store.

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I read “Darwin Weasel”.

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Was Darin Weasel on Bewitched?

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It looks relatively handy. Yet there usually should be a cleanout in the trap just below the sink
which you can just unscrew, and can probably do a better job there.

One thing that I’m interested is using my drain bladder (only cost around $10) I just recently had a clog to deal with and ended up renting an midsize auger, which did the job, but being 1/2" thick was almost too big to round bends. The guy at the store suggested this next time.

While it is probably more suitable for grease and food type clogs than hair.

And a plumber friend suggested never to use (caustic drano type cleaners, or those pressure bomb type thingys as they can end up doing more damage to old plumbing and the caustic stuff can come back up at you)

I had a clog once that I had to get to the plumbing on the lower floor and get it out through cleanout or cut a new one in. It was like river mud, the consistence of cheesecake.

Use tweezers. Works similarly. The hair is usually pre-entangled into a grabbable mess already.

If it gets clogged with beard clippings, too short for this, use a lye to dissolve 'em. Aka a drain cleaner.

Wear goggles. Mom had a mild non-lasting-damage emergency years ago when getting a droplet of this concoction in her eye wen the sink spat.

No, Darin Weasel was in Ferguson.

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I think Darin Weasel sings “Mack the Knife” in Disney’s version of Threepenny Opera.

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That’s Derwood for you…

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Ooh, this looks pretty useful. I, too, have used the Zip-it, which also claims to be disposable, despite being easily cleanable. The one drawback there is that it’s quite easy to damage, with the barbs getting caught on drain edges. THIS one looks like it really should survive multiple uses intact.

A drain bladder (at home depot I think the brand is “Drain king”) is the bomb in terms of clearing a clog beyond the trap. I have a big one for the outside, and a little one for the kitchen sink, and it’s allowed me to throw away my snakes and other tools. The things are amazing, as long as you have access to the pipe to put it in. Hook it to a hose, turn it on–it expands to fill the pipe (preventing back flow) and let it run, and the clog is flushed. I’ve used them for years and nothing, ever, has worked as well for most clogs.

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Do they make one of these for clogged toilets?

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I find the Zip-it works well enough. I’ve asked the females in my household HOW the long hairs ends up in the sink, and gotten no answer. They say they don’t do it deliberately. And they do their stuff in different bathrooms, it’s not like it’s additive!

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Absolutely. Oh, wait, did you mean to unclog toilets? Shitweasels are usually only good for the other way around.

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It’s probably a pretty good product. I’ve had nothing but satisfaction from their other line of products.

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I recently got a zip-it and have already become disillusioned with it. The barbs make it too hard to remove from the drain. I’ll give this a try, if I can find it in my area.

The actor from Fast and Furious?