Fit a hair catcher or drain guard

Fit the right hair catcher or guard for your plughole type, and clean it weekly to stop blockages before they start.

DG-01Work out which plughole you haveLook at the waste in the bath, basin, or shower. A pop-up waste has a lever near the overflow that lifts a stopper up and down. A click-clack waste has no lever — press it once to close, press again to open. Shower drains usually have a flat grid or dome cover over a trapped outlet, and some basins and kitchen sinks have a slotted waste with a flat perforated cover instead of a plug.

DG-02Clean the plughole before fitting anythingPull on disposable gloves and lift out any old hair, soap scum or debris by hand. Use an old toothbrush to scrub around the rim and inside the top of the waste, then wipe dry with a cloth. A clean plughole lets you see exactly how the new catcher needs to sit.

1 pack · Disposable gloves

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1 each · Cloth

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DG-03Fit a catcher to a pop-up wasteChoose a pop-up hair catcher — a small mesh cup designed to clip over or sit inside the stopper. Lower it in with the lever in the open position so it seats properly, then check the lever still lifts and lowers the stopper as before. Hair collects in the cup, which lifts straight out for emptying.

1 each · Pop-up waste hair catcher

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DG-04Fit a catcher to a click-clack wasteMeasure the diameter of the waste opening first — catchers come in a few sizes, usually 40mm to 50mm. Drop a flat mesh disc sized to match into the waste with the stopper open, so it sits just under the rim and still lets the stopper click open and shut properly. If it's loose or doesn't sit flush, try the next size up.

1 each · Click-clack hair catcher disc

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DG-05Fit a grid guard to a shower drainLift off the existing grid cover and measure the drain opening — shower tray wastes are often 40mm to 50mm, while wet room floor gullies are commonly 90mm or 100mm. Push-fit a silicone dome or mesh guard of the matching size into the opening; most need no tools and just press into place. Check water still drains away at a normal speed before you finish.

1 each · Shower drain hair catcher (dome or mesh)

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DG-06Fit a guard to a slotted wasteSlotted wastes don't take a plug, so use a slotted waste guard — a flat perforated disc or shallow dome shaped to sit over the slots. Some clip onto the waste body, others simply rest in place; either way, check it doesn't block the slots underneath or stop the bowl draining.

1 each · Slotted waste guard

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DG-07Test it and tidy upRun the tap or shower for a minute and check the water drains at the normal speed with the guard in place. Drop a few loose hairs in deliberately to check the guard actually catches them. Put any tools away and bin the old cover if you're not reusing it.

DG-08Keep it clear with a weekly cleanOnce a week, lift the catcher or guard out, scrape the trapped hair into the bin — never down the drain — then rinse it under a running tap. Scrub with an old toothbrush if it's slimy, dry it, and put it back. Don't use chemical drain unblockers as routine maintenance, and never mix different drain chemicals together; if a drain is already blocked, see HomeGraft's "Unblock a shower drain" or "Unblock a bath" guides instead.

1 each · Old toothbrush

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PART OF A BIGGER PROJECT

Sort out slow drains through the house

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