Say goodbye to gross clogged drains and icky buildup.
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There’s nothing like taking the time to show your hair some TLC with the best shampoo, conditioner, hydrating masks, and hair glosses to ensure that it’s soft and shiny. But if you have long hair (or live with people who have long hair), then you know what a pain it is to have your luxe haircare routine result in a drain that’s clogged to oblivion with hair. Add in things like dirt, body wash, shaving cream, and other product runoff, and it’s easy to find yourself dealing with a gross shower situation. But fear not, we’re here to save the day/your plumbing bill with the most game-changing invention: shower drain hair catchers.
These affordable lil devices stop hair and other buildup from clogging your drains by letting the water through and catching all the other stuff. I am lowkey obsessed with mine, and trust me, it will level up your shower routine. Best of all, you won’t have to call your building’s super (or your dad) about clogging the pipes again. And I don’t know about you, but I’d pay decent money to avoid that awkward situation. Here’s a little sneak peek to get you hyped...
Intrigued? Thought so. Plus, most of these shower drain covers are pretty cheap—like, less than $15 cheap. YUP. So to keep your shower routine as relaxing as it should be, here are 13 of the best shower drain covers you can order rn.
So, if you have a flat floor drain in your shower, you’re going to need a drain protector that is designed to adhere perfectly to the floor. With this stainless steel one—that’s also v ~sleek~ on the eyes—you won’t have any hair slipping down that drain of yours.
THE REVIEW: “Most drain protectors are designed for circular drains and the ones designed for square ones have never worked for me...until now! After reading the reviews, I decided to purchase one but still had extremely low expectations. I opted for the larger-sized one and I am so glad I did! It really provides ample coverage and I am amazed and grossed out at how much hair I shed in just one shower,” writes one tester.
Most shower drain hair catchers need to be replaced every few months, so save yourself some time and hassle by ordering this convenient pack of five. They come in a cute range of colors, fit most drains, and are super good at keeping long hair outta your pipes.
THE REVIEW: “The proof is in what you remove from it after a shower. I’m surprised I’m not bald with how much hair it’s catching; I can’t believe all that was just going down my drain before,” writes one reviewer.
Flat hair catchers don’t always work on pop-up drains (aka the kind of drain you usually find in a sink), which is where this genius silicone protector comes in handy. It fits flat and pop-up drains equally and is a total beast at blocking hair and buildup.
THE REVIEW: “I didn’t realize how much hair I lose in the shower until I purchased this....I think this is a fair trade between using Draino or using manual labor with tweezers and a flashlight to get the hair out of the drain,” reads one customer’s review.
I get it: Spending more than, like, $10 on a shower drain hair catcher feels kinda silly (I mean, wouldn’t you rather spend that on a hair mask or leave-in conditioner?). That’s why I love this cheap but effective option—it’s $7 and shaped like a flower, and it gets the damn job done.
THE REVIEW: “This is the best bath tub drain/hair catcher that I’ve found. I have tried half a dozen of them. Some were better than others, but none as good as this one,” one tester writes.
This shower drain hair catcher is made of stainless steel, so you don't need to worry about any rusting or fading. Plus, the small circular holes make it v easy for water and shampoo to pass through (no blockage here, tyvm).
THE REVIEW: “I used to use one of those rubber hair stoppers and every time I used it, it would cause the water to not go down the drain due to the weird placements of holes. This drain stopper not only does a great job of catching hair, but also allows water to go down the drain without stopping,” writes one tester.
If you don’t like the look of shower drain hair catchers, you’ll love this subtle option from TubShroom. It fits inside your shower drain to sneakily grab hair without collecting any buildup on top. Just pop it out after each shower, give it a rinse, and fit it back in.
THE REVIEW: “I would have to snake the drain about once a year when it finally plugged up. Ick! I bought this little gem in 2021 and it’s been more than a year since I was forced to snake the drain. The drain still flows freely with no sign of partial blockage. Amazing!” one customer writes.
If you’ve got a pop-up stopper in your shower, it can be hard to find a device that works. Luckily, this hair catcher works with your drain by fitting around the pop-up stopper. Water passes through, and hair doesn’t—what more could you ask for?
THE REVIEW: “This drain protector is the best one I have ever come across! I have long hair which I seem to be constantly shedding, especially in the shower. It tends to clog up my drain, and I’ve had to clear it out every couple of months. Since using the drain ring, I haven’t had a clog in over a year so far! It seems to catch it all and is also very easy to clean,” reads one review.
This silicone drain cover has suction cups to keep it in place over your shower drain. It couldn’t be easier to install or use, and they come in a pack of two, so you could use the other one in your kitchen sink to keep bits of food from going down the drain. Gotta love a multiuse household product.
THE REVIEW: “I am able to easily grab the hair that collects on top of the drain cover. It seems to catch hair very well since I can pull off some hair before every shower,” writes one reviewer.
Obviously, pulling out clumps of hair and shampoo and whatever else is in your shower drain is...unpleasant, to say the least. These disposable mesh stickers go over the drain, and after a few weeks, you can just peel the sticker and hair off and toss it away. We really are living in the future here.
THE REVIEW: “Just stick to a dry drain and it doesn’t slip around at all. I was surprised how much hair accumulated after just a couple of showers! I guess more hair has been going down the drain than I thought! I ended up just wiping the hair off the top instead of changing the mesh because it was full after three days. Super easy and nothing was stuck,” one tester writes.
Like, why wouldn’t you want to look down at your shower drain and see this cute little starfish hair catcher? This silicone bb comes in two colors (turquoise and white) and has suction cups that help keep it in place.
THE REVIEW: “This has worked great to stop someone’s long hair from clogging up the plumbing! It’s durable, well designed, effective, and the plastic is thick enough that it feels like a quality product for the price,” writes one reviewer.
K, it doesn’t look like your average shower drain hair catcher, but I promise it gets the job done. Stick this hook down your drain—the flower sits right on top—and it helps catch any rogue hairs as they pass by. Gently pull it out after each use and dispose of all that hair (cute!).
THE REVIEW: “Love these! Work great, if you are on the fence about getting these, don’t be. Just add to cart and check out! They are lifesavers,” writes one tester.
Trust me, you should give your shower drain hair catcher a wash once in a while. As handy as they are at catching hair, they also catch runoff from your shampoo, conditioner, hair masks, dirt, and other icky stuff. Just give them a little scrub with a cleaning product like this all-in-one concentrate. You can use it to scrub down your whole bathroom, your kitchen, and you can even do a load of laundry with it. Talk about multipurpose.
THE REVIEW: “Each scent smells heavenly and cleans deeply. Thank you, Good Vibes. These products make me want to get up off the couch and get things done!”
FYI, detangling your hair before getting in the shower is also a lifesaver for preventing extra hair shed. Enter: The Felicia Leatherwood Travel Detangler Brush. Knots, be gone!
THE REVIEW: “I was very skeptical about this product. Unlike the tangle teaser—that acts like it’s detangling my 4c hair—this truly gets through to it and leaves my curls popping. I was truly amazed and so happy I actually tried this out,” writes one tester.
This is the most important factor. If you have a pop-up drain, you need a hair catcher designed especially for that. If you order a catcher that sits on top of the drain (which many do), it won’t work with a pop-up drain. Also, consider size: Most shower drain hair catchers that go over the drain are one size fits all, but catchers that fit directly inside or around a drain are more specific. If you live in an older building, your drain might be a unique size, so it’s worth measuring your drain before buying.
Most shower drain hair catchers are made with silicone or rubber materials. If you go with one of these, it’s a good idea to replace the catcher every few months. Alternatively, you could go with a stainless steel drain catcher, which doesn’t need to be replaced as often. It all depends on personal preference.
If looking down and seeing a giant clump of hair sounds distinctly unappealing, I feel you. Luckily, some shower drain hair catchers hang inside the drain, so you don’t have to see what they’re catching (until you clean it, at least). Depending on the style of your shower drain, you can choose whichever style works best for you.
Fishing your hair out of the shower drain catcher is kind of gross, but it’s important to keep it clean. If you’re not going to put in the proper upkeep and cleaning, you might want to consider disposable shower drain hair catchers that you can just toss away instead.
Siena Gagliano is a contributing beauty editor at Cosmopolitan and has three years of experience writing about beauty, fashion, and lifestyle news. She’s an expert at researching and writing beauty stories, like the best travel hair dryers and the best makeup bags, and feels especially knowledgeable about shower hair drain catchers thanks to having a clogged drain on the reg (s/o to her long, thick hair!). She regularly tests and analyzes shower hair drainers on her own shower for efficacy.
Ruby Buddemeyer was the beauty editor at Cosmopolitan for nearly three years and has five years of experience writing about beauty, fashion, and celebrity news across print and digital, including the best round brushes on the market, and how to get beachy waves. Her shower hair drain catcher picks were based on product reviews, ratings, and recommendations.
Siena Gagliano is the associate editor at Cosmopolitan, where she primarily covers beauty, fashion, travel, and lifestyle. Wanna know how to get the best brows of your life? Gotchu. What about how to find the best fashion deals of the season, the softest sheets on the market, or exactly how to use retinol without irritating your skin? Check, check, and check. Before joining Cosmopolitan, Siena was a writer at Bustle and several other media outlets. As her 2024 goal, she has vowed to find the best (extra) dirty martini NYC has to offer—and yes, that means ~attempting~ to try every cute cocktail spot in the city (hit her up with some recs, pls). Follow Siena on Instagram for a behind-the-scenes look at that magazine life.
Ruby was the beauty editor at Cosmopolitan, where she covered beauty across print and digital. Her work has appeared on The Zoe Report, Fashionista, and StyleCaster. Follow her on Instagram.
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