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Clogged drains are a universal nuisance, but the inconvenience reaches a whole new level when you find yourself ankle-deep in water during a shower. Enter the TubShroom, a flexible mushroom-shaped device designed to fit into existing tub drains and catch hair before it can tangle in the drain to form a nasty clog. With the help of a furry friend, I decided to test it for myself to see if it lived up to the hype.
As someone who has used needle-nose pliers to pull tough hair clogs from tub drains, I was curious whether the TubShroom would make a difference. When the silicone mushroom arrived, I removed the existing stopper from my tub drain and popped the TubShroom in its place. Over the next 2 weeks, I showered with the TubShroom in place and even gave my large furry dog a bath. Here’s what happened.
TubShroom: At a Glance
Rating: 7/10
SPECS
- Material: Silicone
- Available colors: White, clear, orange, blue, green, gray (black chrome and stainless steel also available)
- Compatibility: Standard 1.4-inch to 1.8-inch tub drain
PROS
- Effective for trapping human hair and pet fur to prevent drain clogs
- Versatile, flexible silicone design fits most standard tub drains; there’s no measuring required
- Lifts out quickly after use and wipes clean easily
CONS
- Compatible only for combination tub/shower drains; not for use in stand-alone showers
- Users cannot take a bath when the TubShroom is in place unless a separate cover is used
Get the TubShroom at:
What is the TubShroom?
The TubShroom is an affordable bathtub hair stopper designed to prevent clogged drains and costly plumber visits. This flexible silicone device fits inside a standard tub drain, capturing hair from humans and pets without disrupting water flow.
Unlike some traditional drain plugs that screw into place, the TubShroom lifts out easily after each use for easy cleaning. This little hair trap is suitable for standard 1.4- to 1.8-inch tub drains. It features several columns of holes along the shaft and additional holes on top to help prevent a hair clog.
Cleanly Traps Hair and Fur
During my 2 weeks of testing the TubShroom, I found it was very effective in trapping hair—both mine and my dog’s. What’s more, the hair didn’t gather around the top of the TubShroom where it could be seen. Instead, the hair filtered down around the inner cylinder so that I could pull it off easily and throw it away. After removing the trapped hair, I rinsed the TubShroom and placed it back in the drain.
After bathing my long-haired Saint Bernard in the tub, I purposely left the TubShroom in place rather than immediately pulling it out and cleaning it. A few hours later, I removed the device to check out the results. The inner cylinder was caked with pet fur, but I could still pull the fur off with ease. That convenience is why my favorite use for the TubShroom was as a pet-hair catcher.
Can you take a bath with the TubShroom in place?
With the TubShroom in place, there’s no way to keep the water from draining out of the tub, so you either have to shower or swap it out for a stopper while you take a bath. If you’re intent on a bath but don’t want to switch back and forth, you’ll need to spring for a separate StopShroom, a silicone cover designed to fit over a TubShroom and keep water from draining until you finish your bath. (I didn’t test a StopShroom, so I didn’t get to enjoy a long, hot bath until after the 2-week test period.)
Once my testing was complete, I removed the TubShroom and put my original stopper back in place; it’s the kind that serves as a hair catcher but pulls out as easily as the TubShroom for quick cleaning. Although I found it more convenient to have a single stopper that catches hair and lets me soak in the tub without any extra steps, the traditional design doesn’t hide hair the same way the TubShroom does.
Does the TubShroom fit a stand-alone shower?
No, it doesn’t. The TubShroom is designed to fit standard bathtub drains, which are typically narrower than shower drains. But if you have a stand-alone shower and like the idea of what TubShroom does, you’re in luck: The company also makes the ShowerShroom, a similarly designed drain insert designed to fit standard 4-inch shower drain openings.
I didn’t test the ShowerShroom, but installation should be relatively simple. You may need to remove a couple of screws from the existing shower drain cover before fitting the ShowerShroom in place.
Aesthetics and Visual Appeal
The TubShroom’s flexible silicone design allows it to fit snugly in a tub drain, but it may not complement all bathrooms. I tested the drain mushroom in white, but it also comes in a handful of other colors, including gray, blue, green, and orange. Those colors might be just the ticket for a kids’ bathroom, but for a subdued bath, they may look a little off.
However, the company also makes a black chrome and a stainless steel version of the TubShroom that may look more at home in a sleek bathroom. I didn’t test these upgraded models, but they could certainly create a more polished look than the silicone option.
Is the TubShroom right for you?
Clogged pipes are no fun, so if you’re buying drain cleaner every month thanks to a hair-clogged tub drain, opting for the TubShroom might make sense for you. It’s an inexpensive way to avoid clogs, especially for those with long hair or a tub that is used to bathe a pooch.
This little drain mushroom is well suited for pet owners and users who primarily use their tubs for showering, since it’s not designed to keep water in the tub. If you prefer soaking in a hot bath, it’s not an ideal choice by itself, but the separately purchased StopShroom can address that issue.
Get the TubShroom at:
Meet the Tester
Glenda Taylor is a product tester and writer specializing in the construction, remodeling, and real estate industries. She and her husband own a general contracting company, and she is experienced in both residential and commercial building applications. Taylor tests a wide range of power tools as well as other home improvement, household, and lawn-and-garden products.