{
  "store": "Drains Company",
  "website": "https://drains.irish",
  "currency": "EUR",
  "count": 55,
  "products": [
    {
      "id": "drain-hose-extension-1m-with-bracket",
      "sku": "drain-hose-extension-1m-with-bracket",
      "title": "1m Drain Hose Extension Kit with Bracket",
      "slug": "drain-hose-extension-1m-with-bracket",
      "price": 19.99,
      "currency": "EUR",
      "availability": "in_stock",
      "category": "appliance-drain-hoses",
      "category_label": "Washing Machine & Dishwasher Drain Hoses",
      "tags": [],
      "colors": [],
      "materials": [],
      "dimensions": null,
      "weight": "0.14 kg",
      "images": [
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      "description_short": "A 1 metre grey corrugated hose with stepped 20, 24, 30 and 38 mm ends joins to your existing hose with a barbed connector and two hose clamps, and a U-bend bracket holds the outlet in place.",
      "description": "The hose that is a hand's width too short\n\nIt happens more often than you would think. The new washing machine arrives, the delivery crew slide it into the gap, and the drain hose stops a little short of the standpipe. Or you move the dishwasher to the other side of the sink during a kitchen refit, and the waste is now on the wrong side of the cupboard.\n\nThe temptation is to pull the hose tight and make it reach. That is a mistake. A drain hose under tension pulls at its fitting on the back of the machine every time the drum spins. Sooner or later it works loose, and the first you know of it is water across the floor.\n\nThe other fix is to move the waste pipe. That is proper plumbing work, and for the sake of half a metre it is hard to justify.\n\nAn extension hose is the middle way. It adds length to the hose you have, with a secure join in between.\n\nWhat is in this kit\n\nThere are four parts, and the maker lists them plainly.\n\nThe first is the hose. It is 1 metre long, grey, corrugated and made of polypropylene. The maker gives a nominal wall thickness of 3 mm and says the hose can carry hot water up to 95 degrees Celsius.\n\nThe second is the extension connector. This is a short barbed tube with an outer diameter of 20 mm. It is the piece that joins your existing hose to the new one.\n\nThe third is a pair of stainless steel hose clamps. The maker gives their range as 18 to 38 mm.\n\nThe fourth is a U-bend bracket, a curved holder that keeps the end of the hose in a hook shape.\n\nThe whole kit weighs 0.14 kg.\n\nHow the sizes work\n\nThis is the part to read before you order.\n\nThe connector has a 20 mm outer diameter. It pushes inside your existing drain hose, so that hose needs an inner diameter of 20 mm. Pull the end of your hose out of the standpipe, dry it and measure across the inside of the opening with a ruler. If it is close to 20 mm, the connector should grip. If it is clearly smaller or larger, this kit is not the right one.\n\nThe ends of the extension hose are a different matter. They are stepped. The inner diameter goes through four sizes, 20, 24, 30 and 38 mm. The maker says the ends can be cut to meet your needs.\n\nIn practice, you leave the 20 mm step in place on the end that takes the connector. On the outlet end, you cut back to whichever step suits where the water is going. A spigot on a sink trap might want one size. A hose dropping loosely into a standpipe does not need a tight fit at all.\n\nWe cannot confirm a fit for any particular make or model of appliance. The measurements above are what the maker gives, and your ruler is the best check.\n\nCheck the appliance manual first\n\nAn extension hose is only half the question. The other half is the pump inside the machine.\n\nEvery washing machine and dishwasher has a small pump that pushes the waste water out. It can only push so far and lift so high. The maker of your appliance sets a longest permitted drain hose and a range of heights for the outlet. Those figures are in the manual, usually in the installation section.\n\nIf adding 1 metre keeps you inside those limits, carry on. If it takes you past them, the machine may drain slowly or leave water in the drum. In that case the right fix is to have a plumber bring the waste closer to the machine.\n\nFitting it, step by step\n\nTurn the appliance off at the wall. Pull it forward enough to work behind it, and put an old towel and a shallow tray on the floor. There is always some water left in a drain hose.\n\nLift the existing hose out of the standpipe or off the sink spigot and let it drain into the tray.\n\nSlide a hose clamp loosely onto the end of the existing hose. Push the barbed connector into the hose until the hose covers the barbs on that side. The maker says this is done by hand, without tools.\n\nSlide the second clamp onto the 20 mm end of the extension hose, then push that end onto the other side of the connector.\n\nMove each clamp so it sits over the barbed section and tighten it. Firm is enough. A clamp done up so hard that it bites into the plastic can do more harm than good. The type of clamp screw is not stated by the maker, so have a screwdriver to hand.\n\nCut the outlet end to size if you need to, using a sharp craft knife. Cut a little at a time.\n\nFit the U-bend bracket near the outlet end so the hose forms a hook. Hang it into the standpipe or connect it to the spigot.\n\nHeight, the hook and siphoning\n\nThe U-bend bracket looks like the least important part of the kit. It is not.\n\nA drain hose has to rise up and over before it goes down into the waste. That high point stops two problems. It stops dirty water from the sink or the drain running back into the machine. And it stops siphoning, where water is drawn out of the machine by gravity while it is still trying to fill.\n\nThe bracket holds that hook shape so the hose cannot sag flat or kink at the bend. Set the height according to your appliance manual.\n\nIf the hose goes into an open standpipe, do not push it far down, and do not seal the gap around it with tape. The standpipe needs air around the hose to work properly.\n\nRun a test\n\nBefore you push the machine back, run a short rinse or drain cycle and watch the join the whole time the pump is running. Run a dry finger around both clamps. Look at the outlet end as well.\n\nIf there is a drip, stop the machine, re-seat the hose on the connector and tighten the clamp a little more.\n\nWhen you slide the machine back, guide the hose by hand. This is where most kinks are made. The maker says the corrugated wall helps the hose resist kinks and return to shape after being squeezed, but no hose survives being crushed flat between a machine and a wall.\n\nTry to leave the join somewhere you can see it, such as in the cupboard beside the machine.\n\nWhen it is a job for a plumber\n\nJoining a hose to a waste point that already exists is a normal household task. Some jobs nearby are not.\n\nIf there is no standpipe and no appliance spigot on the sink trap, one has to be fitted. If two appliances need to share a waste, the pipework needs the right fitting for that. If the existing waste is slow, leaking or badly sloped, it needs to be put right.\n\nAll of that is fixed pipework. It is work for a qualified plumber, and the Irish Building Regulations apply to drainage work.\n\nIf the machine will not drain at all, check the simple things first. Clean the filter on the machine. Look for a kink. If the standpipe itself is backing up, clear the trap by hand. We do not recommend chemical drain cleaners. And if several wastes in the house are slow together, the trouble is in the main drain. A blockage in a public sewer is a matter for Uisce Éireann or your local authority.\n\nLooking after it\n\nThere is little to do. Look at the join after the first few washes and then every few months. Hose clamps can ease off slightly as plastic settles, and a quarter turn puts that right.\n\nOnce a year, pull the machine out, check the hose for flat spots or rubbing, and clean the fluff out of the hook end.\n\nThe short version\n\nWhen a drain hose is too short, do not stretch it. Add length with a proper join.\n\nThis kit gives you a 1 metre grey polypropylene hose with stepped ends of 20, 24, 30 and 38 mm, a barbed connector with a 20 mm outer diameter, two stainless steel hose clamps and a U-bend bracket. The maker says it carries hot water up to 95 degrees Celsius.\n\nMeasure the inside of your existing hose. It needs to be 20 mm. Check your appliance manual for the longest hose and the outlet height it allows. Clamp both sides of the join, keep the hook at the outlet, and run a test cycle before you push the machine home. Anything that means new or changed waste pipework is a job for a qualified plumber.",
      "llm_summary": "This is a 1 metre drain hose extension kit for washing machines, dishwashers and dryers, sold by Drains Company in Ireland. The kit contains a grey corrugated polypropylene hose, one barbed extension connector, two stainless steel hose clamps with a range of 18 to 38 mm, and one U-bend hose holder. The hose has stepped connection ends with inner diameters of 20, 24, 30 and 38 mm that can be cut to suit. The connector has a 20 mm outer diameter and suits an existing drain hose with a 20 mm inner diameter. The maker states a nominal wall thickness of 3 mm, a weight of 0.14 kg and hot water use up to 95 degrees Celsius. New or altered fixed waste pipework is a job for a qualified plumber, and the Irish Building Regulations apply to drainage work.",
      "returnable": true,
      "return_policy": "14-day right to cancel from delivery under the Consumer Rights Act 2022, buyer pays return postage; the refund may be reduced if the item has been used beyond normal handling; Consumer Rights Act 2022 rights for faulty goods. Return postage on faulty goods is ours.",
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      "warranty": null,
      "brand": "Drains Company",
      "gtin": null,
      "mpn": null,
      "condition": "new",
      "url": "https://drains.irish/drain-hose-extension-1m-with-bracket/",
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      "updated_at": "2026-10-12"
    },
    {
      "id": "drain-hose-extension-1m-with-connector",
      "sku": "drain-hose-extension-1m-with-connector",
      "title": "1m Drain Hose Extension Kit with Connector and Clamps",
      "slug": "drain-hose-extension-1m-with-connector",
      "price": 20.99,
      "currency": "EUR",
      "availability": "in_stock",
      "category": "appliance-drain-hoses",
      "category_label": "Washing Machine & Dishwasher Drain Hoses",
      "tags": [],
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      "description_short": "A white polypropylene hose with a 20mm inner diameter joins to your existing waste hose through the adapter supplied, with two stainless steel clamps to hold the joint.",
      "description": "When the hose will not reach\n\nIt happens in nearly every house move and every kitchen refit. The washing machine goes into its new spot, you pull the waste hose round the back, and it stops well short of the standpipe. Or the dishwasher moves one unit along and the waste hose no longer makes it to the sink.\n\nThe hose that comes on an appliance is only as long as the maker expects you to need. Usually that is enough to reach a waste connection close by, and no more.\n\nPeople try all sorts of things at this point. They stretch the hose tight, which pulls on the fitting at the back of the machine. They push the machine in at an angle. They bind two hoses together with tape, which holds until the first hot wash.\n\nThe proper answer is a hose extension with a real connector and a clamp on each side. It is a small job and it does not cost much.\n\nWhat is in the kit\n\nThis kit has a 1 metre hose, one white extension adapter and two stainless steel clamps.\n\nThe hose is white and made from polypropylene. The maker states an inner diameter of 20mm. The maker also describes the wall as thick, with the aim of resisting kinks, squashing and the blockages that follow from them. The outer diameter is not stated.\n\nThe extension adapter is the connector. It is the short white piece that goes between your existing hose and the new one, so that water passes from one into the other.\n\nThe two clamps are stainless steel. One goes over each side of the joint. The type of clamp is not stated by the maker.\n\nThe stated product dimensions are 100 x 2 x 0.1 cm and the stated weight is 80 g.\n\nThe maker names two appliances for it. Washing machines and dishwashers.\n\nCheck the size before you buy\n\nDrain hoses are not all one size. This is the step that saves you a return.\n\nPull your machine out far enough to get at the drain hose. Look at the free end, the one that goes into the standpipe or onto the waste. Measure across the opening in millimetres.\n\nThis extension has a stated inner diameter of 20mm. The adapter is made to join hoses of that sort of size. If your hose is close to that, you are in the right place. If it is much smaller or much larger, this kit is not for your machine.\n\nThe maker asks buyers to measure the machine's water outlet before ordering. We would add one thing. Check the gap as well. Measure how far short the existing hose falls, and allow for gentle curves. One metre of extra hose does not give one metre of straight-line reach once it has gone round a corner.\n\nCheck the manual too\n\nThere is a limit on how long a drain hose can be, and it comes from the appliance and not from the hose.\n\nA washing machine or dishwasher empties itself with a small pump. That pump is built to push water a certain distance and lift it to a certain height. Go beyond that and the machine may not empty properly, and dirty water can sit in the hose or run back.\n\nThe figures are in the manual for your machine. Look for the section on installation or drainage. It will give a maximum drain hose length, and a minimum and maximum height for the top of the hose. Stay inside those numbers. If you no longer have the booklet, most makers publish their manuals online under the model number on the door or the rating plate.\n\nIf the manual says the hose must not be extended at all, follow the manual.\n\nJoining the hoses\n\nThe maker says this goes together without tools. Have a screwdriver nearby all the same, in case the clamps supplied have a screw. You will want an old towel and a shallow tray or basin.\n\nSwitch the machine off and unplug it. Pull it forward gently. Lift the end of the existing drain hose out of the standpipe, keeping the end pointing up, because there is always some water lying in it. Tip that into the basin.\n\nSlide one clamp loosely onto the existing hose. Push the adapter into the end of the hose as far as it will go. Slide the second clamp loosely onto the extension, then push the extension onto the other side of the adapter, again fully home.\n\nMove each clamp so that it sits over the part of the hose that covers the adapter, and tighten both. Firm is enough. Give each hose a gentle pull to check that it holds.\n\nPut the free end of the extension where the old hose used to go.\n\nRouting the longer hose\n\nA longer hose has more chances to go wrong, so take a minute over the route.\n\nLay it in wide, gentle curves. The maker describes a thick wall meant to resist kinking, but any hose will fold if it is forced round a sharp corner or crushed when the machine is pushed back. Leave a gap behind the appliance.\n\nKeep the joint somewhere you can see it. Behind the kickboard beside the machine is better than out of sight behind the drum. If the joint ever weeps, you want to notice.\n\nDo not leave spare hose in tight coils on the floor, and do not let the hose sag into a deep loop where water and fluff can settle. Do not cut it either, since the maker does not say it can be cut.\n\nThen test it. Plug the machine in and run a short rinse or drain cycle. Watch the joint with a dry piece of kitchen paper under it while the pump runs. Look again after the first two or three full washes.\n\nStandpipes, spigots and where the end goes\n\nThe free end of the extension goes wherever the old hose went. In many Irish utility rooms that is a standpipe, an upright length of waste pipe with an open top that the hose hooks into. The hose should sit in the top of the standpipe loosely, with air able to get in around it. Do not seal the gap with tape, and do not push the hose a long way down the pipe. Your appliance manual shows how far it should go in.\n\nIn many kitchens the dishwasher outlet hose pushes onto a spigot on the sink trap instead. This kit lists a hose, an adapter for joining hose to hose, and two clamps. It does not list a fitting for a trap spigot, so check that the end of the extension suits your connection before you take the old hose off.\n\nWhere a plumber comes in\n\nJoining one hose to another is a job for any householder. It does not touch the fixed plumbing.\n\nIt is different if the extension is still not enough, or if there is nowhere for the hose to go. Fitting a new standpipe, adding a trap, or making a new connection into the waste pipe all mean altering fixed pipework. That is a job for a qualified plumber, and the Irish Building Regulations apply to drainage work.\n\nA machine that will not drain is a separate matter again. An extension adds reach. It does not clear a blockage. Check the filter on the machine and look for a kinked hose first. We do not recommend chemical drain cleaners, and they should never go into an appliance waste. If sinks and other fittings in the house are slow as well, the trouble is in the main drain. If it is in a public sewer, contact Uisce Éireann or your local authority.\n\nLooking after it\n\nThere is little to maintain. Every few months, and any time the machine has been moved, pull it forward and look at the joint. Check that both clamps are tight and that the hose has not been flattened against the wall.\n\nWipe the outside with a damp cloth if it has gathered dust and fluff. Keep it away from sharp edges on the back of the machine or the cabinet.\n\nThe short version\n\nWhen an appliance drain hose is too short, the right fix is an extension with a connector and clamps.\n\nThis kit gives you a 1 metre white polypropylene hose with a stated 20mm inner diameter, one white adapter and two stainless steel clamps. The maker names washing machines and dishwashers.\n\nMeasure your outlet hose first. Check the maximum hose length in your appliance manual. Push the adapter fully home, clamp both sides, keep the curves gentle, and watch the joint on the first cycle.",
      "llm_summary": "This is a drain hose extension kit for washing machines and dishwashers. It contains one hose 1 metre long with a stated inner diameter of 20mm, one white extension adapter and two stainless steel clamps. The hose is polypropylene and white. The adapter joins the extension to the existing drain hose on the appliance, and the clamps secure both sides of the joint. The maker describes the hose wall as thick, intended to resist kinking. The stated product dimensions are 100 x 2 x 0.1 cm and the stated weight is 80 g. The maker asks buyers to measure the appliance outlet before ordering. Outer diameter, clamp type, temperature limit and country of origin are not stated by the maker.",
      "returnable": true,
      "return_policy": "14-day right to cancel from delivery under the Consumer Rights Act 2022, buyer pays return postage; the refund may be reduced if the item has been used beyond normal handling; Consumer Rights Act 2022 rights for faulty goods. Return postage on faulty goods is ours.",
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      "warranty": null,
      "brand": "Drains Company",
      "gtin": null,
      "mpn": null,
      "condition": "new",
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    {
      "id": "drain-hose-kit-2m-for-20-to-38mm-waste",
      "sku": "drain-hose-kit-2m-for-20-to-38mm-waste",
      "title": "2m Drain Hose Kit with Adapter, U Bracket and Clamps",
      "slug": "drain-hose-kit-2m-for-20-to-38mm-waste",
      "price": 32.99,
      "currency": "EUR",
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      "category": "appliance-drain-hoses",
      "category_label": "Washing Machine & Dishwasher Drain Hoses",
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      "weight": "0.14 kg",
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      "description_short": "A soft grey polypropylene hose that cuts to suit 20, 24, 30 or 38mm, supplied with an extension adapter, a U-shaped bracket and eight hose clamps.",
      "description": "When the hose will not reach\n\nIt usually comes up during a move or a new kitchen. The washing machine goes into its space, you reach behind for the grey hose, and it stops well short of the standpipe. Or the dishwasher has been shifted to the far side of the sink and its hose now has to cross a whole cupboard to get to the trap.\n\nThe hose supplied with an appliance is a standard length. It is long enough for a machine that stands right beside its waste. Anything else needs more hose.\n\nPeople try all sorts to bridge the gap. A length of garden hose pushed over the end. Tape. A hose stretched so tight it lifts out of the standpipe on the spin cycle. Each of these ends the same way, with waste water across the floor and under the units.\n\nThe proper answer is a drain hose made for the job, joined with a fitting made for the joint, and clamped.\n\nWhat is in this kit\n\nThere are four kinds of part.\n\nThe first is the hose. It is 2 metres long and made from polypropylene, a plastic often shortened to PP. The colour is grey. The maker describes it as soft, which matters more than it sounds, because a drain hose has to be threaded through holes in the sides of cupboards and curved round the back of a machine.\n\nThe second is an extension adapter. The maker lists it at 5.32 x 2cm. This is the piece that joins one hose to another, or the hose to a pipe.\n\nThe third is a U-shaped bracket measuring 15 x 10cm. It is a simple guide that holds the hose in a curve.\n\nThe fourth is a set of eight hose clamps.\n\nThe whole kit weighs 0.14 kg. The maker says nothing further is needed to fit it, though you will want a sharp knife and possibly a screwdriver.\n\nMatching it to your pipework\n\nWaste fittings are not all one size. An appliance spigot on a sink trap, the end of an existing hose and the top of a standpipe can all differ. A hose with one fixed end would suit some homes and not others.\n\nThis hose is made to be cut. The maker says it can be cut to fit pipe diameters of 20, 24, 30 or 38mm. You pick the size that matches what you are connecting to and trim the hose end to suit.\n\nThat makes measuring the first job. With the appliance switched off, find the point where the new hose will join. Measure across the fitting in millimetres. A ruler will do, though a set of callipers is better if you have one. Write it down.\n\nIf the figure is one of the four sizes, you are within what the maker lists. If it falls between two of them, do not force it. A joint that is too loose will weep however tight the clamp, and one that is too tight can split the hose.\n\nThe adapter has its own figure. The maker describes it as fitting waste pipes with an inner diameter of 20mm. The maker also lists an outside diameter of 20mm for the hose. The inner diameter of the hose is not stated by the maker.\n\nWe cannot confirm that the kit fits any particular make or model of appliance. Your own measurement is what counts.\n\nWhy the bend matters\n\nThe U-shaped bracket looks like the least important part in the bag. It is not.\n\nWhere a drain hose meets a standpipe, it goes up, over and down, like a walking stick handle. That high loop does a real job. It keeps water in the drum until the pump sends it out. If the end of the hose sits too low, water can siphon out of the machine as it fills. The machine keeps filling, the water keeps leaving, and the wash never finishes.\n\nSoft hose does not hold that shape on its own. Left alone it sags, flattens at the bend or slides down into the standpipe. The bracket holds the curve open and at the height you set.\n\nYour appliance manual gives the correct height for the hose end, as a minimum and a maximum. Use those figures. They differ between machines.\n\nHow far you can extend\n\nTwo metres of extra hose is generous. That does not mean every machine can use all of it.\n\nThe water is moved by a small pump in the base of the appliance. It was sized for the hose the machine came with. Add a long extension, particularly one that rises on the way, and the pump has more work to do. Past a certain point it cannot clear the drum in the time the programme allows, and the machine reports a drain fault.\n\nThe limit is in your appliance manual, usually as a maximum total hose length. Check it before you start. If you need less than the full 2 metres, cut the hose down. A shorter, straighter run always drains better than a long one coiled behind the machine.\n\nKeep the route simple as well. Avoid tight turns. Do not run the hose where the machine will stand on it or where a drawer runner will rub it.\n\nFitting it\n\nSwitch the appliance off at the socket and turn off its water supply. Pull it out far enough to work behind it. Put an old towel and a shallow tray on the floor, because the existing hose will have water in it.\n\nLay the new hose along its route before you cut anything. Mark the length you need, with a little slack for pulling the machine out in future.\n\nTrim the hose end to the size that matches your fitting. Cut squarely with a sharp knife. Join the hoses with the adapter, pushing each side fully home. Put a clamp on each side of the joint and tighten it until it is firm. Do not overdo it, as plastic can be crushed.\n\nAt the far end, fit the U-shaped bracket and hook the hose into the standpipe. The hose should sit loosely in the pipe and not be sealed into it, so air can get in around it.\n\nNow test. With the machine still pulled out, run a rinse or drain programme and watch every joint while the pump runs. Feel underneath each one for drips. Only when everything is dry should the machine go back into its space. Look again after the next few washes.\n\nWhen it is a plumber's job\n\nJoining a hose to a standpipe or an appliance spigot that is already there is a householder's task.\n\nIt stops being one when the pipework itself has to change. If there is no standpipe where you need one, if the trap under the sink has no spare appliance connection, or if the waste pipe has to be extended or rerouted, that is altering fixed pipework. It is a job for a qualified plumber, and the Irish Building Regulations apply to drainage work.\n\nOne more point on where the water goes. Appliance waste belongs in the foul drain. It should never be run to a rainwater gully or a pipe that takes roof water. If you are unsure which is which at your house, ask a plumber before you connect anything.\n\nAnd remember this is a drain hose. It carries waste water away. It is not a water inlet hose, which works under mains pressure and has threaded connectors.\n\nLooking after it\n\nA drain hose needs very little. A few times a year, pull the machine forward and look at it. Check each joint is dry. Check there are no kinks, cracks or flattened sections. Make sure the hose is still seated in the bracket and the standpipe.\n\nDetergent and fabric softener can leave a grey sludge inside a hose over time. If the hose starts to smell or the machine drains slowly, switch off, unhook the hose over a bucket and flush it through with hot water. A long flexible brush will shift anything stubborn. We do not recommend chemical drain cleaners.\n\nKeep the spare clamps somewhere you will find them.\n\nThe short version\n\nWhen an appliance sits too far from its waste, extend the hose properly. This kit gives you a 2 metre grey polypropylene hose, an extension adapter, a 15 x 10cm U-shaped bracket and eight clamps. The maker says the hose cuts to fit 20, 24, 30 or 38mm, and lists washing machines, dishwashers, dehumidifiers and air conditioners as uses.\n\nMeasure your fitting first. Check your manual for the maximum hose length and the right height for the hose end. Clamp every joint and test before pushing the machine back.\n\nIf the waste pipework needs changing, bring in a plumber.",
      "llm_summary": "This is a 2 metre appliance drain hose kit sold by Drains Company for extending the waste hose of a washing machine or similar appliance. The hose is grey polypropylene, 200 cm long, and the maker says it can be cut to fit pipe diameters of 20, 24, 30 or 38 mm. The maker lists an outside diameter of 20 mm. The kit includes an extension adapter of 5.32 x 2 cm for waste pipes with a 20 mm inner diameter, a U-shaped bracket of 15 x 10 cm and eight hose clamps. The weight is 0.14 kg. The maker lists washing machines, dishwashers, dehumidifiers and air conditioners as uses. It is for waste water only and is not a water supply hose. A temperature rating, the clamp material and the country of origin are not stated by the maker.",
      "returnable": true,
      "return_policy": "14-day right to cancel from delivery under the Consumer Rights Act 2022, buyer pays return postage; the refund may be reduced if the item has been used beyond normal handling; Consumer Rights Act 2022 rights for faulty goods. Return postage on faulty goods is ours.",
      "shipping_profile": "standard",
      "warranty": null,
      "brand": "Drains Company",
      "gtin": null,
      "mpn": null,
      "condition": "new",
      "url": "https://drains.irish/drain-hose-kit-2m-for-20-to-38mm-waste/",
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    },
    {
      "id": "washing-machine-drain-hose-2-5m",
      "sku": "washing-machine-drain-hose-2-5m",
      "title": "Washing Machine Drain Hose 2.5m with Right Angle End",
      "slug": "washing-machine-drain-hose-2-5m",
      "price": 25.99,
      "currency": "EUR",
      "availability": "in_stock",
      "category": "appliance-drain-hoses",
      "category_label": "Washing Machine & Dishwasher Drain Hoses",
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      "materials": [],
      "dimensions": null,
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      "description_short": "A grey replacement waste water hose for washing machines and washer dryers, with internal bores of 19mm and 21mm and one 90 degree end.",
      "description": "The pipe nobody looks at\n\nEvery washing machine has two kinds of hose at the back. One brings clean water in. The other takes dirty water out. The second one is the drain hose, and it does a lot of work without anyone noticing. A full wash can send the contents of the drum through it several times, warm and soapy and full of lint.\n\nIt only gets attention when it fails. There are two common ways that happens.\n\nThe first is wear. Over the years a hose can harden, flatten where the machine has been pushed back against it, or split near a connection. The sign is water on the floor behind the machine, usually just after it empties.\n\nThe second is distance. You change the kitchen, or move the machine out to a utility room, and the hose that came with it simply does not reach the waste pipe. Stretching it tight across the back of a cupboard is asking for trouble.\n\nA longer replacement hose fixes both.\n\nWhat you get with this hose\n\nHere are the facts as the maker gives them.\n\nThe hose is 2.5 metres long. It is made for washing machines and washer dryers. The internal bore is given as 19mm and 21mm. It has one 90 degree end. The material is listed as rubber, the colour is grey, and one hose comes in the pack.\n\nThe maker describes it as fitting most models of washing machine and washer dryer. That is a broad statement, and it is worth reading carefully. Most does not mean all. There are machines with their own shapes of connector that a general hose will not suit.\n\nSome details are not stated by the maker. It does not say which end has which bore. It does not mention hose clips, or a plastic guide for hooking the hose into a standpipe. The weight is not given. Dishwashers are not mentioned.\n\nWhy bore size matters\n\nA drain hose is held on by friction and, usually, a clip. For that to work, the hole through the end of the hose has to be the right size for the stub it pushes onto. Too small and it will not go on. Too big and it will weep or blow off when the pump runs.\n\nThat is why the two figures, 19mm and 21mm, are the ones to check. Before you order, find the outlet on your machine and measure across the outside of the stub. Then look at the other end of the journey. If your hose connects to a spigot on the sink trap, measure that as well. If it simply hooks into an open standpipe, the size at that end matters much less.\n\nWhen the hose arrives, measure both ends before you start taking anything apart. The maker does not say which end is 19mm and which is 21mm, and it is much better to know before the old hose is off.\n\nWhat the right angle end does\n\nA hose cannot turn a corner in no space. If it leaves the back of the machine pointing straight out, it has to curve round before it can run along the wall. That curve takes up several centimetres. Push the machine back too far and the hose kinks, and a kinked drain hose means a machine that will not empty properly.\n\nOne end of this hose is formed as a 90 degree bend. The maker says this is to let the washing machine stay flush to the back wall. The hose turns immediately and runs sideways or upwards from there.\n\nIn a tight run of kitchen units, those few centimetres can decide whether the machine lines up with the cupboard doors or sticks out past them.\n\nIs 2.5 metres the right length?\n\nLonger is not automatically better. A drain hose should be long enough to reach the waste comfortably and no longer than it needs to be.\n\nMeasure the route the hose will take, not the straight line distance. Start at the outlet on the machine. Follow the path up the back, along the wall and over to the waste pipe, allowing for the height it has to rise. Add a little slack so that the machine can be pulled forward for cleaning without the hose being dragged tight.\n\nThen check the manual for your machine. Makers give a maximum drain hose length and a range of heights for the outlet. The pump inside the machine is small, and it can only push water so far and so high. Many machines are comfortable with 2.5 metres, but check yours.\n\nIf the hose is longer than you need, do not cut it. The maker does not say it can be cut, and the ends are formed to grip their fittings. Take up the spare in a wide, gentle loop behind the units.\n\nFitting it\n\nThis is where people are caught out, so it is worth setting expectations.\n\nOn many washing machines, the drain hose does not just plug into the back panel. It runs inside the cabinet and connects to the pump near the base. To change it, the machine has to be unplugged, the water turned off, and a panel removed. Sometimes the machine has to be tipped back to reach the pump from underneath.\n\nIf you are comfortable with that, follow the manual for your machine. Have towels and a shallow tray ready, because there is always water left in the old hose and the pump. Note how the old hose is routed and clipped before you remove it, and run the new one the same way. Fit a clip at each connection that had one.\n\nIf you are not comfortable opening the machine, call an appliance engineer. It is a short job for someone who does it every week.\n\nThe other end is simpler. If the old hose hooked into a standpipe, the new one goes in the same way. Keep the plastic guide from the old hose if there is one. The end should sit loosely in the top of the pipe with air around it. Do not push it far down and do not seal it in, because that can make the machine siphon. If the old hose connected to a spigot on the sink trap, push the new one on fully and clip it.\n\nOne line needs to be drawn clearly. Connecting a hose to a waste that is already there is a householder job. Changing the waste itself is not. Adding a standpipe, fitting a new trap or running a new waste pipe is work for a qualified plumber, and the Irish Building Regulations apply to drainage work. Washing machine water must go to the foul waste, not to a drain meant for rainwater.\n\nChecking your work\n\nDo not push the machine back and walk away.\n\nDry every connection with kitchen paper. Run a short rinse and spin, and stay with the machine while it empties. Watch the connection at the pump if you can see it, and the connection at the waste. Feel along the hose for drips.\n\nThen slide the machine back slowly, looking behind it as you go, so that it does not sit on the hose or fold it. Run a full wash and check the floor afterwards.\n\nLooking after a drain hose\n\nThere is not much to it. Once or twice a year, pull the machine forward and look at the hose. You are checking for kinks, flattened sections, cracks near the ends and any dampness at the joints. Make sure it has not slipped down the standpipe.\n\nIf the hose starts to smell, the usual cause is detergent sludge. A hot wash with the drum empty helps, along with cleaning the filter, the door seal and the drawer. We do not recommend chemical drain cleaners.\n\nIf the standpipe itself overflows when the machine empties, that is not the hose. It is a partial blockage in the waste pipe, and if it keeps happening it needs a plumber.\n\nPicking the right hose\n\nFor anyone comparing options, the best washing machine drain hose is the one that matches three measurements: the outlet on your machine, the length of the route, and the space behind the machine.\n\nOn the first, this hose gives you 19mm and 21mm to check against. On the second, it gives you 2.5 metres. On the third, it gives you a right angle end. If all three suit your set-up, it will do the job.\n\nThe short version\n\nA drain hose carries waste water from the machine to the waste pipe. It needs replacing when it splits, hardens or will not reach.\n\nThis one is 2.5 metres long, grey, listed as rubber, with internal bores of 19mm and 21mm and one 90 degree end. The maker describes it as fitting most washing machines and washer dryers. Which end is which, and whether clips are included, are not stated by the maker.\n\nMeasure your machine's outlet and the route before you order. Follow the machine's manual for hose height and length. Use an appliance engineer if the hose connects inside the machine and you would rather not open it, and a qualified plumber for any change to the fixed waste.",
      "llm_summary": "The Washing Machine Drain Hose 2.5m is a replacement waste water hose for washing machines and washer dryers, sold by Drains Company. It is 2.5 m long. The maker gives the internal bore as 19 mm and 21 mm and states that the hose has one 90 degree (right angle) end, intended to let the machine sit flush to the back wall. The material is listed as rubber and the colour is grey. One hose is supplied. The maker describes it as fitting most models of washing machine and washer dryer, so the outlet size on the machine should be checked before ordering. Which end carries which bore, the weight, and whether hose clips are included are not stated by the maker. Use on dishwashers is not stated. Alterations to the fixed waste pipe are a job for a qualified plumber.",
      "returnable": true,
      "return_policy": "14-day right to cancel from delivery under the Consumer Rights Act 2022, buyer pays return postage; the refund may be reduced if the item has been used beyond normal handling; Consumer Rights Act 2022 rights for faulty goods. Return postage on faulty goods is ours.",
      "shipping_profile": "standard",
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      "brand": "Drains Company",
      "gtin": null,
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      "url": "https://drains.irish/washing-machine-drain-hose-2-5m/",
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      "updated_at": "2026-10-12"
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    {
      "id": "washing-machine-drain-hose-kit-1-5m",
      "sku": "washing-machine-drain-hose-kit-1-5m",
      "title": "1.5m Washing Machine Drain Hose Kit with Connector and Clamps",
      "slug": "washing-machine-drain-hose-kit-1-5m",
      "price": 28.99,
      "currency": "EUR",
      "availability": "in_stock",
      "category": "appliance-drain-hoses",
      "category_label": "Washing Machine & Dishwasher Drain Hoses",
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      "weight": "0.12 kg",
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      "description_short": "A 1.5 metre grey hose with an extension connector, a 30mm adapter, a U-shaped bracket and two hose clamps, so the parts for the join come in one kit.",
      "description": "When the hose will not reach\n\nWashing machines and dishwashers come with a drain hose fixed to the back. It is long enough for the usual spot, right beside the waste pipe under the worktop. It is rarely long enough for anywhere else.\n\nSo the trouble starts when something changes. You move the machine to the far side of the utility room. A new kitchen puts the dishwasher two units away from the sink. You buy a replacement appliance and its outlet is on the opposite side to the old one. Suddenly the hose stops a metre short.\n\nPeople try all sorts at this point. They stretch the hose tight, which pulls on the fitting at the back of the machine. They drag the appliance out at an angle. They prop the hose end in a bucket. None of that is a fix.\n\nThe proper answer is to extend the hose with a second length and a sound joint. That is what this kit is for.\n\nWhat is in the kit\n\nThe maker lists the contents plainly. There is a 1.5 metre hose, also given as 59 inch. There is a U-shaped bracket. There is an extension connector, a 30mm adapter and two hose clamps.\n\nThe hose is grey and the maker describes the material as polypropylene, a common plastic. The kit weighs 0.12 kg.\n\nEach part has a job. The hose gives you the length. The connector is a short rigid piece that sits inside the two hose ends where they meet. The clamps squeeze each hose end down onto the connector so it cannot pull off or weep. The 30mm adapter is for a join to a 30mm pipe. The U-shaped bracket holds the far end of the hose in a curve so it can hook over a standpipe.\n\nThe material of the clamps and the bracket is not stated by the maker.\n\nGetting the sizes right\n\nThis is the step that decides whether the kit works for you, so take five minutes over it.\n\nThe maker gives the inner diameter at the hose ends as 20mm or 23mm. The white connector is 21mm across, and the maker describes it as suiting a hose with a 20mm inner diameter. The 30mm adapter is for connecting to a 30mm pipe. The maker also lists an outside diameter of 30mm and a wall thickness of 2mm, without saying which part of the hose those figures refer to.\n\nNow look at your own appliance. Pull the machine forward and find the free end of its drain hose. Measure the inside of that end with a ruler or, better, a set of callipers. If it is close to 20mm, the connector should push into it snugly.\n\nThen look at where the water is going. Is it a standpipe, a spigot on the sink trap, or another hose? Measure that as well.\n\nThe maker asks buyers to confirm their pipe size before purchase. We would say the same. Drain hoses are not all one size, and no kit suits every machine. If your figures do not line up with the ones above, contact us before ordering.\n\nJoining the two hoses\n\nThe maker describes the fitting as a push fit that needs no tools, done without taking the existing hose off the appliance. The type of clamp is not stated, so keep a screwdriver or pliers within reach in case the clamps need a final tighten.\n\nStart by unplugging the appliance. Put an old towel on the floor, because the existing hose usually holds a little water.\n\nSlide one clamp over the end of the existing hose and one over the end of the new hose. Do this first. It is annoying to make the joint and then find the clamps sitting on the worktop.\n\nPush the connector into the end of the existing hose until it is fully home. Push the new hose onto the other half of the connector. Both hose ends should meet, or nearly meet, in the middle.\n\nMove each clamp so it sits over the part of the hose that is on the connector, and tighten it. The clamp should be firm enough that you cannot twist the hose on the connector by hand.\n\nWhere the far end meets a 30mm pipe, fit the 30mm adapter there.\n\nHooking up the waste end\n\nThe other end of the new hose goes to the waste. In most Irish homes that is a standpipe, an upright pipe with a trap at the bottom, or a spigot on the trap under the sink.\n\nFor a standpipe, push the U-shaped bracket onto the hose end. It holds the hose in a hook shape. Hang that hook into the top of the standpipe. The hose should sit a short way into the pipe, not jammed deep down it. There needs to be an air gap around the hose so the machine cannot siphon.\n\nHeight matters too. Every appliance manual gives a minimum and maximum height for the hose end. Too low and water can drain out of the drum by itself during a wash. Too high and the pump cannot lift the water. Find the page in your manual and follow its figures.\n\nLay the remainder of the hose in gentle curves along the wall or the back of the units. Avoid kinks. Do not let the machine sit on the hose or squash it when you push the appliance back.\n\nDo not go too long\n\nIt is tempting to think more hose is always fine. It is not.\n\nThe drain pump in a washing machine or dishwasher is small. It is built to push water a certain distance and up a certain height. Add too much hose and the water slows, the machine takes longer to empty, and it may stop with a drain fault.\n\nYour appliance manual states the maximum total length of drain hose. Add the length of the hose already on the machine to the 1.5 metres in this kit and check the total against that figure. For the same reason, we would not join two kits end to end unless the manual clearly allows it.\n\nThe first wash\n\nDo not push the machine back and walk away. Test the joint first.\n\nLeave the connector where you can see it. Put a dry sheet of kitchen paper under it. Run a short rinse or a drain cycle. Watch while the pump runs, because that is when the joint is under load.\n\nIf the paper stays dry, you are done. If there is a drip, tighten the clamps a little and run it again. Check once more after a week of normal use, and then every few months.\n\nWhat needs a plumber\n\nExtending a hose and hooking it into a standpipe that is already there is a fair job for a householder. You are not changing the pipework.\n\nAnything beyond that is different. If there is no standpipe where the machine is going, one has to be installed. That means cutting into the waste system and fitting a trap. That is a job for a qualified plumber, and the Irish Building Regulations apply to drainage work.\n\nA plumber will also make sure the water ends up in the right place. Waste water from a washing machine or dishwasher belongs in the foul waste system. It should not be run out through a wall into a rainwater gully.\n\nOne more point on safety. This is a drain hose. It is for waste water leaving the machine under the gentle push of the pump. It must never be used on the inlet side, where hoses carry mains pressure.\n\nLooking after it\n\nA drain hose needs little attention. Check the joint now and then. Look for kinks after anyone has moved the machine. Keep the hose away from sharp edges and from anything hot.\n\nIf the machine starts draining slowly, fluff or detergent residue may have built up. Unplug the appliance, undo the joint over a bucket and rinse the hose through with warm water. We do not recommend chemical drain cleaners for this or any other drain.\n\nThe short version\n\nWhen an appliance drain hose is too short, extend it properly. This kit gives you a 1.5 metre grey polypropylene hose, an extension connector, a 30mm adapter, a U-shaped bracket and two hose clamps.\n\nThe maker gives the end inner diameters as 20mm or 23mm, with a 21mm connector for a 20mm hose. Measure your own hose before you buy.\n\nClamp both sides of the joint, hook the end at the height your manual states, keep within the manual's maximum length, and watch the first cycle for drips. If you need a new standpipe or any change to fixed pipework, call a qualified plumber.",
      "llm_summary": "This is a drain hose extension kit for washing machines and dishwashers. It contains a 1.5 metre (59 inch) hose, a U-shaped bracket, an extension connector, a 30mm adapter and two hose clamps. The maker gives the inner diameter at the hose ends as 20mm or 23mm. The white connector is 21mm in diameter and suits a hose with a 20mm inner diameter, and the 30mm adapter is for joining to a 30mm pipe. The hose is grey and described by the maker as polypropylene. A listed outside diameter of 30mm, a wall thickness of 2mm and a weight of 0.12 kg are given. The maker describes a tool-free push fit and asks buyers to confirm pipe size before purchase. Clamp material, temperature limits and country of origin are not stated by the maker.",
      "returnable": true,
      "return_policy": "14-day right to cancel from delivery under the Consumer Rights Act 2022, buyer pays return postage; the refund may be reduced if the item has been used beyond normal handling; Consumer Rights Act 2022 rights for faulty goods. Return postage on faulty goods is ours.",
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      "brand": "Drains Company",
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    {
      "id": "washing-machine-drain-hose-kit-3m",
      "sku": "washing-machine-drain-hose-kit-3m",
      "title": "Washing Machine Drain Hose Kit 3m with Connector and Adapter",
      "slug": "washing-machine-drain-hose-kit-3m",
      "price": 31.99,
      "currency": "EUR",
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      "category": "appliance-drain-hoses",
      "category_label": "Washing Machine & Dishwasher Drain Hoses",
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      "description_short": "A 3m polypropylene drain hose with a joining connector, a 30mm adapter, a U-shaped bracket and two hose clamps, so you can extend a washing machine or dishwasher outlet without removing the hose already fitted.",
      "description": "The hose that stops just short\n\nIt is a familiar moment. The new washing machine is in the utility room, the delivery crew has gone, and the hose at the back reaches to about half a metre from the standpipe. Or the kitchen has been refitted and the dishwasher now sits two units away from the sink instead of beside it.\n\nAppliance makers fit a drain hose that is long enough for the usual case, where the waste is right behind or next to the machine. They do not allow for the way real rooms are laid out. So people end up stretching the hose tight, propping the machine at an angle, or leaving it in the wrong spot because that is as far as the hose will go.\n\nA stretched hose is a poor idea. It pulls on its fittings every time the machine shakes in a spin cycle, and one day it comes off. The proper answer is more hose, joined properly. That is what this kit provides.\n\nWhat is in the kit\n\nThe maker gives the hose length as 3 metres. Along with the hose, the kit contains an extension connector, a 30mm adapter, a U-shaped bracket and two hose clamps.\n\nEach part has a job. The hose carries the water. The connector joins the new hose to the one already on your machine. The adapter is there for wastes that take a 30mm pipe. The bracket holds the end of the hose in a smooth curve at the waste. The clamps keep the joints together.\n\nThe maker says the hose is made of polypropylene, which is a plastic widely used for appliance hoses, and describes it as flexible. The nominal wall thickness is listed as 2mm, the colour as white and the weight as 0.12kg.\n\nThe sizes, and why to check them\n\nWith a drain hose, fit is everything. A joint that is slightly too loose will weep. One that is too tight will not go on at all.\n\nThe maker states that the internal diameters of the two hose ends are 20mm and 23mm. The connector is 2.1cm in diameter and is made to fit inside a hose with a 20mm internal diameter. With the 30mm adapter fitted, the hose can be connected to a 30mm pipe, and the maker notes that the adapter is needed in that case.\n\nBefore you order, pull the end of your current drain hose out of the waste and measure across the inside of the opening. If it is close to 20mm, the connector should push in snugly. Then look at where the water is going. Measure the standpipe or the spigot on the sink trap. The maker asks buyers to confirm the size before purchasing, and five minutes with a ruler saves a return.\n\nExtend or replace\n\nThere are two ways to use a kit like this.\n\nThe first is to extend. You leave the original hose on the machine and join the new hose to the end of it. The maker says this can be done by inserting and connecting the connector, without removing the drain hose already fitted. It is the simpler route. The original hose is fixed inside the machine, sometimes behind a panel, and leaving it alone avoids opening anything up.\n\nThe second is to connect the new hose directly to the appliance outlet. The maker describes the hose end as connecting to the outlet without tools. Whether this suits your machine depends on how its outlet is made and what size it is. If you have any doubt, extend.\n\nFitting it\n\nSwitch the appliance off and unplug it. Pull it forward carefully, minding the water inlet hose and the cable. Put a towel on the floor and have a shallow tray or bowl ready, because the drain hose usually holds a little water.\n\nLift the old hose out of the waste and let it drain into the bowl. Wipe the end dry. Push the connector into the end of the old hose, then push the new hose onto the other half of the connector. Fit a hose clamp on each side of the joint and secure it. The type of clamp is not stated by the maker, so keep a screwdriver nearby in case you need one.\n\nRoute the new hose to the waste. Fit the U-shaped bracket near the end so the hose makes a smooth curve, and hook it into the standpipe, or connect it to the sink trap spigot with the 30mm adapter if that is the size required.\n\nPush the appliance back slowly. Watch that the hose does not get trapped or folded behind it. Then run a short rinse and check each joint while the machine pumps out.\n\nGetting the route right\n\nThis is where a long hose needs a little thought. A pump in a washing machine or dishwasher is small. It can only push water so far and so high.\n\nYour appliance manual will state the longest drain hose allowed and the height range for the hose. Check both before you fit a 3m extension. If the total run is longer than the manual allows, the machine may drain slowly or stop with a fault.\n\nHeight matters as much as length. Most manuals ask for the hose to rise to a set height before it goes into the waste. If the hose lies low all the way, water can siphon out of the drum in the middle of a wash. If it rises too high, the pump struggles. Follow the figures for your own machine.\n\nKeep the route simple. Gentle curves are fine. Sharp bends and long sagging loops are not, because lint and grease settle in the low spots. Clip the hose to the wall or the back of the units if you can, and keep it away from hot surfaces and sharp edges.\n\nMistakes worth avoiding\n\nA few things go wrong often enough to mention. The first is joining hoses with tape. Tape holds for a week and then lets go in the middle of a spin. Use the connector and a clamp on each side of it.\n\nThe second is pushing the hose a long way down the standpipe and sealing round it. The end should sit in the top of the pipe with air around it, as your manual shows. A sealed, deeply inserted hose is a common cause of siphoning and smells.\n\nThe third is leaving the joint where you cannot see it. If you can, place the join where it stays within reach once the machine is back, such as inside the next cupboard. Then a quick look now and again tells you all is well.\n\nWhere the water is allowed to go\n\nWaste water from a washing machine or dishwasher belongs in the foul drain. In a house, that normally means a standpipe with its own trap, or the appliance spigot on a sink trap.\n\nIt should never be run to a rainwater pipe or a surface water gully outside. Those lead to different drains, and soapy water does not belong there. If you are not sure which drain a gully serves, ask a qualified plumber.\n\nIf a suitable waste is already in place, connecting a hose to it is ordinary household work. If there is no waste where you need one, that is different. Fitting a new standpipe, a trap or a branch into the waste pipe means altering fixed pipework. That is a job for a qualified plumber, and the Irish Building Regulations apply to drainage work.\n\nIf the standpipe overflows when the machine pumps out, the hose is not the problem. The waste pipe is partly blocked. Clear it with a plunger or a drain snake, and if several fittings are slow at once, call a plumber. A blockage in a public sewer is a matter for Uisce Éireann or your local authority.\n\nLooking after it\n\nA drain hose needs very little. Check the joints for drips after the first few washes, then a couple of times a year. Clamps can settle as the plastic beds in, and a quick look catches a weep before it becomes a puddle.\n\nWhen you pull the machine out to clean behind it, wipe the hose down and check that it has not been pushed into a kink. If the machine ever starts draining slowly, look at the hose route first, then the filter on the machine, then the waste.\n\nThe short version\n\nThis kit contains a 3m polypropylene drain hose, an extension connector, a 30mm adapter, a U-shaped bracket and two hose clamps. The maker states the hose ends are 20mm and 23mm inside, and the connector suits a 20mm hose.\n\nMeasure your existing hose and your waste before you order. Check your appliance manual for the hose length and height it allows. Join the hoses, clamp the joint, route the hose in gentle curves, and test for leaks. Send the water to the foul drain only, and call a qualified plumber if a new waste connection is needed.",
      "llm_summary": "This is a drain hose kit for washing machines and dishwashers. The maker states the hose length as 3 metres. The kit contains the drain hose, a U-shaped bracket, an extension connector, a 30 mm adapter and two hose clamps. The maker states the internal diameters of the two hose ends are 20 mm and 23 mm, that the 30 mm adapter allows connection to 30 mm pipes, and that the connector is 2.1 cm in diameter for hose with a 20 mm internal diameter. The hose is made of polypropylene, with a nominal wall thickness of 2 mm. The colour is listed as white and the weight as 0.12 kg. The maker says it connects without tools and can extend an existing drain hose without removing it. A temperature rating and the country of origin are not stated by the maker.",
      "returnable": true,
      "return_policy": "14-day right to cancel from delivery under the Consumer Rights Act 2022, buyer pays return postage; the refund may be reduced if the item has been used beyond normal handling; Consumer Rights Act 2022 rights for faulty goods. Return postage on faulty goods is ours.",
      "shipping_profile": "standard",
      "warranty": null,
      "brand": "Drains Company",
      "gtin": null,
      "mpn": null,
      "condition": "new",
      "url": "https://drains.irish/washing-machine-drain-hose-kit-3m/",
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      "updated_at": "2026-10-12"
    },
    {
      "id": "double-ended-drain-brush-170cm",
      "sku": "double-ended-drain-brush-170cm",
      "title": "Double Ended Drain Brush 170cm",
      "slug": "double-ended-drain-brush-170cm",
      "price": 18.99,
      "currency": "EUR",
      "availability": "in_stock",
      "category": "drain-cleaning-brushes",
      "category_label": "Drain Rods & Brushes",
      "tags": [],
      "colors": [],
      "materials": [],
      "dimensions": null,
      "weight": "0.09 kg",
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      ],
      "description_short": "A stainless steel spring shaft with a nylon bristle head at each end bends through gentle curves to clean pipes, hoses and household drains by hand.",
      "description": "The slow drain that is not really blocked\n\nThere is a kind of drain problem that never becomes an emergency. The basin empties, but slowly. The shower tray holds a centimetre of water until you have finished. And there is a smell near the plughole that no amount of bleach on the surface seems to shift.\n\nNothing is stuck in the pipe. The pipe is dirty. Every day it carries soap, toothpaste, shaving foam, skin, hair product and, in the kitchen, fat. A little of that stays behind on the wall each time. Over months it becomes a soft grey layer. It narrows the pipe, it catches hair, and it is where the smell lives.\n\nA plunger does nothing to a layer like that. Pressure passes straight through the open middle of the pipe. Pouring products down the drain is not something we recommend either. What works is the same thing that works on a dirty bottle. You put a brush inside and scrub.\n\nWhat a drain brush does that a snake does not\n\nPeople often mix up drain brushes and drain snakes. They look alike, with a long bendy shaft and something on the end, but they do different jobs.\n\nA drain snake is for blockages. It has a coil or hook that bites into a plug of hair and drags it out. It leaves the pipe wall more or less as it found it.\n\nA drain brush is for cleaning. Its bristles spread out to touch the wall of the pipe and wipe it as the brush moves. It does not grip a blockage and will not pull one out. If your pipe is fully blocked, clear it with a plunger or a snake first, then follow with the brush to remove what is left.\n\nUsed together, the two give you a pipe that is both open and clean. Used on its own, a brush is a maintenance tool. A few minutes every month or two stops the layer building up in the first place.\n\nHow this one is built\n\nThe brush is 170cm long. That is the full length from one tip to the other.\n\nThe shaft is a spring. The maker says the brush is built with stainless steel and describes this as an extra thick, stronger spring version. A spring shaft bends where a solid rod would not, and it carries a push along its length without folding over on itself, as long as you do not force it.\n\nAt each end there is a head of nylon bristles. Nylon is a sensible choice for pipe work. It is stiff enough to scrub off soft residue and much kinder to plastic and chrome than wire bristles would be.\n\nThe whole thing weighs 0.09 kg, or 90 grams. The maker lists the colour as black, without saying which part that describes.\n\nOne detail is missing. The maker does not state the diameter of the bristle heads. That matters if you have a particular narrow tube in mind, and it means we cannot promise a fit for any one pipe size. The maker describes the brush for pipes, hoses and household drains.\n\nBends, traps and where it will not go\n\nThe maker says the brush works in curved pipes and tubes with bends of less than 90 degrees. Read that carefully, because it sets the limits.\n\nA gentle sweep is fine. So is an angled joint where the pipe turns partway. The spring will follow those.\n\nA sharp right angle is at the edge of what the maker describes. A U-bend, the trap under a basin or sink, is tighter still. It turns the pipe back on itself. Do not expect the brush to pass through one, and do not try to make it. Forcing a spring into a turn it cannot make puts a kink in it, and a kinked spring never runs smoothly again.\n\nThe better way is to work around the trap. Put a basin under it, unscrew the two nuts by hand and lift it away. Wash the trap in a bucket of hot soapy water. That is where much of the muck sits anyway. Then use the brush in two directions, up into the waste from below and along the pipe that leads away from the trap.\n\nIf your trap is glued, corroded or will not come apart by hand, leave it alone. Altering fixed pipework is a job for a qualified plumber.\n\nWhere it earns its keep\n\nBathroom basins are the obvious place. The short stretch between the plughole and the trap collects more residue than any other part of the house plumbing, and it is the source of most basin smells. A long drain cleaning brush cleans it in a few strokes.\n\nShowers and baths are next. Lift the grate or the pop-up waste if it comes out, and brush down into the pipe. You will bring up hair along with the slime, so have kitchen roll ready.\n\nThen there are hoses. The maker lists them among the uses, and a 170cm brush will run a fair distance along a length of flexible hose once it is disconnected and laid out reasonably straight. Check the head against the hose bore before you push it in. For any appliance hose, switch off at the socket first and expect water to come out of the hose when you unhook it.\n\nIt is not for toilets, and it is not for outside drains. Both are far wider than the brush heads, so the bristles would not touch the walls.\n\nUsing it step by step\n\nStart by running hot water down the drain for a minute. Warm residue comes away more easily than cold. Add a squirt of washing-up liquid at the plughole.\n\nPut on rubber gloves. Feed one head into the opening and push it in about a hand's length. Pull it back. Push again, a little further. Work in short strokes and add depth gradually. A slow twist of the shaft as you go helps the bristles reach right round the wall.\n\nWhen the brush stops, do not lean on it. Draw it back a few centimetres, turn it slightly and try once more. If it stops at the same point, you have reached a bend it will not take. That is as far as it goes from this side.\n\nPull the brush out now and then and rinse the head under the tap. What comes off it will tell you whether the job was needed. When the head comes back clean, you are finished. Run hot water for another minute to carry the loosened residue away.\n\nIf the first head gets too clogged to rinse quickly, turn the brush round and use the other.\n\nCleaning and storing the brush\n\nWash the brush as soon as you are done. Hold each head under hot running water and rub the bristles with a gloved hand until the water runs clear. A drop of washing-up liquid helps with grease. Wipe down the shaft.\n\nShake it off and let it dry in the air. Hanging it from a hook is the easiest way. Stainless steel resists rust well, but any tool put away wet and dirty will smell the next time you pick it up.\n\nFor storage, coil it loosely or leave it hanging. Do not fold it or wind it into a tight loop.\n\nChoosing a drain brush\n\nA few points separate a useful drain brush from one that sits in a drawer.\n\nLength comes first. A short brush only cleans the part of the pipe you can nearly reach with a finger. At 170cm, this one covers the waste, the pipe beyond the trap and a good run of hose.\n\nThen the shaft. A thin wire shaft buckles when you push it. A spring shaft carries the push further. The maker of this brush describes its spring as the thicker, stronger version.\n\nBristle material matters too. Nylon suits household pipework, which is mostly plastic.\n\nFinally, think about bends. If you are looking for the best flexible drain brush for a run with gentle curves, the maker's figure of bends under 90 degrees is the one to hold your pipework up against. Tight traps will always need to come off.\n\nThe short version\n\nSlow, smelly drains are often coated and not blocked. A brush removes the coating where a plunger and a snake do not.\n\nThis one is 170cm long, with a stainless steel spring shaft and a nylon bristle head at each end. It weighs 0.09 kg. The maker says it suits bends of less than 90 degrees and lists pipes, hoses and drains as its uses. The head diameter is not stated by the maker.\n\nUse it with hot water and washing-up liquid, in short strokes, without forcing it. Take the trap off and clean that by hand. Rinse the brush, dry it and hang it up.",
      "llm_summary": "This is a flexible double ended drain brush sold by Drains Company for cleaning the inside of pipes, hoses and household drains by hand. The overall length is 170 cm. It has two bristle heads, one at each end, with nylon bristles on a stainless steel spring shaft that the maker describes as extra thick. The maker says it suits curved pipes and tubes with bends of less than 90 degrees. The weight is 0.09 kg and one brush is supplied. The maker lists the colour as black. The diameter of the bristle heads and the country of origin are not stated by the maker. It is a cleaning brush for removing film and residue from pipe walls and is not intended to clear a solid blockage or for use in a toilet.",
      "returnable": true,
      "return_policy": "14-day right to cancel from delivery under the Consumer Rights Act 2022, buyer pays return postage; the refund may be reduced if the item has been used beyond normal handling; Consumer Rights Act 2022 rights for faulty goods. Return postage on faulty goods is ours.",
      "shipping_profile": "standard",
      "warranty": null,
      "brand": "Drains Company",
      "gtin": null,
      "mpn": null,
      "condition": "new",
      "url": "https://drains.irish/double-ended-drain-brush-170cm/",
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    },
    {
      "id": "drain-brush-200cm-3-pack",
      "sku": "drain-brush-200cm-3-pack",
      "title": "200cm Drain Brush Set, 3 Pack",
      "slug": "drain-brush-200cm-3-pack",
      "price": 17.99,
      "currency": "EUR",
      "availability": "in_stock",
      "category": "drain-cleaning-brushes",
      "category_label": "Drain Rods & Brushes",
      "tags": [],
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      "dimensions": null,
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      ],
      "description_short": "A 200cm flexible brush with two bristle heads, a 60cm sink brush and a 50cm shower drain stick give you three lengths for three kinds of drain, all worked by hand and all reusable.",
      "description": "The gunk you cannot see\n\nTake the cover off any shower waste that has been in use for a year and you will find the same thing. A grey, slippery sleeve of hair, soap and skin oils is stuck to the inside of the pipe. It is not a blockage yet. Water still gets by. But the opening is smaller than it was, and it gets smaller with every shower.\n\nKitchen sinks do the same with fat and food. Basins do it with toothpaste, soap and shaving foam. The overflow slot on a basin is often the worst of all, because nothing ever rinses it.\n\nThis build-up is the reason a drain starts to smell before it starts to block. It is also the reason a drain that has just been plunged clear can slow down again a few weeks later. The plunger moved the plug along. It did not clean the pipe.\n\nA brush does. It scrubs the wall of the waste and brings the loose material back up to where you can bin it.\n\nWhat is in the pack\n\nThere are three tools in this set, and they are different lengths on purpose.\n\nThe first is a 200cm flexible brush with two bristle heads, one at each end of the wire. This is the long reach tool. It goes down past the trap, or along a thin tube that nothing else will fit.\n\nThe second is a 60cm sink brush. The maker lists it as white.\n\nThe third is a 50cm stick for shower drains, listed as orange.\n\nThe maker gives the colours of the set as black, white and orange. The bristles are described as nylon, the wire as 304 stainless steel, and polypropylene is listed among the materials. The lengths are measured by hand, so allow for a difference of 1 to 2 cm.\n\nOne thing the maker does not state is the diameter of the bristle heads. If you have a particular narrow tube in mind, go by the photos and measure the opening first.\n\nHow the brushes work\n\nThere is no trick to it. The wire is flexible, so it bends where the pipe bends. The bristles stand out from the wire and rub against the inside of the pipe as the tool moves.\n\nThe maker's directions are short. Insert the tool into the drain. Twist it slightly so it catches hair and debris. Then pull it out slowly.\n\nThe slight twist does two things. It wraps loose hair around the tool, and it turns the bristles against the pipe wall so they scrub. The slow pull matters just as much. Pull fast and the clump you have gathered can slide off halfway up.\n\nBecause there is no motor and no chemical, you are in charge of the force. That is useful in an older house where the waste fittings have seen better days.\n\nWhich tool for which job\n\nStart short. Most build-up sits within a hand's length of the plughole, so the 50cm stick or the 60cm brush will often do the whole job on a shower or a basin. They are easier to steer than a two metre wire, and there is less to clean afterwards.\n\nMove to the 200cm brush when the short tools come back clean but the water is still slow. That tells you the problem is further on, past the trap and into the pipe behind it. Feed the long brush in a little at a time. When it stops at a bend, draw it back a few centimetres, turn it and try again. Do not shove.\n\nA long pipe cleaning brush is also the right pick for thin tubes. The maker lists a range of these, and they are covered further down.\n\nIf you want one rule, it is this. Use the shortest tool that reaches the dirt.\n\nUsing them without making a mess\n\nFive minutes of preparation saves a lot of wiping up.\n\nPut on rubber gloves. Lay an old towel around the plughole and have a few sheets of kitchen paper and a bag ready. Lift out the plug or the pop-up stopper if it comes out. On a shower, lift or unscrew the waste cover if yours is the kind that comes off by hand.\n\nFeed the tool straight down the centre of the opening. The wire is steel, so keep it off the surface of an enamel bath or a polished basin.\n\nWork in short strokes. Push in, turn, draw back. Wipe the head with kitchen paper each time it comes out, and put the paper in the bag. Do not rinse the hair back down the drain you have just cleaned.\n\nWhen the tool comes back clean two or three times in a row, run the hot tap for a minute. A small squirt of washing-up liquid helps carry the greasy film away. Then put the plug or cover back.\n\nWe do not recommend chemical drain cleaners, before or after. They are not needed for this job, and they make it risky to put your hands and a tool anywhere near the water.\n\nBeyond the bathroom\n\nThe maker lists several uses for the 200cm brush that have nothing to do with sinks.\n\nOne is the fridge. At the back of most fridges there is a small drain hole that carries condensation away. When it blocks with crumbs or a bit of vegetable, water pools under the salad drawer. A thin brush clears it. Check that the head fits the hole before you push.\n\nAnother is the car sunroof. Sunroof trays drain through thin tubes that run down inside the body of the car. Leaves and grit block them and the water ends up in the footwell. A sunroof drain cleaning brush can clear the top of the tube, but go slowly and stop at firm resistance. Those tubes are only pushed onto their fittings and can come off.\n\nThe maker also lists aquarium filters and fish tanks, washing machines and coffee makers. Two points of care apply. Unplug any appliance first and only clean the parts its manual tells you to. And keep a separate brush for anything that touches food, drink or fish. A brush that has been down a shower waste stays a drain brush.\n\nWhat they will not do\n\nThese are thin hand tools. They are made for hair, slime and soft build-up in small wastes and narrow tubes.\n\nThey are not for toilets. They will not shift a hard object stuck in a pipe, and they will not reach a blockage many metres away. For a clog deep in the pipework, a drain snake is the next step.\n\nIf the kitchen sink, the bath and a toilet all slow down together, the trouble is in the main drain outside. A blockage in a public sewer is for Uisce Éireann or your local authority. One on your own property needs a drainage contractor. And any job that means changing fixed pipework belongs to a qualified plumber.\n\nLooking after the set\n\nPull off what you can with gloved hands or paper. Rinse each tool under the tap with a little washing-up liquid, working the bristles with your fingers. Shake them off and leave them to dry.\n\nStore the 200cm brush in loose, wide loops. Hang it on a hook or lay it flat on a shelf. Folding it tightly puts a kink in the wire, and a kinked wire does not feed through a bend the way a straight one does.\n\nKeep the set somewhere dry. The maker lists the tools as reusable, and with a rinse after each job there is no reason to treat them as throwaway items.\n\nThe short version\n\nSlow, smelly drains are usually coated on the inside with hair, soap and grease, starting just below the plughole. A brush scrubs that coating off and pulls it out.\n\nThis pack has a 200cm flexible brush with two bristle heads, a 60cm sink brush and a 50cm shower drain stick. The maker describes the bristles as nylon and the wire as stainless steel. Start with the shortest tool, twist slightly, pull slowly, and wipe the head each time.\n\nUse the long brush for deeper runs and for thin tubes like a fridge drain hole or a sunroof drain. Rinse everything afterwards and store the long one loosely coiled. For toilets, hard blockages or anything outside the house, you need a different tool or a professional.",
      "llm_summary": "This is a set of three manual drain cleaning tools sold by Drains Company in Ireland. It contains a 200cm flexible brush with two bristle heads, a 60cm white sink brush and a 50cm orange shower drain stick. The maker lists the colours as black, white and orange, the bristles as nylon, the wire as 304 stainless steel, and polypropylene among the materials. Lengths may vary by 1 to 2 cm. The tools are flexible and reusable. They are pushed into a plughole or tube, twisted slightly to catch hair and debris, and pulled out slowly. The maker lists uses including kitchen, bathroom, shower and floor drains, fridge drain holes, aquarium filter tubes, appliance tubes and car sunroof drains. Bristle diameter and weight are not stated by the maker.",
      "returnable": true,
      "return_policy": "14-day right to cancel from delivery under the Consumer Rights Act 2022, buyer pays return postage; the refund may be reduced if the item has been used beyond normal handling; Consumer Rights Act 2022 rights for faulty goods. Return postage on faulty goods is ours.",
      "shipping_profile": "standard",
      "warranty": null,
      "brand": "Drains Company",
      "gtin": null,
      "mpn": null,
      "condition": "new",
      "url": "https://drains.irish/drain-brush-200cm-3-pack/",
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      "updated_at": "2026-10-12"
    },
    {
      "id": "drain-brush-set-155cm-and-45cm",
      "sku": "drain-brush-set-155cm-and-45cm",
      "title": "2 Piece Drain Brush Set, 155cm Pipe Brush and 45cm Plughole Tool",
      "slug": "drain-brush-set-155cm-and-45cm",
      "price": 15.99,
      "currency": "EUR",
      "availability": "in_stock",
      "category": "drain-cleaning-brushes",
      "category_label": "Drain Rods & Brushes",
      "tags": [],
      "colors": [],
      "materials": [],
      "dimensions": null,
      "weight": "20 g",
      "images": [
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      ],
      "description_short": "A 155cm flexible steel rod with nylon bristles at both ends cleans along the pipe, and a 45cm plastic tool lifts hair and gunk from the plughole.",
      "description": "Blockages start as slime\n\nVery few drains block suddenly. What usually happens is slower and less dramatic. Every time someone washes their hands or brushes their teeth, a thin film is left on the inside of the waste pipe. Soap, toothpaste, shaving foam and skin oils all add to it.\n\nThat film is sticky. Hair catches on it. Fluff and grit catch on the hair. Over a few months the inside of the pipe gets narrower, and the basin takes longer to empty. There may be a smell as well, because the slime is a home for bacteria.\n\nAt this stage nothing is truly blocked. Water still gets through. This is the easiest time to deal with it, and it is the stage a brush is made for. You are not fighting a plug. You are scrubbing a dirty pipe.\n\nWhat is in this set\n\nThere are two pieces.\n\nThe first is a double head pipe brush. The maker gives its length as 61 inch, which is about 155cm. It is described as a flexible stainless steel rod with nylon bristles at both ends.\n\nThe second is a plastic tool, 17.7 inch long by the maker's figure, or about 45cm. This is the plughole hair tool. You insert it, turn it slightly so it picks up hair and gunk, and pull it out slowly.\n\nThe maker lists the colour as silver. The listed dimensions are 20 x 15 x 2 cm and the listed weight is 20 g. Since one piece is 155cm long, those numbers read like a packed size with the rod coiled, so treat them as a rough guide.\n\nThe diameter of the bristle heads is not stated by the maker. The maker says the kit suits many different pipe sizes, without figures. If you have a particular narrow pipe in mind, measure it and ask us first.\n\nStart with the short tool\n\nMost bathroom hair never gets far. It wraps around the cross-bars under the plughole or sits in a clump a few centimetres down. The 45cm tool is for that.\n\nLift out the plug or strainer if it comes away by hand. Slide the tool into the plughole. Turn it slightly, as the maker directs, so it picks up what is there. Then draw it out slowly. Pulling fast tends to leave half the clump behind.\n\nHave tissue or an old cloth ready. What comes out is not pretty. Wipe the tool, put the mess in the bin and go again. Three or four passes is normal for a basin that has not been cleaned in a year. Stop when the tool comes out clean.\n\nThis step alone fixes a lot of slow basins and shower trays. It takes about two minutes.\n\nThen use the long brush\n\nIf the water is still slow, or there is a smell, the build-up is further along. This is where the 155cm double head pipe brush comes in.\n\nFeed one brush end into the plughole. Push gently and turn the rod between your fingers as it goes. The rod is flexible, and the maker suggests it for curved pipes such as U-shaped traps. When you feel it stop at a bend, do not shove. Pull back a little, turn, and try again. It usually finds the way.\n\nOnce it is through, work it back and forth in short strokes. You are scrubbing the walls of the pipe, the same way you would clean a bottle. Pull the brush out, rinse it under the tap and look at what came off. Repeat until it comes back fairly clean.\n\nBecause both ends have bristles, you have a spare head. When one end is caked, turn the rod round and carry on with the other.\n\nFinish by running the hot tap for a minute or two. That flushes the loosened material through the trap and away.\n\nOther places a slim brush is useful\n\nThe maker lists several uses beyond sinks. They include fridges, washing machines, coffee machines, aquarium filters and car drains. The maker does not give details for any of them, so use some judgement.\n\nA fridge often has a small drain hole at the back of the main compartment, which can block with food bits. A washing machine collects slime in the detergent drawer housing. Aquarium filters have tubes that foul over time. Many cars have drain channels that clog with leaves.\n\nWhether a brush end fits any of these depends on a head size the maker does not state. Try gently and never force a brush into an opening.\n\nThere is one firm rule here. Do not move a brush between dirty and clean jobs. A brush that has been down a bathroom waste must never go near a coffee machine, a fridge or a fish tank. If you want to clean those, keep a separate set for them and store it somewhere else.\n\nWhat a brush will not do\n\nIt helps to be clear about limits.\n\nA brush cleans. It is not built to break through a solid plug packed deep in the pipe. If water will not drain at all, a plunger or a drain snake is the better tool. Once the drain is running again, the brush is what keeps it that way.\n\nIt reaches 155cm. A blockage further along than that is beyond it.\n\nIt is also not a reason to take pipes apart. If a job means altering fixed pipework, that is work for a qualified plumber, and the Irish Building Regulations apply to drainage work. And if the trouble is in the public sewer and not in your own pipes, contact Uisce Éireann or your local authority.\n\nSkip the chemical drain cleaners too. We do not recommend them. They are harsh to handle, and liquid left sitting in a trap can flick back at you when a brush goes in. If one has been used recently, flush the drain well with water first and wear gloves and eye protection.\n\nHow often to brush\n\nThere is no fixed rule, but a simple routine works for most homes.\n\nUse the short tool on shower and bath plugholes about once a month, more often if several people with long hair use the same shower. Use the long brush on basin wastes every two or three months, or whenever you notice the water slowing or a smell starting.\n\nKitchen sinks are different. The build-up there is mostly fat and food. A brush helps, but the best prevention is to keep fat out of the sink in the first place. Wipe greasy pans with kitchen paper before washing them, and use a strainer in the plughole.\n\nA few minutes of brushing on a regular basis is far less trouble than a blocked basin on a busy morning.\n\nLooking after the set\n\nBoth pieces are described by the maker as reusable, and they last longer with a little care.\n\nAfter each job, pull away any hair with tissue. Rinse both pieces under hot running water. If they are greasy, a drop of washing-up liquid on the bristles helps. Shake them off and leave them somewhere to dry.\n\nStore the long brush in a loose, wide coil. A hook in the utility room or inside a cupboard door is ideal. Avoid folding the rod sharply, because a tight bend in steel tends to stay, and a kinked rod is harder to feed round a trap.\n\nKeep the set away from anything used for food. A labelled bag or a spot with the other cleaning tools is enough.\n\nChoosing between a brush, a plunger and a snake\n\nThese three tools do different jobs, and many homes end up with all of them.\n\nA plunger is for a sudden soft blockage close to the fixture. A drain snake is for a plug of hair that sits past the trap. A drain cleaning brush is for the film and slime that build up on the pipe walls, and for the hair just under the plughole.\n\nIf your drain is slow but still running, start with the brush set. It is the gentlest option and often the only one you need. If the drain has stopped completely, use a plunger or snake first and keep the brush for afterwards.\n\nThe short version\n\nSlow drains usually begin as a sticky film on the inside of the pipe, with hair caught in it. This two piece set tackles both. The 45cm plastic tool lifts hair and gunk from the plughole. The 155cm brush, a flexible stainless steel rod with nylon bristles at both ends, scrubs along the pipe and round the trap.\n\nThe maker does not state the bristle head diameter, so check with us if you have a very narrow pipe in mind. Keep one set for drains only. Rinse it, dry it and coil it loosely.\n\nUse it every month or two and most slow drains never get the chance to become blocked ones.",
      "llm_summary": "This is a two piece drain cleaning set for household use. It contains one double head pipe cleaning brush 155cm long (61 inch) and one plastic pipe cleaning tool 45cm long (17.7 inch). The maker describes the long brush as a flexible stainless steel rod with nylon bristles at both ends. The short plastic tool is inserted into the plughole, turned slightly to pick up hair and gunk, and pulled out. The maker lists the colour as silver, dimensions of 20 x 15 x 2 cm and a weight of 20 g. The maker suggests it for household sinks and curved pipes such as U-shaped traps, and also for aquarium filters, washing machines, coffee machines, fridges and car drains. Bristle head diameter and country of origin are not stated by the maker.",
      "returnable": true,
      "return_policy": "14-day right to cancel from delivery under the Consumer Rights Act 2022, buyer pays return postage; the refund may be reduced if the item has been used beyond normal handling; Consumer Rights Act 2022 rights for faulty goods. Return postage on faulty goods is ours.",
      "shipping_profile": "standard",
      "warranty": null,
      "brand": "Drains Company",
      "gtin": null,
      "mpn": null,
      "condition": "new",
      "url": "https://drains.irish/drain-brush-set-155cm-and-45cm/",
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      "updated_at": "2026-10-12"
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    {
      "id": "flexible-drain-brush-155cm",
      "sku": "flexible-drain-brush-155cm",
      "title": "Flexible Drain Brush 155cm with Nylon Bristle Head",
      "slug": "flexible-drain-brush-155cm",
      "price": 15.99,
      "currency": "EUR",
      "availability": "in_stock",
      "category": "drain-cleaning-brushes",
      "category_label": "Drain Rods & Brushes",
      "tags": [],
      "colors": [],
      "materials": [],
      "dimensions": null,
      "weight": "60 g",
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      "description_short": "A long stainless steel stem with a 5cm by 1cm nylon bristle head bends through gentle curves, so you can clean overflows and slim waste pipes that a cloth or a short brush never touches.",
      "description": "The dirt you cannot see\n\nYou can scrub a basin until it shines and still have a smell hanging around it. The reason is usually out of sight. Behind the overflow slot is a hidden channel that only gets wet when the basin is nearly full. Below the plughole is a short run of pipe coated in soap film. Neither place ever gets cleaned in the normal run of things, and both stay damp.\n\nDamp plus soap plus skin and hair makes slime. It is a grey or black film that clings to the pipe wall and builds slowly. It smells, and over time it narrows the pipe and gives hair something to cling to. That is how a slow drain starts.\n\nA cloth cannot reach it. A short bottle brush is too fat or too stubby. What you need is something long and thin with bristles on the end, and that is all this tool is.\n\nWhat this brush is\n\nIt is a single brush with a total length of 155cm, according to the maker. The stem is stainless steel. At the working end is a nylon bristle head that the maker gives as 5cm long and 1cm in diameter.\n\nThose two numbers tell you most of what you need to know. A 1cm head is slim. It goes into openings that would stop most household brushes. And 155cm is a lot of reach. On most jobs you will use only the first part of it, but the spare length means you are never the one who runs out before the dirt does.\n\nThe maker lists the colour as white and the weight as 60g. There is one brush in the pack.\n\nHow flexible it really is\n\nThe maker describes the brush as very flexible and says it works in curved pipes where the bend is less than 90 degrees. It is worth being clear about what that means at home.\n\nA long, sweeping curve is no trouble. Neither is a pipe that changes direction gently. The steel stem flexes and follows the shape, and the head keeps scrubbing as it goes.\n\nA tight turn is different. The trap under a sink or basin doubles back on itself in a very short space. That is a sharper bend than the maker describes, so the brush may stop there. If it does, leave it. Forcing a steel stem round a tight corner kinks it, and a kinked stem never slides the same way again. Traps are easy to deal with another way, which we will come to.\n\nWhere a slim brush earns its keep\n\nThe overflow is the obvious place. If the slot or hole is wider than 1cm, the head will pass through and you can scrub the channel behind it. This is often where a stubborn basin smell lives, and a minute of brushing followed by a rinse can clear it.\n\nThe top of the waste pipe is the next. Feeding the brush down through the plughole lets you clean the walls of the waste above the trap. Check the gaps in the plughole grid first, because they vary from one fitting to the next.\n\nBeyond that, it suits any narrow pipe or drain opening around the house that you can reach from one end and that has no sharp turn in the first stretch. The maker lists pipes as the surface it is meant for and drainage as its use. If the opening is at least a little wider than the head and the route is fairly straight, it is a fair candidate.\n\nIt is not the right size for wide pipes. A 1cm head inside a broad waste pipe touches one side at a time and will take all day. And it is not a tool for toilets or outdoor gullies.\n\nCleaning brush, not blockage remover\n\nIt helps to be honest about what a brush like this can do. It cleans. It scrubs film off pipe walls and loosens light build-up before it becomes a problem. On the way back out, the bristles may bring some loose hair with them.\n\nIt does not clear a sink that has stopped draining. A solid plug of hair or fat needs pressure from a plunger or the grip of a drain snake. If you push a slim brush into a solid blockage, the likely outcome is that the head pokes a small hole through it, the water drains slowly for a day, and then you are back where you started.\n\nThink of it the way you would think of a toothbrush. It is for routine cleaning, and routine cleaning is what keeps bigger trouble away.\n\nUsing it step by step\n\nPut on gloves and have an old cloth or some kitchen roll to hand. Run a little warm water so the pipe is wet.\n\nWet the bristle head and add a drop of washing-up liquid. Feed the head into the opening and push gently. As you go, turn the stem between your fingers. The maker describes the bristles as rotating, and it is this turning that lets them scrub right round the pipe wall instead of just one side.\n\nWork in short strokes, a hand's length in and out, moving a little deeper each time. When you feel the brush stop, do not lean on it. Ease back, turn the stem a little and try once more. If it still stops, that is as far as it goes.\n\nDraw the brush out slowly and wipe the head on the kitchen roll. The first pass is usually the dirty one. Rinse the head, go in again, and repeat until it comes out more or less clean. Finish by running warm water through the pipe or filling the basin so that water runs through the overflow.\n\nYou do not need anything stronger than washing-up liquid. We do not recommend chemical drain cleaners.\n\nIf the trap is the problem\n\nWhen the brush will not pass the trap, or the smell seems to come from lower down, clean the trap itself. Put a bucket underneath, unscrew the trap by hand, and tip the contents out. Rinse it in another sink or outside, and use the brush on the short straight pieces while they are off. Then refit it, hand tight, and run the tap to check for drips.\n\nThat is ordinary household maintenance. Anything that means cutting, moving or replacing fixed pipework is different. That is a job for a qualified plumber, and the Irish Building Regulations apply to drainage work.\n\nIf more than one fitting is slow or smelly at the same time, the cause is likely further along the drain. Inside your boundary, call a plumber or drain contractor. If the blockage is in a public sewer, contact Uisce Éireann or your local authority.\n\nBrush, plunger or snake\n\nPeople often ask which of the three they should own. The honest answer is that they do different jobs, and the symptoms tell you which one to pick up.\n\nIf the water drains at a normal speed but the basin smells, the pipe is dirty and not blocked. That is a job for a brush. If the water drains slowly or not at all, something is in the way. Start with a plunger, and move on to a drain snake if the plunger does not shift it. Once the water is running again, the brush comes back out to clean what is left on the walls.\n\nUsed that way, a slim brush is the tool you reach for most often and the one that saves you from needing the other two.\n\nLooking after the brush\n\nRinse the head under warm running water as soon as you finish. Work a little washing-up liquid through the bristles with gloved fingers, rinse again, and shake off the water. Wipe the stem from handle to head with a cloth.\n\nLet it dry before you put it away. Then coil it loosely or hang it up. The one thing to avoid is a sharp bend, because a kink in a steel stem tends to be permanent. A dry cupboard suits it better than a damp shed.\n\nKeep the steel stem away from polished and enamelled surfaces when you are feeding it in. The nylon head is soft, but the stem is metal, and a little care keeps the basin unmarked.\n\nThe short version\n\nThis is one long, slim cleaning brush. The maker gives the length as 155cm and the bristle head as 5cm by 1cm. The stem is stainless steel, the bristles are nylon, and it weighs 60g.\n\nIt follows gentle curves and stops at tight ones, so do not force it round a trap. Use it with warm water and washing-up liquid to scrub overflows and narrow waste pipes every month or two. It keeps smells down and slows the build-up that leads to blockages. For a sink that will not drain at all, reach for a plunger or a drain snake instead.",
      "llm_summary": "This is a single long, flexible cleaning brush for narrow pipes and drainage openings. The maker states a total length of 155 cm and a bristle head 5 cm long and 1 cm in diameter. The stem and handle are stainless steel and the bristles are nylon. The maker lists the colour as white and the weight as 60 g. The maker describes the brush as very flexible and suitable for curved pipes with bends of less than 90 degrees, and describes the bristles as rotating. It is intended for cleaning slime and residue from narrow pipes, not for clearing solid blockages. The shape of the handle end, the stem diameter and the country of origin are not stated by the maker.",
      "returnable": true,
      "return_policy": "14-day right to cancel from delivery under the Consumer Rights Act 2022, buyer pays return postage; the refund may be reduced if the item has been used beyond normal handling; Consumer Rights Act 2022 rights for faulty goods. Return postage on faulty goods is ours.",
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      "brand": "Drains Company",
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    },
    {
      "id": "flexible-drainage-rods-12-piece",
      "sku": "flexible-drainage-rods-12-piece",
      "title": "Flexible Drainage Rods 12 Piece Set with Plunger and Worm Screw",
      "slug": "flexible-drainage-rods-12-piece",
      "price": 60.99,
      "currency": "EUR",
      "availability": "in_stock",
      "category": "drain-cleaning-brushes",
      "category_label": "Drain Rods & Brushes",
      "tags": [],
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      ],
      "description_short": "Ten 920mm flexible rods screw together clockwise, and the set includes a 100mm rubber plunger and a 70mm double worm screw for the business end.",
      "description": "When the problem is outside the house\n\nA plunger sorts out a blocked sink. A blocked drain in the yard is a different animal. The signs are hard to miss. The gully outside the kitchen overflows when the washing machine empties. The downstairs toilet fills up and drains away slowly. There is a smell near the back door that was not there last week.\n\nAll of these point to the underground drain, the pipe that carries waste from the house to the sewer or the septic tank. Something is sitting in that pipe and holding everything back. It is usually a build-up of fat, wipes and paper. Sometimes it is leaves and silt washed in through a gully.\n\nYou cannot reach that from indoors. You reach it through an inspection chamber, which is the covered access point in the ground that many people call a manhole or an AJ. And you reach it with drain rods.\n\nHow drain rods work\n\nThe idea is very old and very simple. A drain rod is a flexible pole about a metre long with a threaded fitting at each end. You screw one to the next to build a pole as long as you need. On the front goes a tool. You push the tool along the pipe from the chamber until it meets the blockage, and then you work it until the blockage gives way.\n\nThe rods need to bend, because you are feeding them down into a chamber and then around into a horizontal pipe. They also need to be stiff enough to push. That balance is why they are sold as flexible rods and not as rigid poles.\n\nThe tool on the front decides what the rods do. A flat rubber disc, called a plunger, acts like a piston. It pushes the water in front of it, and that moving water shifts a soft blockage. A worm screw is a corkscrew that bites into packed material and breaks it up or pulls it back.\n\nWhat is in this set\n\nThis is a 12 piece set. Here is exactly what the maker lists.\n\nThere are ten flexible rods, each 920mm long. Joined together they reach 9.2 metres. The rods are black.\n\nThere is one rubber plunger, 100mm across.\n\nThere is one double worm screw, 70mm.\n\nThe maker describes the connectors as crimped and pinned, with brass plated end connections, and says the rods join by screwing together in a clockwise direction. The stated weight of the whole set is 1.94 kg.\n\nTwo details are not stated by the maker. One is the material the rods are made from. The other is the diameter of the rods. There is no brush in the set, in spite of brushes being a common extra with other kits.\n\nThe maker also mentions chimneys as a use. Without a chimney brush, the set as it arrives is a drain rodding set, and that is how we describe it.\n\nFind the blockage before you start\n\nTen minutes spent looking saves an hour of rodding in the wrong direction.\n\nStart at the chamber nearest the house and lift the cover. Covers can be heavy and can be stuck with dirt, so use a proper lifting key or a strong flat bar, and mind your back and your fingers. Then lift the next cover along the run, towards the road or the tank.\n\nWhat you see tells you where the trouble is. If the first chamber is full of standing water and the next one is empty, the blockage is in the pipe between them. If both are full, the blockage is further downstream again. If the first chamber is empty and dry while the house is still backing up, the problem is between the house and that chamber.\n\nThe easiest way to rod is from the empty chamber, pushing back upstream towards the blockage. The water is not in your way and you can see what you are doing. If that is not possible, you can rod downstream from the full chamber, but you will be working by feel.\n\nRodding the drain\n\nPut on long waterproof gloves, old clothes and eye protection before you touch anything. Keep children and pets indoors.\n\nScrew the rubber plunger onto the first rod and tighten it firmly. Screw a second rod onto the back of the first. Lower the plunger into the chamber and guide it into the mouth of the pipe that leads towards the blockage.\n\nPush the rods forward. When most of the second rod has gone in, screw on a third and carry on. Give the rods a clockwise twist as you push. That helps the plunger ride over joints in the pipe and keeps the connectors tight.\n\nWhen you meet the blockage you will feel it. The rods stop moving freely. Work the plunger back and forth against it in short strokes, pushing a little further each time. With a soft blockage, the water in the full chamber will suddenly start to fall. Keep going for another minute to push the debris well clear.\n\nIf the plunger makes no impression, withdraw the rods, swap the plunger for the double worm screw and go back in. Turn the rods clockwise as the screw meets the blockage so it winds its way in. Pull back a little, wind in again, and repeat until it breaks up.\n\nWhen the drain is running, run a hose or a few buckets of clean water through it from the house end to flush the pipe.\n\nThe one rule that matters most\n\nTurn clockwise. Only ever clockwise.\n\nThe joints on these rods tighten clockwise. Every clockwise twist you give them in the drain keeps them tight. An anticlockwise twist does the opposite. It loosens a joint that you cannot see and cannot reach, and when you pull back, part of your set stays in the pipe.\n\nA lost rod and plunger make a far worse blockage than fat and paper ever did. Getting them out normally means paying a drainage contractor. So turn clockwise going in, turn clockwise coming out, and tell anyone helping you to do the same.\n\nWhose drain is it?\n\nBefore you spend a Saturday on it, be sure the blockage is yours.\n\nDrains that sit inside your boundary and serve only your home are normally your own responsibility. Once the pipe joins the public sewer, it is not. A blockage in a public sewer is a matter for Uisce Éireann or your local authority, and you should report it instead of trying to clear it.\n\nShared drains sit somewhere in between. If your neighbours are backing up too, talk to them, and ring Uisce Éireann or the local authority to ask where the public sewer starts.\n\nHomes on a septic tank have one more thing to check. If the tank is overdue for emptying, the drains will back up however well you rod them.\n\nWhen to stop\n\nRods deal with soft blockages. They do not repair drains.\n\nIf the rods come to a dead stop and nothing you do moves them forward, do not force them. A hard stop often means a collapsed or displaced pipe, tree roots, or a solid object. Pushing harder can wedge the rods.\n\nIf the drain clears but blocks again within weeks, something is catching debris, and it needs a camera inspection.\n\nRepairs to an underground drain are not a householder job. They are work for a drainage contractor, and the Irish Building Regulations apply to drainage work.\n\nNever climb into a chamber, however shallow it looks. And never use chemical drain cleaners in an outside drain. They do very little to a packed blockage, and they make the water you are leaning over hazardous.\n\nCleaning up and storing the set\n\nWithdraw the rods slowly, turning clockwise, and unscrew each one as it comes clear of the chamber. Lay them on the ground beside the open drain and hose them down so the dirty water runs back in. Do the same with the plunger and the worm screw.\n\nPut the chamber covers back properly and check that they sit flat. Wash down the area around them.\n\nLet the rods dry, then check the threads on each connector. Grit in a thread stops it from tightening fully next time. Store the set somewhere dry, such as a shed or garage. Wash your gloves, then wash your hands and arms with hot water and soap.\n\nThe short version\n\nA blocked outside drain shows up as an overflowing gully, a slow toilet and a full inspection chamber. Drain rods let you clear it from the surface.\n\nThis set gives you ten 920mm flexible rods, a 100mm rubber plunger and a 70mm double worm screw. That is 9.2 metres of reach with every rod joined. The connectors are described by the maker as crimped and pinned with brass plated ends. The rod material and diameter are not stated by the maker.\n\nFind the blockage first by checking which chambers are full. Start with the plunger and move to the worm screw if you need to. Turn clockwise at all times. If the rods hit something solid, or the blockage is in the public sewer, stop and call the right people.",
      "llm_summary": "The Flexible Drainage Rods 12 Piece Set is a hand tool kit sold by Drains Company for clearing blocked outside drains. It contains ten flexible rods of 920 mm each, one 100 mm rubber plunger and one 70 mm double worm screw. Joined end to end, the ten rods give 9.2 m of reach. The maker describes the connectors as crimped and pinned with brass plated end connections, and the rods screw together by turning clockwise. The colour is black and the stated weight of the set is 1.94 kg. The rod material and rod diameter are not stated by the maker, and no brush is included. The maker mentions drain pipes and chimneys as uses. Rods should only ever be turned clockwise in a drain so the joints do not unscrew.",
      "returnable": true,
      "return_policy": "14-day right to cancel from delivery under the Consumer Rights Act 2022, buyer pays return postage; the refund may be reduced if the item has been used beyond normal handling; Consumer Rights Act 2022 rights for faulty goods. Return postage on faulty goods is ours.",
      "shipping_profile": "standard",
      "warranty": null,
      "brand": "Drains Company",
      "gtin": null,
      "mpn": null,
      "condition": "new",
      "url": "https://drains.irish/flexible-drainage-rods-12-piece/",
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      "updated_at": "2026-10-12"
    },
    {
      "id": "sink-unblocker-brush-60cm-2-pack",
      "sku": "sink-unblocker-brush-60cm-2-pack",
      "title": "Sink Unblocker Brush 60cm, Pack of 2",
      "slug": "sink-unblocker-brush-60cm-2-pack",
      "price": 14.99,
      "currency": "EUR",
      "availability": "in_stock",
      "category": "drain-cleaning-brushes",
      "category_label": "Drain Rods & Brushes",
      "tags": [],
      "colors": [],
      "materials": [],
      "dimensions": null,
      "weight": "0.02 kg",
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      ],
      "description_short": "Two flexible 60cm brushes in stainless steel and nylon slip into the plughole, twist to catch hair, and pull it back out, so one can live in the bathroom and one in the kitchen.",
      "description": "Why the basin is slow again\n\nIf you share a bathroom with anyone who has long hair, you know the pattern. The shower tray starts holding a centimetre of water. The basin gurgles and takes its time. Nothing is fully blocked, but nothing is draining the way it should.\n\nThe cause is almost always the same. Hair goes down the plughole a few strands at a time. Most of it washes through. Some of it catches on the crossbars of the waste or on the rough edge of a joint just below. Once a few strands are caught, they act like a net. Soap, toothpaste, shaving foam and skin all stick to it. In a few weeks there is a soft grey plug sitting only a short way down.\n\nThe good news is how close it is. You do not need a long machine or a call-out to deal with something a hand's length below the plughole. You need a thin, bendy brush that can get in, grab it and bring it out. That is what this pack is.\n\nWhat is in the pack\n\nThere are two brushes. The maker gives the length of each as 60cm. They are made of stainless steel and nylon, and the maker lists the handle as plastic or silicone.\n\nThe maker describes the brushes as flexible and says they can be bent, which matters because a waste pipe is never a straight drop for long. They are also listed as reusable. The colour is given only as multicolour, with no specific colours named, so we will not promise one.\n\nA few details are not stated by the maker, including the diameter of the bristle head. The brush is described as made to slide into a plughole, and the photos give a fair idea of scale. If your waste has an unusually fine grid, look closely before you order.\n\nHow a drain brush catches hair\n\nThe idea is simple. Bristles stick out in all directions from a thin stem. When you slide the brush down past a clump of hair and give it a turn, the bristles tangle into the clump. When you pull back, the clump comes too.\n\nThe maker's own method is short. Insert the brush into the plughole. Turn it slightly to grab hair and gunk. Pull it out slowly. The maker also describes the brush as having a swivel design that helps it reach awkward spaces.\n\nThe slow pull is the part people rush. If you yank the brush out, the hair can slide off the bristles and drop back down. Draw it out steadily and it stays wrapped around the head all the way to the top.\n\nUsing it without the mess\n\nHave a few sheets of kitchen roll and a small bag ready before you start. What comes out is not pleasant, and you will not want to carry it across the room. A pair of rubber gloves is a good idea too.\n\nLift out the plug and any strainer or removable cover. Run the tap for a second so the pipe is wet. Feed the brush into the plughole and keep going until you feel it meet something soft, or until it stops. If it stops hard, do not push. Ease back, turn it a little, and try again.\n\nWhen you feel the soft resistance of a clump, turn the brush slightly. One or two turns is enough. Then draw it out slowly. Wipe the head firmly with kitchen roll, which is what the maker suggests, and drop the kitchen roll in the bag. Rinse the brush under the tap.\n\nGo in a second time. The second pass often brings out as much as the first, because the first one loosens what is below it. Keep going until the brush comes out clean. Then run warm water for a minute and watch how quickly it drains.\n\nBin the waste. Never flush kitchen roll or hair down the toilet, because that only moves the blockage somewhere harder to reach.\n\nWhere the maker says it can be used\n\nThe maker lists kitchen sinks, washbasins, bath drain holes, bathroom floor drains and fridge drains. It also lists porcelain, stainless steel and plastic as suitable surfaces.\n\nIn a bathroom, the basin and the bath or shower waste are the obvious places. In a kitchen, the brush will bring up food scraps caught near the top of the waste. The small drain hole at the back of a fridge is a less obvious use, but it is one the maker names. That hole carries condensation away, and when it clogs, water collects at the bottom of the fridge.\n\nThis is where having two brushes helps. Nobody wants the brush that cleaned the shower waste going anywhere near the fridge. Keep one for the bathroom and one for the kitchen, and mark the handles if you need to.\n\nIs 60cm the right length\n\nFor a plughole, yes. The hair in a basin, bath or shower waste usually sits in the first hand's length of pipe, on the crossbars or just above the trap. A 60cm brush covers that with plenty to spare, and it is short enough to control with one hand in a small basin.\n\nLonger brushes, a metre and more, are made for scrubbing further along a pipe. They are useful for that, but they are awkward when all you want is to hook a clump of hair from just below the waste. A shorter tool gives you more feel. You can tell the difference between the soft give of a hair plug and the hard stop of a pipe bend, and that tells you when to turn and when to back off.\n\nIf you only ever buy one drain tool for a bathroom, a brush of about this length is a sensible place to start.\n\nWhat it will not do\n\nA 60cm brush works on the first stretch of pipe. That is where most hair blockages are, so it solves most hair problems. It does not reach a blockage further along the waste, and it is not a match for a pipe coated in hardened fat.\n\nIf the brush comes out clean and the water still will not go down, the trouble is deeper. A plunger is the next step, then a drain snake. If the bath fills when you empty the basin, or several fittings are slow together, the shared drain is involved. That is a job for a qualified plumber or drain contractor. If the blockage is in a public sewer, contact Uisce Éireann or your local authority.\n\nWe also do not recommend chemical drain cleaners. A brush removes the hair. A liquid tends to run past it, and it leaves you with a sink full of something you should not put your hands near.\n\nKeeping the brushes in good order\n\nAfter each use, wipe the brush firmly with kitchen roll and rinse it well. A drop of washing-up liquid worked through the bristles helps shift soap film. Shake off the water.\n\nThe maker suggests hanging the brushes in a ventilated place when they are not in use. That is good advice. A brush left wet in a closed cupboard will smell the next time you pick it up. Hung on a hook, it dries out between uses and takes up almost no room.\n\nAvoid folding the stem sharply. It is made to bend, but a hard crease in the same spot again and again will weaken any metal over time. Check the bristles now and then. If the head has gone flat or lost a lot of bristles, move on to the second brush.\n\nMaking it a habit\n\nThe people who never have a blocked shower are not lucky. They clear the hair out before it builds. Once every few weeks, lift the cover, run the brush down, turn, pull, wipe, rinse. It takes about two minutes.\n\nA strainer over the plughole helps too, because it catches most hair before it gets into the pipe. Between a strainer on top and a brush every few weeks, most bathroom drains never get the chance to block.\n\nThe short version\n\nThis is a pack of two flexible drain brushes, each 60cm long, made of stainless steel and nylon. Slide one into the plughole, turn it slightly, and draw it out slowly with the hair attached. Wipe it with kitchen roll, rinse it, and hang it up to dry.\n\nKeep one for the bathroom and one for the kitchen. Use them every few weeks and you will rarely see a slow drain. If the brush comes out clean and the water still sits there, the problem is further down and it is time for a plunger or a plumber.",
      "llm_summary": "This is a pack of two reusable drain cleaning brushes for household plugholes. The maker states each brush is 60 cm long and made of stainless steel and nylon, with a handle listed as plastic or silicone. The brushes are flexible and can be bent. The maker lists the colour as multicolour and the weight as 0.02 kg. In use, the brush is inserted into the plughole, turned slightly to catch hair and debris, then pulled out slowly, wiped with kitchen roll and rinsed. The maker lists kitchen sinks, washbasins, bath drain holes, bathroom floor drains and fridge drains as uses, and porcelain, stainless steel and plastic as suitable surfaces. The bristle head diameter and the country of origin are not stated by the maker.",
      "returnable": true,
      "return_policy": "14-day right to cancel from delivery under the Consumer Rights Act 2022, buyer pays return postage; the refund may be reduced if the item has been used beyond normal handling; Consumer Rights Act 2022 rights for faulty goods. Return postage on faulty goods is ours.",
      "shipping_profile": "standard",
      "warranty": null,
      "brand": "Drains Company",
      "gtin": null,
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      "condition": "new",
      "url": "https://drains.irish/sink-unblocker-brush-60cm-2-pack/",
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      "updated_at": "2026-10-12"
    },
    {
      "id": "sink-unblocker-tool-set-6-piece",
      "sku": "sink-unblocker-tool-set-6-piece",
      "title": "6 Piece Sink Unblocker Tool Set with Brushes and Hair Hooks",
      "slug": "sink-unblocker-tool-set-6-piece",
      "price": 17.99,
      "currency": "EUR",
      "availability": "in_stock",
      "category": "drain-cleaning-brushes",
      "category_label": "Drain Rods & Brushes",
      "tags": [],
      "colors": [],
      "materials": [],
      "dimensions": null,
      "weight": "0.17 kg",
      "images": [
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      ],
      "description_short": "Four nylon brushes from 23cm to 155cm and two 50cm hair hooks reach into plugholes, traps and overflows, so you can lift the muck out instead of pouring something on it.",
      "description": "What is really down there\n\nWhen a basin or shower starts to drain slowly, it is tempting to picture something dramatic deep in the pipes. It is rarely that. In most homes the cause sits within arm's reach of the plughole.\n\nIn the bathroom it is hair. Strands catch on the crossbars of the waste, wrap around each other and collect soap, toothpaste and conditioner. Over a few months that becomes a grey, greasy rope hanging down into the trap.\n\nIn the kitchen it is fat and food. Warm fat goes down as a liquid, cools on the pipe wall and sets. Rice, coffee grounds and tea leaves stick to it. The pipe does not block all at once. It narrows.\n\nBoth of these are soft and both are close to the top. So the answer is simple. Get something thin and rough in there, scrub the walls, and pull the lump out.\n\nWhat you get in the set\n\nThere are six pieces, and each has its own job.\n\nThe longest is a double-sided nylon brush of 155cm. That is over a metre and a half, which is enough to pass through the trap under a sink and travel some way along the pipe behind it. It bends, so it can follow a curve.\n\nNext are two sink brushes of 53cm each. These are the everyday tools. They reach down the plughole and into the trap of a basin or kitchen sink, which is where most of the residue sits.\n\nThere is one short brush of 23cm. This is for the top few centimetres, the waste fitting itself, and small openings such as a basin overflow where the hole is wide enough.\n\nThe last two pieces are hooks, each 50cm long. The maker calls them bristle hooks for baths. Their job is to catch hair and bring it back up.\n\nThe maker states that the set is made from stainless steel and nylon bristles, and the description also lists polypropylene. It does not say which piece uses which material. The bristles are described as medium firmness and the colour is given as white. The stated item dimensions are 24.5 x 15 x 2.2 cm and the stated weight is 0.17 kg, so the whole set is a slim, light bundle. Brush diameters are not stated by the maker.\n\nBrush or hook first\n\nIt depends on what the blockage is made of.\n\nIf it is hair, start with a hook. A brush pushed into a clump of hair tends to shove it further down. A hook snags it. Feed the hook in, turn it gently so it catches, and draw it up slowly. Most of the time the hair comes out in one long piece.\n\nIf it is film and sludge, start with a brush. Bristles scrub the coating off the wall of the pipe, which a hook cannot do. This is the usual case in a kitchen sink.\n\nOften you want both. Hook the hair out first, then brush what is left, then run the hot tap.\n\nUsing the set around the house\n\nThe method is the same everywhere. Insert the tool, turn it gently, and pull it back. What changes is which tool you pick.\n\nIn a shower, lift off the waste cover if it comes away by hand. Use a hook on the hair you can see and the hair just below it. Then run a 53cm brush around the inside of the waste.\n\nIn a bath, the plughole and the overflow are the two places to check. A hook down the plughole usually does the main work. The short brush with hot soapy water cleans the overflow if the opening allows it.\n\nIn a bathroom basin, a 53cm brush reaches the trap. If the basin has a pop-up plug that lifts out, take it out first. You will often find the worst of the hair wrapped around its stem.\n\nIn a kitchen sink, use a sink brush on the waste and trap, then the 155cm brush if the water is still slow. Finish with a couple of minutes of hot tap water.\n\nThe maker also lists toilets and mentions floor drains. These are slim tools, so on a toilet think of cleaning and not of clearing a full blockage. Whatever you use there, keep it for that job only. On a floor drain, lift the cover only if it is made to come off by hand.\n\nOne rule saves a lot of trouble. Keep the kitchen tools and the bathroom tools apart. With two sink brushes and two hooks in the set, that is easy to do.\n\nThings to avoid\n\nDo not force a tool that has stopped. If it meets the bend and will not go round, pull back a little, turn it, and try again gently. Forcing it kinks the stem.\n\nDo not use any tool in a drain that has chemical cleaner sitting in it. The liquid can flick back onto your skin or into your eyes as the tool comes out. Flush with a great deal of water first. We do not recommend chemical drain cleaners in any case. A solid plug of hair often lets the liquid run past, and you are left with the same blockage plus a pipe full of something harsh.\n\nDo not drag the stem across a polished basin or an enamel bath. Nylon bristles are kind to those surfaces, but the set also contains stainless steel. Keep the tool centred in the plughole, and lay a cloth around it if you are worried.\n\nAnd do not rinse what you pull out back down the drain. Wipe it off with kitchen paper and put it in the bin.\n\nCleaning and storing the tools\n\nRinse each tool under the hot tap as soon as you finish. Work a little washing-up liquid through the bristles with your gloved fingers, rinse again, and shake off the water.\n\nLet everything dry before you put it away. Store the pieces flat or loosely coiled. A sharp bend left in a stem for months tends to stay there.\n\nA drawer in the utility room or a hook inside the cupboard under the sink is the right sort of home. The set weighs very little and takes up almost no room.\n\nA monthly habit beats an emergency\n\nMost people only think about a waste when it stops. By then the job is at its worst. The better way to use a set like this is little and often.\n\nOnce a month, run a hook down the shower or bath plughole and lift out whatever hair has gathered. It takes a minute and it is far less grim than a full blockage. Every few weeks, push a sink brush through the kitchen waste with hot water running. If a basin has a pop-up plug, lift it out now and then and wipe its stem.\n\nA plughole strainer in the shower and a sink strainer in the kitchen will cut the work down again. They stop most of the hair and food at the top, and the long drain brush only comes out a few times a year.\n\nKnowing when to stop\n\nThese are tools for soft blockages near the fitting. They are not drain rods and they are not a drain snake. The longest piece reaches 155cm, and that is the limit.\n\nIf you have worked through a waste with the hook and the brushes and the water still will not go, stop. The same applies if more than one fitting is backing up, or if water rises in the shower when the sink empties. That points to the main drain, and it is a job for a plumber. Any work that means altering fixed pipework should also go to a qualified plumber, and the Irish Building Regulations apply to drainage work.\n\nIf the blockage is in a public sewer, it is not yours to clear. Contact Uisce Éireann or your local authority.\n\nThe short version\n\nSlow wastes are mostly hair and scum close to the plughole. Hooks pull hair out. Brushes scrub the pipe wall.\n\nThis set has six pieces. A 155cm double-sided brush, two 53cm sink brushes, a 23cm brush and two 50cm hooks. The maker states stainless steel and nylon bristles, medium firmness, in white, at 0.17 kg.\n\nInsert, turn gently, pull back. Keep kitchen and bathroom tools apart, rinse them after use, and leave the chemicals on the shop shelf.",
      "llm_summary": "This is a six piece set of manual drain cleaning tools. It contains one double-sided nylon brush 155cm long, two sink brushes of 53cm, one brush of 23cm and two hooks of 50cm. The maker states the materials as stainless steel and nylon bristles, and also lists polypropylene. Bristle firmness is given as medium and the colour as white. The stated item dimensions are 24.5 x 15 x 2.2 cm and the stated weight is 0.17 kg. The tools are fed into a drain, turned gently and pulled back to remove hair, soap scum and food residue. The maker lists baths, kitchens, showers, sinks and toilets as uses. Brush diameters and country of origin are not stated by the maker.",
      "returnable": true,
      "return_policy": "14-day right to cancel from delivery under the Consumer Rights Act 2022, buyer pays return postage; the refund may be reduced if the item has been used beyond normal handling; Consumer Rights Act 2022 rights for faulty goods. Return postage on faulty goods is ours.",
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      "url": "https://drains.irish/sink-unblocker-tool-set-6-piece/",
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      "updated_at": "2026-10-12"
    },
    {
      "id": "drain-auger-10m",
      "sku": "drain-auger-10m",
      "title": "10m Drum Drain Auger with Pistol Grip",
      "slug": "drain-auger-10m",
      "price": 83.99,
      "currency": "EUR",
      "availability": "in_stock",
      "category": "drain-snakes",
      "category_label": "Drain Snakes & Augers",
      "tags": [],
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      "dimensions": null,
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      ],
      "description_short": "A flexible carbon steel cable, an impact-resistant ABS drum and a pistol grip handle let you feed, turn and retrieve the cable with one hand, then wind it all away clean.",
      "description": "The problem with slow drains\n\nA drain rarely blocks overnight. It gets slower. First the water in the sink takes a few extra seconds to go. Then you notice the bath still has an inch in it when you come back. Then one morning nothing moves at all and there is a grey pool sitting there with yesterday's coffee grounds floating in it.\n\nWhat has happened inside the pipe is simple. Fat and oil from cooking go down warm, cool on the pipe wall and set. Hair comes off in the shower and sticks to that film. Soap scum, toothpaste, bits of food and whatever else goes down the plughole all catch on the rough patch, and the opening narrows a little more each week. By the time the sink stops draining, the blockage is not a loose plug of gunk near the top. It is a solid ring of compacted material somewhere in the pipe, often past the bend.\n\nThat is why the usual responses disappoint. A plunger pushes water at the clog, and if the clog is soft and close, that might be enough. A bottle of caustic cleaner dissolves some kinds of material, but it has to get to the blockage in strength, and in a pipe already full of standing water it gets diluted long before it arrives. Neither approach puts anything physical where the problem actually is.\n\nHow a drum auger works\n\nA drain auger, sometimes called a plumbing snake, does the obvious thing. It sends a tool down the pipe.\n\nThe tool is a long coil of spring steel cable with a shaped tip. You feed the tip into the drain opening and push gently while turning the handle clockwise. The rotation does two jobs at once. It drives the cable forward, and it lets the tip steer itself around bends rather than jamming against them. When the tip reaches the blockage, continuing to turn either bores a hole straight through it or hooks the tip into the mass so you can pull it back out.\n\nOn this model the cable is 10 metres, which is a meaningful length for a house. Under a typical sink, the trap is maybe half a metre in. The branch pipe that carries water from that sink to the main stack might run three or four metres behind a wall. Ten metres covers all of that comfortably and still leaves slack for a longer run like a floor drain or the first stretch of a sewer line.\n\nThe cable lives inside an ABS drum. That housing is doing more than tidying up. It keeps the coil under control, so when you unwind two metres of cable the other eight stay where they are instead of springing out across the bathroom. A stop screw on the drum clamps the cable at the length you have chosen, which is the feature you will appreciate most once you are actually using it. Without it, every time you pause to reposition yourself, the cable slides backwards and you lose your place.\n\nThe handle is a pistol grip. Kneeling in a cupboard under a sink with one arm at an awkward angle is not a strong position, and a grip you can wrap a whole hand around transfers far more force than a knob you pinch between finger and thumb.\n\nWho this suits\n\nThis is a household tool, and it fits the household job well. If you own or rent a place with a kitchen sink, a bath, a shower and a couple of basins, a 10m auger will deal with the overwhelming majority of the blockages those fixtures throw at you over the years.\n\nIt also makes sense for a landlord with a few properties. Tenants block drains. They always will. Having a tool in the van beats either paying for callouts or handing over bottles of chemical and hoping.\n\nIt is not the right tool for everything. If a whole house is backing up at once, if water comes up through a floor gully when you flush, or if you have tree roots in an outside drain, that is a main line problem and it wants a plumber with a powered machine and a camera. A hand auger is for individual fixtures and branch lines. Know which problem you have before you start, and you will save yourself an hour of frustration.\n\nChoosing the right auger\n\nThree things actually matter when you compare hand augers.\n\nLength comes first. A three metre cable is fine for a basin and useless for anything else. Ten metres is the length that covers a house. It is also about the limit of what a person can comfortably turn by hand, because longer cables take real effort to rotate once they are deep in a pipe.\n\nCable quality comes second. You want spring steel that bends well past ninety degrees and comes back straight. A cheap cable takes a set after the first bad bend, and once it has a permanent kink it fights you every time. Carbon spring steel is the standard material for a reason.\n\nHousing and controls come third. An impact-resistant drum, a grip you can hold properly, and a working stop screw are the difference between a tool you use again and a tool that sits in the shed. People searching for the best manual drain cleaning tool usually end up weighing exactly these three things.\n\nWhat you can safely ignore is any suggestion that a hand auger needs to look professional. It does not. It needs to be long enough, flexible enough and comfortable enough to turn.\n\nUsing it without making a mess\n\nSet up before you start. Put a bucket or old towels under the work area, because water will come out. Wear waterproof gloves and eye protection. Drain water is not clean, and a cable that suddenly releases can flick.\n\nWhere you can, take the trap off the bottom of the sink and feed the cable directly into the pipe in the wall. This gives you a straight shot, avoids forcing the cable through the sharp bend of the trap, and quite often you will find the blockage sitting right there in the trap anyway, which saves you the job entirely.\n\nPull out a metre or so of cable, tighten the stop screw, and feed the tip in. Turn clockwise with light forward pressure. When you run out of cable, loosen the screw, pull out another metre, tighten, carry on. Do not fight resistance. If the cable stops, ease back and try again with less force, because almost always it has met a bend rather than the blockage.\n\nYou will know when you reach the clog because the resistance feels different, more like pushing into something soft and heavy than hitting a wall. Keep turning. Work back and forth a little. When it gives, wind the cable back slowly so whatever is hooked on the tip comes out with it rather than being left to re-form further down.\n\nThen flush. Hot water, a few minutes, and watch the drain. Full speed with no slowing means you are done.\n\nLooking after it\n\nThe care routine is short and it genuinely extends the life of the tool. Rinse the cable with clean water as you wind it back in. Wipe it with a cloth. Get it dry before it goes into the drum, because the thing that kills a steel cable is being stored wet. Wind it fully in, tighten the stop screw so it cannot unspool, and keep the drum somewhere dry rather than on a damp garage floor.\n\nEvery so often, run the cable out and look along it. Splaying strands or a permanent kink mean it is near the end of its working life. Note that the manufacturer has not published spare part information for this model, so plan on that basis.\n\nThe short version\n\nBlocked drains are a mechanical problem, and they want a mechanical solution. A 10m drum auger puts a flexible steel cable where the blockage actually is, breaks it up and pulls it out, which is something no amount of liquid poured into standing water can do.\n\nThis one gives you the length to cover a whole house, a spring steel cable that follows bends without kinking, a stop screw so you can work at any depth, and an ABS drum that keeps the whole thing contained between jobs. It needs no power and no training for the everyday blocked sink.\n\nBuy it once, look after it, and it stays in the cupboard ready for the next time the bath is slow.",
      "llm_summary": "The 10m drum drain auger is a manual drain cleaning tool for household blockages. It has a 10 metre flexible carbon steel cable stored inside an impact-resistant ABS drum, a pistol grip handle, and a stop screw that locks the cable at the working length you choose. The cable bends past ninety degrees to follow pipe bends without kinking. It is intended for kitchen sinks, bathtubs, shower and bathroom drains, floor drains and sewer lines, and is reusable rather than single use. No batteries are required. The maker gives a part number of Drain Snake and a listed weight of 1.6 kg. Colour, material, country of origin and warranty are not specified by the maker. Spare part availability is not provided by the manufacturer.",
      "returnable": true,
      "return_policy": "14-day right to cancel from delivery under the Consumer Rights Act 2022, buyer pays return postage; the refund may be reduced if the item has been used beyond normal handling; Consumer Rights Act 2022 rights for faulty goods. Return postage on faulty goods is ours.",
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      "brand": "Drains Company",
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      "url": "https://drains.irish/drain-auger-10m/",
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    },
    {
      "id": "drain-hair-snake-90cm-and-130cm-4-pack",
      "sku": "drain-hair-snake-90cm-and-130cm-4-pack",
      "title": "Drain Hair Snake 4 Pack, 90cm and 130cm Nylon Coated Clog Removers",
      "slug": "drain-hair-snake-90cm-and-130cm-4-pack",
      "price": 12.99,
      "currency": "EUR",
      "availability": "in_stock",
      "category": "drain-snakes",
      "category_label": "Drain Snakes & Augers",
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      ],
      "description_short": "Four flexible nylon coated tools in two lengths (90cm and 130cm) with a reinforced micro-hook tip that grabs hair and gunk without scratching your pipes.",
      "description": "The real reason your drain is slow\n\nWater should leave a basin almost as fast as you let it go. When it starts to linger, then pools, then takes a full minute to clear, most people assume something has gone wrong deep in the plumbing. Usually it has not. The blockage is sitting within arm's reach of the plughole, and it is mostly hair.\n\nHere is what happens. Hair washes off and slips through the grate. A strand catches on the crossbars, the stopper rod or a lip inside the fitting. The next strand catches on that one. Soap, shampoo, conditioner and skin cells stick to the growing bundle, and over a few months it turns into a dense, slimy mat. Water still gets past it for a while, which is why the problem creeps up on you instead of arriving all at once.\n\nThat is a mechanical problem, and it responds best to a mechanical fix. You want to hook the mat and lift it out. A drain hair snake 4 pack is built for exactly that, and it is far less drama than pulling the trap apart under the sink.\n\nWhat these tools actually are\n\nEach snake is a thin wand with a metal core and a nylon coating over it. The metal gives it spring so it can be pushed. The nylon keeps it flexible and gives it a smoother surface against the inside of your pipe. At the business end there is a small barbed micro-hook, stitched and glued to the shaft so it stays attached when you tug.\n\nThat last detail matters more than it sounds. The classic failure with a cheap plastic drain stick is the tip snapping off halfway down, which turns a small nuisance into an actual blockage. The reinforcement at the joint on these is there specifically to stop that.\n\nYou get four in the pack, in two lengths. Two 90cm snakes and two 130cm snakes.\n\nWhy two lengths, and which to grab\n\nThe 90cm snakes are for anything where the clog sits close to the surface. Bathroom basins are the obvious one. The hair wraps around the pop-up stopper rod, usually within 15cm of the grate, and a shorter wand is easier to control in that tight space. Kitchen sinks fall into the same group, though there the gunk is food debris and grease rather than hair.\n\nThe 130cm snakes are for baths and shower wastes. Those runs are longer before the pipe turns, and the mat often forms a little further in. The extra 40cm gives you reach past the first bend.\n\nHaving four rather than one is not padding. Once a snake has been down a shower drain, you are not going to want it in your kitchen sink ten minutes later. Keep one per bathroom and you will actually use them, because the tool will be where the problem is.\n\nHow to use one properly\n\nGive the very tip a slight bend before you start. A small kink helps the hook catch rather than slide past.\n\nFeed the snake into the drain opening. Most shower grates and basin stoppers have enough clearance for a slim wand, so you probably will not need to remove anything. Push gently until you feel the wand stop or go soft against something. That soft resistance is usually the clog itself. Hard resistance is the pipe wall or a tight bend, so ease back and try a slightly different angle rather than shoving.\n\nOnce you are in contact, twist the snake a few turns and work it back and forth. You are trying to wind the hook into the hair, the way you would wind spaghetti onto a fork. Then draw it out slowly and steadily. Fast yanking tends to strip the mat off the hook on the way up.\n\nHave a bin bag or an old towel ready, because what comes out is grim. Drop it straight in the bag, do not put it back down the drain.\n\nRepeat two or three times. The first pass often only gets part of the mat. When the snake comes up clean, run hot water for a minute to flush the loosened residue through.\n\nWhen this will not be enough\n\nBe honest about what you are dealing with. A hooked wand is excellent on hair, lint, and the soft fibrous sludge that builds up near a fixture. It is the best sink unblocker tool for that specific job.\n\nIt is not the answer for everything. If several fixtures in the house are draining slowly at the same time, the problem is further down the main line and no hand tool reaches that. If water comes up in one fixture when you drain another, same story. If a toilet is blocked, you need a plunger or a proper closet auger, not this. And if a kitchen drain is solidly choked with cold grease, soften it with very hot water and washing-up liquid first, then use the snake to pull out whatever broke loose.\n\nKnowing the limits saves you time. The common case, though, is the common case for a reason. Most slow bathroom drains are hair, and most hair clogs come out with a snake in under five minutes.\n\nKeeping them in good shape\n\nCare is simple. Rinse each snake under hot running water as soon as you are finished, then wipe it down with paper towel or a rag you do not care about. Let it dry fully. Storing a damp tool is how you end up with something unpleasant in the cupboard.\n\nStore them flat or loosely coiled, in a bag or small box, away from anything sharp that could nick the nylon. Do not leave them sitting in caustic drain chemicals, and if a hook ever starts to loosen at the joint, retire that one. At four to a pack you have spares.\n\nA bit of prevention goes a long way\n\nThe easiest drain to clear is the one you clear early. If you run a snake down the shower waste once a month, before you notice any slowdown, you take out a thin wisp of hair instead of a packed plug. It takes under a minute and you never reach the stage of standing ankle-deep in grey water.\n\nA hair catcher over the plughole helps too, as long as you empty it. The two together, a cheap mesh catcher plus a monthly pass with a reusable drain cleaning wand, means most households never have a serious bathroom blockage at all.\n\nThe short version\n\nSlow bathroom drains are nearly always a mat of hair and soap sitting just below the plughole. Chemicals try to dissolve it where it lies. A hooked snake goes in, grabs it and brings it out, which is faster and leaves nothing caustic in your pipes.\n\nThis set gives you four flexible nylon coated wands, two at 90cm for basins and kitchen sinks, two at 130cm for baths and showers. The hook is reinforced at the joint so it should not come adrift. Rinse them after use, dry them, keep one in each bathroom, and run one down the shower waste every month or so.\n\nIt is a cheap, practical thing to have in the house. Most of the time it turns a problem you were dreading into a five minute job.",
      "llm_summary": "Each wand uses a metal core with a nylon coating so it bends through L, P, U and S shaped traps, and ends in a reinforced micro-hook that is stitched and glued to the shaft to resist detaching. The tool is designed to hook and withdraw hair, soap scum and debris from bathroom basins, baths, showers and kitchen sinks without chemicals. Listed colour is green. Package dimensions are 20.9 x 20 x 2.3 cm at 140 g. Material, country of origin and product weight are not specified by the maker.",
      "returnable": true,
      "return_policy": "14-day right to cancel from delivery under the Consumer Rights Act 2022, buyer pays return postage; the refund may be reduced if the item has been used beyond normal handling; Consumer Rights Act 2022 rights for faulty goods. Return postage on faulty goods is ours.",
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      "url": "https://drains.irish/drain-hair-snake-90cm-and-130cm-4-pack/",
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    {
      "id": "drain-snake-10m-with-drill-attachment",
      "sku": "drain-snake-10m-with-drill-attachment",
      "title": "10m Drain Snake with Drill Attachment, Gloves and Canvas Bag",
      "slug": "drain-snake-10m-with-drill-attachment",
      "price": 84.99,
      "currency": "EUR",
      "availability": "in_stock",
      "category": "drain-snakes",
      "category_label": "Drain Snakes & Augers",
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      "description_short": "A 10 metre manganese steel spring in a shock-resistant ABS drum, with a crank handle for hand use or a drill fitting for faster work, plus latex gloves and a canvas bag to keep the mess contained.",
      "description": "The problem with a slow drain\n\nA slow drain is one of those small household problems that gets ignored until it is a big one. The sink takes thirty seconds to empty, then a minute, then it does not empty at all and there is grey water sitting in the bowl with bits floating in it. By that point most people have already poured two bottles of drain cleaner down it and watched nothing happen.\n\nThe reason chemicals so often disappoint is simple. A blockage in a domestic pipe is rarely a neat plug sitting right under the plughole. It is a crusted layer of grease, hair, soap residue and food that has been building on the pipe wall for a year or more, usually just past the trap or at the first proper bend. Liquid cleaner follows gravity and the path of least resistance. It makes a small channel through the softest part, water drains for a day or two, and then it seals up again.\n\nA drain snake does something a liquid cannot. It travels along the pipe to where the problem actually is, turns against it, and breaks it apart. You can then pull a good chunk of it back out rather than pushing it further along to cause trouble somewhere less accessible.\n\nHow a drum auger works\n\nThe tool is straightforward once you have held one. A long steel cable lives coiled inside a plastic drum. You pull out a length of cable, lock it in position with a screw on the body, feed the free end into the drain opening, then turn the drum using the crank handle. The whole cable rotates, and the tip at the far end bores into whatever is in the way.\n\nThis one carries 10 metres of 72A manganese steel cable with an electroplated finish. The steel grade matters because the cable needs two conflicting qualities. It has to be flexible enough to curl through the U-bend under a sink and around a ninety degree elbow, but stiff enough to transmit twisting force along ten metres of pipe without just winding itself into a spring. Manganese steel manages that balance, and it springs back to shape rather than holding a kink after a hard job.\n\nThe plating is about longevity. A drain cable spends its working life in standing water. Bare steel would start showing surface rust within a few uses and would eventually get stiff and flaky. The plated surface pushes that out considerably, though it does not remove your obligation to dry the thing before you put it away.\n\nThe drum itself is shock-resistant ABS. Light, which matters when you are kneeling under a basin holding the tool at an awkward angle, and tough enough to survive being dropped on tile.\n\nHand cranking versus using a drill\n\nThis auger does both, and the choice matters more than people expect.\n\nHand cranking gives you information. When you turn the handle yourself, you feel the cable move freely through open pipe, you feel it slow as it enters a bend, and you feel the distinct change when the tip meets the blockage. That feedback tells you how far in the problem is and roughly how solid it is. For the first pass on any drain, hand cranking is the sensible choice.\n\nThe drill attachment is for the second stage. Once you know where the clog is and that it needs real work, a cordless drill turns the cable far faster than your wrist can and makes short work of packed grease or a dense hair mat. Keep the drill on a low speed setting. High speed does not clear a blockage faster, it just heats the cable, risks whipping it inside the pipe, and makes it more likely to kink.\n\nOne thing worth knowing before you order: the cable is fed in and pulled back by hand regardless of how it is turned. The drill spins the drum, it does not drive the cable forward. That is normal for this class of tool and it is actually safer, because you control exactly how much cable is in the pipe at any moment.\n\nWhere it works and where it does not\n\nThe usable range is pipes between half an inch and three inches across. In a normal house, that covers the kitchen sink, bathroom basins, the bath, the shower, floor drains and the branch runs that feed into the main stack. It also handles communal or workplace sinks, which tend to block more often simply because more people use them badly.\n\nIt is not for toilets. A toilet needs a short closet auger with a protective plastic sleeve, because a bare steel cable will scratch the glaze and leave marks that stain permanently. If your toilet is blocked, that is a different purchase.\n\nIt is also not a substitute for a professional machine on a blocked main sewer. If more than one fixture in the house is backing up at the same time, or water appears in the shower when you flush, the problem is downstream of all your branch pipes and no handheld tool will reach it reliably.\n\nWorking through a blockage\n\nStart by clearing the area and putting the gloves on. The included latex gloves are size L and 32 cm long, which covers your forearms, and you will want that coverage when you draw the cable back out.\n\nFeed the tip into the drain until it will not go further on its own. That first resistance is usually the trap, not the clog. Loosen the screw, push out another thirty centimetres of cable, tighten it, and crank. The tip will nose its way around the bend. Repeat in short sections. Working in short lengths is the single best habit, because a long loose section of cable outside the pipe just coils up and absorbs all the turning force you apply.\n\nWhen you reach the real blockage you will feel the cable stop and load up. Keep turning with light forward pressure. Do not shove. Forcing it either wedges the tip or makes the cable buckle behind you. Let the rotation do the cutting, which may take a minute or two of steady work.\n\nOnce water starts to move, do not pull straight out. Work the cable back and forth a few times through that section to widen the opening, then retract it slowly, wiping it down as it comes. A lot of the clog will come with it, which is the whole point. Finish by running hot water for several minutes to flush what is left down the line.\n\nCare that actually makes a difference\n\nTwo habits decide whether this tool lasts a decade or two seasons.\n\nThe first is rinsing and drying. As you wind the cable back into the drum, run clean water over it and wipe it with an old cloth. Water left in the coils is what starts corrosion, and once a cable gets stiff with rust it loses the flexibility that lets it turn corners.\n\nThe second is storage. Wind the cable fully in, tighten the locking screw so it cannot creep out, and put everything back in the canvas bag. A bag is not a luxury item here. Drain augers left loose in a garage get stepped on, kinked and lost, and the gloves end up somewhere else entirely.\n\nAlso keep an eye on the locking screw itself. Grit in the threads stops it clamping properly, and a cable that slips while you are cranking is annoying at best.\n\nThe short version\n\nIf you have a sink, bath or shower that keeps slowing down, a 10 metre drum auger is the tool that actually addresses the cause instead of masking it. The manganese steel cable reaches past the traps and bends where clogs form, the ABS drum keeps it contained and manageable, and the drill option gives you extra force when hand cranking is not enough.\n\nIt suits pipes from half an inch to three inches, which covers nearly every domestic fixture except the toilet. The gloves and canvas bag mean you are not making a second purchase to use it properly. Treat it well, dry it after every job, and it will pay for itself the first time you do not have to call anyone out.",
      "llm_summary": "The 10m drain snake is a hand or drill driven drum auger for domestic and light commercial drain clearing. The cable is 10 metres of 72A manganese steel with an electroplated finish, housed in a shock-resistant ABS drum with a large crank knob and a locking screw that holds the extended cable in place. It can be turned by hand or driven with a drill using the included attachment, though the cable is always fed in and retracted manually. It suits pipes from half an inch to three inches, including kitchen sinks, basins, bathtubs, shower drains, floor drains and sewer lines, and is not intended for toilets. The set includes size L latex gloves (32 cm) and a canvas tool bag. Package size is 18 x 26 x 28 cm, 2.34 kg. Colour, material finish and country of origin are not specified by the maker.",
      "returnable": true,
      "return_policy": "14-day right to cancel from delivery under the Consumer Rights Act 2022, buyer pays return postage; the refund may be reduced if the item has been used beyond normal handling; Consumer Rights Act 2022 rights for faulty goods. Return postage on faulty goods is ours.",
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      "brand": "Drains Company",
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      "url": "https://drains.irish/drain-snake-10m-with-drill-attachment/",
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      "updated_at": "2026-10-12"
    },
    {
      "id": "manual-drain-auger-10m",
      "sku": "manual-drain-auger-10m",
      "title": "10m Manual Drain Auger with 5.6mm Spring Steel Cable",
      "slug": "manual-drain-auger-10m",
      "price": 45.99,
      "currency": "EUR",
      "availability": "in_stock",
      "category": "drain-snakes",
      "category_label": "Drain Snakes & Augers",
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      "weight": "1.25 kg",
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      "description_short": "A hand-turned spring steel cable, about 5.6mm thick, feeds out through a locking screw so you can work through soft blockages in bath, shower and basin wastes without power.",
      "description": "The clog you cannot see\n\nA slow bath rarely blocks overnight. It starts with water that takes a little longer to clear. A few weeks later there is a grey ring left behind after every bath. Then one evening the water just sits there.\n\nThe cause is nearly always the same. Hair goes down the plughole every day. Soap and shampoo leave a waxy film on the inside of the pipe. The hair catches on the film, more hair catches on the hair, and a soft plug grows in the trap or just past it.\n\nThat spot is the problem. It is too far down for fingers or a bent coat hanger. A plunger can rock the plug back and forth but cannot grip it. So the clog stays put and the water keeps backing up.\n\nA manual drain auger is the plain answer. It is a long spring cable that you feed down the waste and turn by hand until it reaches the plug and works into it.\n\nWhat this tool is\n\nThis one is a handheld body holding 10 metres of flexible spring steel cable. The maker gives the spring diameter as about 5.6mm, and the tip head as about 10.2mm. On the body there is a locking screw.\n\nThat screw is the whole control system. Loosen it and the cable slides freely, so you can feed it into the drain. Tighten it and the cable is gripped. Now when you rotate the body, the cable rotates too.\n\nThere is no motor and no battery. You supply the turning. That sounds like a drawback, but it has a real benefit. You can feel what the tip is doing. A soft clog feels spongy. A bend feels like a firm stop that gives when you turn. Something solid feels like a wall. A motor hides all of that from you.\n\nThe maker does not state the colour of the tool or what the body is made of, so we will not guess at either. The package measures 44.7 x 17.4 x 16.8 cm and weighs 1.25 kg.\n\nWhat it is meant for, and what it is not\n\nThe maker is specific here, and it is worth reading before you buy.\n\nThis tool is for hair, soap residue and other light organic blockages. It is suited to bath, shower and bathroom basin drains, where soft clogs build up near bends and traps. If you have been looking for a drain snake for hair clogs, that is exactly its job.\n\nIt is not intended for toilets. It is not for heavy grease build-up, solid obstructions, tree roots or cement-like debris. It is not for large outdoor drain systems either. The maker says plainly that severe blockages may need a heavier tool.\n\nThat honesty is useful. A 5.6mm spring is slim and flexible, which is why it gets round a bathroom trap. The same slimness means it will fold up in a wide pipe and will not cut through anything hard. Use it where it fits and it does good work. Push it into the wrong job and you will end up with a kinked cable.\n\nOne more boundary matters in Ireland. If the trouble is in the public sewer and not in your own pipework, it is not yours to clear. That is a matter for Uisce Éireann or your local authority.\n\nIs 10 metres the right length for you?\n\nHand augers come in many lengths, and longer is not always better.\n\nA short tool of a few metres will reach a basin trap and a little way beyond. That covers most everyday clogs. It is also light and small to store.\n\nA 10m drain snake gives you much more reach. That helps when the bath is a long way from the stack, or when a soft clog has been pushed along the pipe by earlier attempts with a plunger. It also means one tool can serve every bathroom in the house.\n\nThe trade is size and weight. At 1.25 kg in its package, this is not a tool for a kitchen drawer. It wants a shelf in the utility room or a spot under the stairs.\n\nRemember too that you never have to use the full length. You feed out what the job needs and no more. Most of the cable may stay in the body for years. So the question is simple. If you want one tool with reach in reserve, 10 metres makes sense. If you only ever clear one basin, a shorter one would do.\n\nUsing it step by step\n\nStart by getting ready, because this is a messy job. Put on gloves. Lay an old towel around the plughole. Keep a bag or bucket beside you for whatever comes out.\n\nNext, look at the plughole. The tip head is about 10.2mm across, and many grids and pop-up plugs have smaller gaps than that. Lift out the plug or strainer if it comes away by hand, so the tip has a clear path.\n\nRelease the locking screw and feed the cable in by hand. Go gently. When it stops, you have most likely reached the trap. Hold the body close to the plughole, tighten the screw, and rotate the body while pressing forward lightly. The tip should find its way round.\n\nLoosen the screw, feed a little more cable, tighten and turn again. Keep working like this in short stages. It feels slow, but it keeps the loose cable short, and a short length is far less likely to twist or kink.\n\nWhen you reach the clog the feel changes. The cable meets something soft that pushes back. Keep the screw tight and keep rotating with steady pressure. The maker warns against forcing the cable sharply into a hard blockage, and that is good advice. Let the turning do the work.\n\nThen draw the cable back slowly. Wipe it with an old cloth as it comes out. The hair goes in the bin, never back down the drain. Finish by running the hot tap for a minute to carry away what is left.\n\nIf the water still drains slowly, go in a second time. A second pass often brings out more than the first.\n\nA word on chemical cleaners\n\nWe do not recommend chemical drain cleaners, with this tool or on their own. They are harsh to handle and to store. They also sit in the trap when a drain is fully blocked, which means the next thing you put down there meets a pool of chemical.\n\nIf a cleaner has already been poured in, do not start work straight away. Flush the drain with plenty of water first. Wear gloves and eye protection, because a cable can flick liquid as it comes out of the pipe.\n\nLooking after the cable\n\nCare is short. Rinse the cable with clean water once you finish. Wipe it down and leave it stretched out to dry. Only then wind it back into the body and tighten the screw.\n\nDo not put it away wet. Steel that sits damp inside a closed body can rust, and a rusty spring is rough to feed and weaker at every coil.\n\nStore it indoors. A dry cupboard is better than a damp shed. If the cable does pick up a slight bend, ease it straight by hand. Do not bend it hard the other way, because a spring that has been kinked twice in one place will keep folding there.\n\nWhen to put the tool down\n\nA hand auger suits one kind of problem, which is a soft clog in a single bathroom waste. Some signs tell you the problem is something else.\n\nIf the cable meets a hard stop that will not give, stop. It may be a solid object or a fault in the pipe. Forcing it helps nothing.\n\nIf several fixtures back up together, or water rises in the shower when the basin empties, the trouble is further along in a shared pipe. That is beyond this tool.\n\nAny work that means altering fixed pipework is a job for a qualified plumber, and the Irish Building Regulations apply to drainage work. Clearing a clog with a household drain auger is fine for a householder. Cutting, moving or replacing pipes is not a weekend project.\n\nKeeping the drain clear afterwards\n\nOnce the water runs freely, a few small habits will keep it that way. A simple hair catcher over the shower or bath plughole stops most hair before it enters the pipe. Clearing that catcher after each shower takes seconds.\n\nRun the hot tap for a short while after a bath to carry soap film along. Lift any visible hair out of the plughole by hand each week. Small steps like these mean the auger may only come out once or twice a year.\n\nThe short version\n\nSlow bathroom drains are usually a soft plug of hair and soap sitting past the plughole. This manual drain auger reaches it with 10 metres of spring steel cable, about 5.6mm thick, with a tip head of about 10.2mm.\n\nYou feed the cable out through a locking screw, tighten it, and rotate the body by hand. There is no power and nothing to charge.\n\nIt is for baths, showers and bathroom basins. It is not for toilets, heavy grease, solid objects, roots or outdoor drains. Use it gently, dry it before you store it, and call a qualified plumber when the cable meets something that will not move.",
      "llm_summary": "This is a manual, hand-rotated drain auger for household use. It has a 10 metre flexible spring steel cable with a spring diameter of about 5.6mm and a tip head of about 10.2mm, as stated by the maker. A locking screw on the handheld body releases the cable for feeding and holds it while the user rotates the tool. It is intended for hair, soap residue and light organic blockages in bath, shower and bathroom basin drains. The maker states it is not intended for toilets, heavy grease, solid obstructions, tree roots, cement-like debris or large outdoor drain systems. It needs no batteries or mains power. The package measures 44.7 x 17.4 x 16.8 cm and weighs 1.25 kg. Colour, body material and country of origin are not stated by the maker.",
      "returnable": true,
      "return_policy": "14-day right to cancel from delivery under the Consumer Rights Act 2022, buyer pays return postage; the refund may be reduced if the item has been used beyond normal handling; Consumer Rights Act 2022 rights for faulty goods. Return postage on faulty goods is ours.",
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    {
      "id": "plumbing-snake-5m-with-claw",
      "sku": "plumbing-snake-5m-with-claw",
      "title": "5m Plumbing Snake with Claw Tip",
      "slug": "plumbing-snake-5m-with-claw",
      "price": 40.99,
      "currency": "EUR",
      "availability": "in_stock",
      "category": "drain-snakes",
      "category_label": "Drain Snakes & Augers",
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      "description_short": "A flexible 5 metre steel auger with a 13mm claw tip and a turning handle, built to hook out hair, grease and food waste from kitchen sinks, showers, baths and bathroom drains without pouring anything down the pipe.",
      "description": "The slow drain nobody notices until it stops\n\nBlocked drains rarely arrive out of nowhere. The bathroom basin takes a few seconds longer to empty. The shower tray holds a puddle around your feet. The kitchen sink gurgles. Then one day the water just sits there, and you are standing over it with a kettle and a bottle of something caustic, hoping for the best.\n\nWhat has usually happened inside that pipe is boring and predictable. In bathrooms, hair binds with soap scum into a dense mat that catches everything else passing by. In kitchens, fat cools on the pipe wall, hardens, and slowly narrows the channel until a coffee ground or a bit of rice finishes the job. Both of these blockages sit past the trap, out of sight, in a spot a plunger cannot properly reach.\n\nThat is the gap a plumbing snake 5m with claw fills. Instead of pushing water at the problem, you send a flexible steel cable down to the actual blockage and physically pull it out.\n\nHow a claw-tip drain auger works\n\nThe tool is simple, which is part of why it lasts. A 5 metre coiled steel cable, 6mm thick, runs from a handle you can turn. At the business end there is a 13mm claw. The cable is flexible enough to follow the curve of a U-bend but stiff enough to push forward through standing water and soft debris.\n\nYou feed it in by hand, a bit at a time. When the cable stops going forward, that is your blockage. Now the claw does its job. Turning the handle rotates the tip so it works into the mass of hair or grease and hooks it. When you draw the cable back out, the clog comes with it.\n\nThat last part is the important difference between a claw auger and a plain bulb-head spring. A plain head can bore a hole through a clog, which gets water moving again for a few days while the rest of the mat stays in the pipe and rebuilds. A claw tends to bring the material out of the drain entirely, which is why the fix lasts longer.\n\nWhy mechanical beats chemical for most household clogs\n\nChemical drain cleaners have an appeal. Pour, wait, done. The reality is messier. They work by generating heat and attacking organic matter, which also means they sit against your pipe seals and plastic waste runs while they do it. In older plumbing that is a genuine risk. If the blockage is solid enough, the chemical never reaches it anyway, and you now have a sink full of caustic liquid that still will not drain.\n\nA mechanical sink and drain unblocker avoids all of that. Nothing corrosive goes into the pipe, nothing goes into the wastewater, and you get immediate feedback. You can feel when you reach the obstruction and feel when it gives way. You also get to see what caused it, which tells you whether to change a habit, like scraping plates properly or fitting a hair catcher in the shower.\n\nThere is a cost argument too. A bottle of chemical cleaner gets used once. A drain auger gets used for years, across every drain in the house.\n\nGetting the technique right\n\nMost people who struggle with a drain snake are using too much force. The spring is flexible but it is not elastic. Push the whole 5 metres in at once and it will bunch and twist inside the bend, which kinks the cable and can wreck the tool in a single attempt.\n\nWork this way instead. Pull out maybe half a metre of cable and feed it into the drain opening. Keep feeding in short stages, letting the natural curve of the spring follow the pipe. When it stops advancing, stop pushing. Hold the cable steady with one hand so it cannot buckle, and turn the handle slowly anti-clockwise with the other.\n\nIf the handle spins freely and nothing changes, one of two things is going on. Either you have not actually reached the blockage yet and the cable has simply met a bend, or you pushed too hard earlier and the cable is coiled up on itself somewhere behind you. Withdraw a little, straighten things out, and feed it in again more gently.\n\nAlso worth knowing: the cable does not need to be as long as your pipe run. It only needs to reach the clog. In a typical home that means you will often use two metres of the five, and the rest stays coiled in your hand.\n\nWho this suits\n\nThis is a tool for the person who would rather spend twenty minutes and a pair of gloves than wait two days for a call-out. It suits homeowners dealing with a kitchen sink that keeps slowing down, renters who need a sensible answer that does not involve pouring anything aggressive into someone else's pipework, and anyone with long hair in the house and a shower that drains like treacle.\n\nIt is aimed at sinks, basins, showers, bathtubs and bathroom drains. Toilets are a different job and want a dedicated closet auger with a sleeve that protects the glaze. Anything out past the property boundary, in the mains sewer, needs a plumber with powered equipment. A 5m hand auger is for the common domestic clog, and that covers the vast majority of them.\n\nChoosing between drain snakes\n\nLength is the first thing people look at, and it is easy to overbuy. Twenty-five metre powered machines exist, but they are heavy, awkward to store and overkill for a basin. Five metres clears the trap and a good run of branch pipe, coils down small, and still fits in a cupboard.\n\nCable thickness is the second factor. Thin cables bend easily but can buckle under load. Heavy cables resist buckling but will not turn tight bends. A 6mm cable sits in the practical middle for domestic waste pipes.\n\nThen there is the head. Bulb heads bore. Spring heads grab a little. A claw head, like the 13mm tip here, is the choice when hair and fibrous waste are the usual culprits, because gripping and extracting beats punching a hole through.\n\nFinally, think about whether you want manual or powered. A hand crank gives you feel. You know exactly how much resistance you are meeting, and you are far less likely to damage pipework than with a motor spinning at full speed in a bend you cannot see.\n\nLooking after it\n\nCare takes two minutes and doubles the life of the tool. Rinse the cable and claw under a running tap as soon as you are finished, so nothing dries onto the steel. Wipe it dry with an old cloth. If there is a stubborn film of grease, warm soapy water will shift it, then dry it again properly.\n\nCoil it loosely along its natural curve. Never fold it or cram it into a tight space, as kinks are permanent and weaken the spring. Store it somewhere dry, in a bag or bucket so any last drops do not sit against other tools, and keep it out of reach of children. Steel left damp in a shed will rust, and a rusted cable loses flexibility.\n\nUse it before you need it\n\nThe best use of a drain auger is not the emergency. It is the quiet Saturday where you run it through the shower waste and the kitchen sink before either of them has actually blocked. Ten minutes of maintenance prevents the evening where you are bailing out a sink with a jug.\n\nFit a hair catcher in the shower while you are at it, and get into the habit of wiping fat off pans before washing them. Those two small changes, plus an occasional pass with the snake, keep most household drains running properly.\n\nThe short version\n\nA 5 metre flexible steel cable with a 13mm claw reaches past the trap, hooks the hair and grease that caused the blockage, and pulls it out of the pipe. No chemicals, no waiting, no guessing. Feed it in gradually, turn the handle slowly, and let the claw do the work rather than your arms. Rinse it, dry it, coil it, and it will handle every slow drain in the house for years.",
      "llm_summary": "The plumbing snake is a manual drain cleaning tool with a 5 metre flexible steel cable, a 6mm cable diameter and a 13mm claw at the working end, operated by a hand crank. It is intended for clearing solid blockages such as hair, soap residue and food waste from kitchen sinks, basins, showers, bathtubs and bathroom drains, and can also be used for routine drain maintenance. Because it clears pipes mechanically, no chemical drain cleaner is required. Colour, material, weight, packaged dimensions and country of origin are not specified by the maker.",
      "returnable": true,
      "return_policy": "14-day right to cancel from delivery under the Consumer Rights Act 2022, buyer pays return postage; the refund may be reduced if the item has been used beyond normal handling; Consumer Rights Act 2022 rights for faulty goods. Return postage on faulty goods is ours.",
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    {
      "id": "spring-drain-snake-5m",
      "sku": "spring-drain-snake-5m",
      "title": "5m Spring Drain Snake with Hand Crank",
      "slug": "spring-drain-snake-5m",
      "price": 19.99,
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      "category": "drain-snakes",
      "category_label": "Drain Snakes & Augers",
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      "description_short": "A 6mm flexible steel coil on a hand crank feeds around bends and traps, grabs hair and gunk, and pulls it straight out with no power, no plumber and no harsh drain fluid.",
      "description": "The problem nobody deals with until it is too late\n\nA blocked drain is one of those household jobs that gets postponed. The water takes a bit longer to go down. Then it pools for a few seconds. Then one morning you are standing in a shower tray filling up around your ankles, and the job has become urgent on the worst possible day.\n\nWhat has happened under the floor is not mysterious. Hair goes down the plughole every time someone showers. Soap and shampoo leave a waxy film on the inside of the pipe. In a kitchen, warm fat goes down as a liquid and sets as a solid a metre later. Each of those on its own is harmless. Together they build a plug that catches everything that follows.\n\nThe reason most quick fixes fail is simple. They do not reach. A plunger pushes pressure at the blockage but cannot grip it. Chemical cleaner needs to sit against the clog to work, and water finds its way past a hair plug rather than through it, so the liquid drains off and does almost nothing. Boiling water helps with grease and does nothing for hair.\n\nA drain snake works because it physically travels to the clog and brings it back.\n\nHow a spring drain snake works\n\nThe tool is a long coil of flexible steel wire wound inside a plastic drum with a crank handle on the side. This one has 5 metres of 6mm wire. You pull out the end, feed it into the drain opening, and start turning the handle.\n\nThe flexibility matters more than anything else. Directly below your sink is a trap, a U-shaped section of pipe that holds water to keep smells out of the room. A rigid rod stops dead at that curve. A spring coil bends into it and keeps going, which is why this design has stayed popular for decades.\n\nAs you crank, the coil rotates inside the pipe. When the tip reaches the blockage you feel the handle stiffen. That feedback is useful. Keep turning in the same direction and the coil screws itself into the hair and sludge, the same way a corkscrew bites into a cork. Then you draw the wire back out, slowly, and the clump comes with it.\n\nSometimes the blockage breaks apart instead of coming out whole. That is fine too. Run hot water afterwards and the fragments flush away.\n\nWho this suits\n\nRenters get a lot of value from one, because it fixes the problem without touching any pipework and without a call-out charge. Homeowners with long hair in the house will use it a few times a year. Anyone managing a holiday let or student house usually keeps one in the cupboard permanently.\n\nIt also suits people who would rather not keep caustic liquid in the home. Drain chemicals are genuinely harmful if they splash, and storing them under a sink alongside the washing-up liquid is a risk if there are small children around. A steel coil in a plastic drum has none of that worry attached.\n\nThe one group it does not suit is anyone facing a serious structural drainage fault. If multiple fixtures back up at once, if there is a smell coming from outside, or if water comes up in one place when you drain another, the issue is in the main line and no household tool will solve it. That is a plumber's job with a camera.\n\nChoosing the right length and thickness\n\nDrain snakes come in a few sizes, and the two numbers that matter are length and wire diameter.\n\nLength determines how far past the trap you can reach. Three metres covers the trap and a short branch pipe, which is enough for a basin in many flats. Five metres gives you the trap plus a decent run of horizontal pipe, which is where hair tends to settle once it has been pushed past the bend. For general household use, five is the more forgiving choice, and you never lose anything by having wire you do not use.\n\nDiameter determines flexibility and strength. A 6mm coil threads easily through narrow bathroom waste pipes and tight siphon sections. Thicker wires carry more force but struggle in small-bore pipework and can be awkward in a basin. For sinks, showers and baths, 6mm is the sensible middle ground, which is what makes this a reasonable candidate if you are after the best 5m drain auger for everyday use.\n\nWhat you should not do is try to use a thin household coil on a toilet or an outdoor gully. Toilets need a closet auger with a sleeve to protect the ceramic. Outside drains need proper rods. Buying one tool and expecting it to cover all three usually ends with a bent wire.\n\nUsing it without making a mess\n\nPreparation makes the difference between a five minute job and an hour of cleaning up.\n\nPut on gloves. Lay an old towel around the basin and have a plastic bag or lined bucket ready for what comes out. Clear everything off the surround, because you will be pulling out a wet metal wire and swinging it about more than you expect.\n\nFeed the wire in gently. If it stops at the bend, pull back a little, twist the handle slightly to change the angle of the tip, and push again. Never force it straight into a curve. A kinked spring never quite travels the same way again.\n\nWhen you hit the blockage, resist the urge to shove. Keep turning and let the coil do the work. Once you feel it has bitten, withdraw steadily rather than yanking. Pulling too fast can shake the debris loose halfway back up the pipe, and you will have to go and fetch it again.\n\nFinish by running hot water for a minute or two to flush the loosened bits through. If the drain still runs slowly, go in a second time. Second passes often bring out more than the first.\n\nLooking after it\n\nThe whole tool is steel and plastic, so care is short and obvious. Rinse the coil under the tap, wipe off what you can, and let it dry before you wind it back into the housing. Storing a wet spring inside a closed drum is the quickest way to find surface rust next time you open it.\n\nKeep it indoors. A kitchen cupboard, a utility drawer or a toolbox is fine. A damp garden shed is not. The packed size is 19.8 x 16.8 x 3.1 cm and it weighs 530 g, so finding a home for it is easy.\n\nIf the coil picks up a kink, straighten it gently by hand rather than bending it back hard. Steel does not forgive repeated sharp bends in the same spot.\n\nA bit of prevention goes a long way\n\nOnce you have cleared a drain, keeping it clear is mostly about what you stop sending down it. A cheap mesh strainer over a shower drain catches most hair before it ever enters the pipe. Wiping greasy pans with kitchen roll before washing keeps fat out of the kitchen waste. A weekly flush of very hot water through the kitchen sink keeps the walls of the pipe cleaner than they would otherwise be.\n\nIf you have long hair in the house, running the snake through the shower drain once every couple of months takes about three minutes and prevents the slow-draining stage entirely. That is a far easier habit than dealing with a full blockage, and it is the main argument for owning a drain clearing tool rather than borrowing one in an emergency.\n\nThe short version\n\nSlow drains are almost always hair, soap and grease built up past the plughole where plungers and liquids cannot reach. A 5 metre spring coil with a 6mm wire reaches that spot, follows the bend of the trap, grips the clog and brings it back out.\n\nIt needs no power, no chemicals and no plumbing knowledge. It packs down small enough to live under the sink. And the first time it saves you a call-out fee, it has paid for itself several times over.\n\nIf the blockage is in a single fixture, this is the tool. If several fixtures back up together, call a plumber.",
      "llm_summary": "The 5m spring drain snake is a manual, hand-cranked drain unblocking tool. It uses a flexible coiled steel wire approximately 5 metres long (including handle) with a 6mm diameter, wound into a plastic housing with a side crank. The user feeds the wire into a drain, turns the crank to pass bends and traps, engages the blockage and withdraws it. It is intended for bathroom sinks, kitchen sinks, showers, baths, floor drains and similar waste pipes, and requires no batteries or mains power. Packaged dimensions are 19.8 x 16.8 x 3.1 cm with a package weight of 530 g. Colour, exact material composition, country of origin and warranty are not specified by the maker.",
      "returnable": true,
      "return_policy": "14-day right to cancel from delivery under the Consumer Rights Act 2022, buyer pays return postage; the refund may be reduced if the item has been used beyond normal handling; Consumer Rights Act 2022 rights for faulty goods. Return postage on faulty goods is ours.",
      "shipping_profile": "standard",
      "warranty": null,
      "brand": "Drains Company",
      "gtin": null,
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      "url": "https://drains.irish/spring-drain-snake-5m/",
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      "updated_at": "2026-10-12"
    },
    {
      "id": "outdoor-drain-cover-30cm-2-pack",
      "sku": "outdoor-drain-cover-30cm-2-pack",
      "title": "Outdoor Drain Cover 30cm, Pack of 2",
      "slug": "outdoor-drain-cover-30cm-2-pack",
      "price": 41.99,
      "currency": "EUR",
      "availability": "in_stock",
      "category": "floor-drain-covers",
      "category_label": "Outdoor Drain Covers & Gully Grids",
      "tags": [],
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      "dimensions": null,
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      ],
      "description_short": "Two black plastic covers for outdoor drains up to 30cm wide, which the maker says can be trimmed with snips and pushed into place to hold back leaves and rubbish while water runs through.",
      "description": "The gully nobody looks at until it floods\n\nEvery house has a few of them. A small drain at the foot of a downpipe. Another outside the kitchen wall where the sink waste comes out. Maybe one in the middle of the yard. Plenty of people here call them shores, and most of us never think about them from one year to the next.\n\nThey work quietly until the autumn. Then the leaves come down, the wind pushes them into every corner, and the lowest corner is always where the drain is. A handful of leaves lands in the gully. Rain presses them down. Moss off the roof and grit from the yard settle on top. By November there is a plug of black sludge sitting in the trap, and the next heavy shower sends water across the patio and up against the wall.\n\nClearing it then is a miserable job. You are on your knees in the wet with your arm down a drain. A cover over the gully turns that into something much simpler. The leaves land on top and you lift them off.\n\nWhat a drain cover does, and what it does not\n\nA leaf guard is a simple thing. It is a cover with openings in it. Water passes through. Anything larger than the openings stays above.\n\nThat changes where the mess collects. Without a cover, debris goes into the gully and down into the trap, where you cannot see it and can barely reach it. With one, it sits on the surface in plain view.\n\nIt helps to be clear about the limits. A cover does not stop fine silt or grit, which wash through with the water. It does not seal the drain, so it will not stop a smell. It will not clear a gully that is already blocked. And it only works if somebody lifts the leaves off now and then. A cover buried under a wet mat of leaves will hold water back just as a blocked gully would.\n\nWhat is in this pack\n\nThe pack holds two covers. Each one is black plastic, and the maker gives the size as about 30cm by 30cm by 9cm.\n\nThe maker describes the plastic as UV-stabilised. That is the usual treatment for plastics that live outdoors, and it is there to slow the damage that sunlight does over the years. The maker does not state a service life.\n\nAccording to the maker, a cover suits standard outdoor drains up to 30cm wide. If your drain is smaller, the maker says the cover can be cut to size with snips and then pushed into place. For a snug fit that lasts, the maker suggests securing it with plastic gully fixings. The maker does not state that fixings are supplied, so plan on the pack being the two covers and nothing else.\n\nThe weight is not stated by the maker.\n\nFoot traffic, vehicles and where to put it\n\nThis is the part to read twice.\n\nThe maker names patios, gardens and driveways as places this cover can be used. What the maker does not give is any rating for weight. There is no statement that it is made for foot traffic, and none for vehicles.\n\nWithout that, we treat it as a leaf guard and not as a load-bearing cover. In practice that means a few plain rules. Do not fit it where people walk. Do not fit it where a car, a van or a loaded wheelbarrow will pass over it. Do not use it to replace a metal grating that was set into a path or driveway, because that grating was carrying weight and this is not made to.\n\nWhere it does belong is on the quiet drains. The gully tucked against the house wall under a downpipe. The one behind the oil tank. The drain in a flower bed or at the edge of a lawn. Those are the ones that fill with leaves, and nobody stands on them.\n\nIf a drain in a trafficked spot needs a new cover, ask a builders' merchant or a plumber for a grating with a stated rating for that use.\n\nMeasuring your gully\n\nMeasure before you order. It takes two minutes.\n\nClear the leaves and any loose grit away from the drain so you can see the edges. Measure straight across the opening one way, then the other, and write both figures down in centimetres. Look at the shape too, and at whether there is a ledge or rim just inside the opening.\n\nCompare what you have with the size of the cover, about 30cm each way. If your drain is that size or a little under, you are in the range the maker describes. If it is smaller, you will be cutting the cover down. If it is wider than 30cm, this cover will not span it.\n\nOlder houses can have gullies in sizes and shapes that are no longer standard. Do not assume. Measure each drain you plan to cover, because the front and back of the same house often differ.\n\nFitting it\n\nStart with a clean gully. There is no point covering a drain that is already half full. Put on gloves, lift out the leaves and sludge by hand or with a trowel, and pour a bucket of water through to check it runs away freely.\n\nOffer the cover up to the opening. If it needs trimming, mark the line with a marker. Cut a little outside the line with snips, try the fit, and take off more if you need to. It is easy to remove plastic and impossible to put it back. Watch your fingers on the cut edges.\n\nPush the cover into the opening until it sits level and does not rock. In a sheltered spot that may be all it needs. In an open yard that catches the wind, add the plastic gully fixings the maker suggests.\n\nWhere a downpipe ends above the gully, the cover simply sits underneath it. Where the pipe runs down into the gully itself, the cover would need an opening for it. The maker does not say whether the cover is intended to be cut that way, so think about that drain before you buy.\n\nFitting a cover is a householder's job. Altering the gully, the trap or the pipe beneath it is not. That is fixed drainage, the Irish Building Regulations apply to it, and it should be left to a qualified plumber or drainage contractor.\n\nKeeping it working through the autumn\n\nA cover asks for very little. While the leaves are falling, look at it once a week and after any windy night. Pick the leaves off and put them in the compost or the brown bin. Do not brush them into the next drain along.\n\nOnce or twice a year, lift the cover out. Scrub it with a stiff brush and water. While it is off, look into the gully and scoop out any silt that has washed through. Then press the cover back in.\n\nIn a hard frost, leave it alone. Plastic is less forgiving when it is frozen, and a cover that is iced into place can crack if you lever at it.\n\nWhen the drain is already blocked\n\nIf water is standing in the gully, a cover is not the fix. Clear the gully by hand first. Most blockages at this point are just a plug of leaves and silt sitting in the trap, and they come out with a gloved hand and a bucket of water.\n\nWe do not recommend chemical drain cleaners. They do little against a plug of leaves and silt, which has to be lifted out by hand anyway.\n\nIf the gully is clean and water still will not run away, the trouble is further down the line. On your own property that is a job for a plumber or drainage contractor. If the public sewer is blocked, contact Uisce Éireann or your local authority.\n\nThe short version\n\nOutdoor drains block because leaves and rubbish fall into them. A cover keeps that debris on top, where it takes seconds to remove.\n\nThis pack has two black plastic covers, each about 30cm by 30cm by 9cm. The maker says they suit drains up to 30cm wide, can be cut with snips and push into place. Fixings are suggested by the maker but not stated as included.\n\nNo rating for foot or vehicle traffic is given. Use these as leaf guards on drains nobody walks or drives over. Measure first, clean the gully before fitting, and clear the leaves off through the autumn.",
      "llm_summary": "This is a pack of two outdoor drain covers sold by Drains Company as leaf guards for garden and yard gullies. Each cover is black plastic, described by the maker as UV-stabilised, and measures about 30 x 30 x 9 cm. The maker says it fits standard outdoor drains up to 30 cm wide, can be cut to size with snips and is pushed into place. The maker suggests plastic gully fixings for a secure fit but does not state that fixings are included. The covers keep leaves, rubbish and debris out of the drain while letting water through. The maker gives no rating for foot or vehicle traffic, so the covers should be treated as leaf guards and not as load-bearing covers. Weight and country of origin are not stated by the maker.",
      "returnable": true,
      "return_policy": "14-day right to cancel from delivery under the Consumer Rights Act 2022, buyer pays return postage; the refund may be reduced if the item has been used beyond normal handling; Consumer Rights Act 2022 rights for faulty goods. Return postage on faulty goods is ours.",
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      "url": "https://drains.irish/outdoor-drain-cover-30cm-2-pack/",
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    {
      "id": "rectangle-drain-cover-280-x-200mm",
      "sku": "rectangle-drain-cover-280-x-200mm",
      "title": "Rectangle Stainless Steel Drain Cover 280 x 200mm",
      "slug": "rectangle-drain-cover-280-x-200mm",
      "price": 37.99,
      "currency": "EUR",
      "availability": "in_stock",
      "category": "floor-drain-covers",
      "category_label": "Outdoor Drain Covers & Gully Grids",
      "tags": [],
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      ],
      "description_short": "A flat 280 x 200mm plate with 108 holes of 7mm lets rainwater through and leaves the leaves on top, where you can sweep them away.",
      "description": "Why outside gullies block\n\nWalk round most houses in November and you will find a gully that looks more like a compost bin. Leaves, moss from the roof, bits of twig and windblown litter all end up there. The gully sits at the lowest point of the yard, so everything loose heads for it.\n\nA standard gully grid has wide slots. They let water in quickly, and they let leaves in just as quickly. Once inside, the leaves sink into the trap. They soak, rot and pack down into a dense mat that water struggles to get through.\n\nYou find out when it rains hard. The water from the kitchen waste or the rainwater pipe has nowhere to go. It ponds around the gully, spreads across the path and sometimes sits against the wall of the house. Then someone has to kneel down with a glove and dig the muck out by hand.\n\nA leaf guard changes where the leaves stop. In place of the trap, they stop on top, in the open, where a brush can reach them.\n\nWhat this cover is\n\nThis is a flat rectangle plate made from satin stainless steel. It measures 280 x 200mm, which the maker also gives as 11 x 8 inch. The colour is listed as silver.\n\nIt has 108 holes. The maker gives the diameter of each hole as 7mm. The dimensions list a thickness of 0.1 cm, so the sheet is about 1mm thick.\n\nThe maker calls it a drain guard, a drain protector or a swirl cover. The idea is that it works like a sieve. Water runs across the plate and drops through the holes. Leaves are too big to follow, so they are left behind.\n\nOne cover comes in the pack. The weight is not stated by the maker, and neither is the method of fixing.\n\nThe most important limit\n\nBefore anything else, read this part.\n\nThe maker states that this product is not suitable for pedestrian or road traffic. It is recommended for homes and other private properties.\n\nIn plain terms, it is a leaf guard. It is not a load-bearing cover. It is a thin sheet of steel, about 1mm thick, and it is not built for a foot or a wheel.\n\nSo think about where your gully is. A gully tucked against the house wall under a waste pipe, where nobody steps, is the right place for it. A gully in the middle of a path, in a doorway or on a driveway is not. For those you need a cover that its maker states is made for traffic, and this is not one.\n\nIf you are in any doubt about whether people might step on the spot, treat it as a walking area and choose a different product.\n\nReplace the grid or cover it?\n\nThe maker says this plate can be used to replace an existing drain cover or in addition to one.\n\nFor most homes, the second option is the sensible one. Your existing grid is the part designed to sit in the gully frame. Leave it where it is. Put the stainless steel drain guard over it as a second, finer layer. The old grid keeps its job, and the new plate keeps the leaves out.\n\nReplacing a grid outright only makes sense where the old one is missing or broken and the gully is well away from any foot traffic. Even then, remember the plate is thin and the maker gives no fixing method.\n\nMeasuring for a good fit\n\nA leaf guard only works if it covers the whole opening. A gap along one edge is an open door for leaves.\n\nMeasure the top of your gully in millimetres. Take the length and the width of the grid or of the opening it sits in. Then compare that with 280 x 200mm.\n\nCheck a few other things while you are there. Is the gully surrounded by a raised kerb or sunk into concrete? A plate that is larger than the recess will not sit flat. Does a pipe come down onto the grid? The maker does not describe a pipe cut-out on this cover, so a pipe that drops straight onto the grid may get in the way of a flat plate. Many waste pipes stop a little above the grid, in which case the plate can slide underneath, but you need to look.\n\nIf your measurements are close but not exact, send them to us before you order. It is easier to check first than to return a cover that does not suit.\n\nPutting it in place\n\nThe maker does not state how the plate is fixed, so we will not invent a method. What we can say is practical.\n\nClear the gully first. There is no point covering a trap that is already full of rotting leaves. Lift the grid, scoop out the debris with a gloved hand or a small trowel, and flush it with a bucket of water. Put the grid back.\n\nLay the plate flat over the grid and check that it sits without rocking. Watch it through the first spell of heavy rain and wind. If it lifts or shifts, it needs a different arrangement, and you should contact us for advice.\n\nNone of this involves altering pipework, and it should stay that way. If the gully itself is cracked, sunken or holding water, that is a repair for a qualified plumber or drainage contractor. The Irish Building Regulations apply to drainage work.\n\nKeeping it working\n\nA leaf guard moves the problem to somewhere easy. It does not remove the need to clear leaves.\n\nIn autumn, look at the cover once a week and after any windy day. Sweep the leaves off with a hand brush or lift them away. If a layer of wet leaves is left to mat down over the holes, water will pond on top of the plate just as it would in a blocked gully.\n\nThrough the months when fewer leaves fall, a check every few weeks is usually enough. Moss and silt can fill the holes over time. A soft brush and warm water clears them. Poke out any hole that is plugged.\n\nStainless steel copes well outdoors, but it is not immune to marks. Near the sea, or where it sits in standing dirt, it can pick up surface staining. A wash now and then keeps the satin finish looking clean. Avoid wire wool and harsh scourers.\n\nRodents and air vents\n\nThe maker mentions two more uses.\n\nThe first is keeping rodents out of outside drains. The maker gives the hole diameter as 7mm and suggests the steel plate is harder for rodents to get through than a plastic alternative. That is a reasonable point, but we will not promise it solves a rodent problem. If you have seen rats near a drain, a cover is one small part of the answer. Speak to a pest control professional as well.\n\nThe second is exterior air vents. The maker says the plate is suitable for installation on them. Take care here. Some vents supply air to a boiler, stove or other fuel-burning appliance, and those must never be restricted. If you are not sure what a vent is for, ask a registered installer before covering it.\n\nWhose drain is it?\n\nThis cover is for drains on your own property. The gullies in the road and on the public footpath belong to the local authority. Do not cover those, even if they sit right outside your gate. If a public gully is blocked, report it to the council. Trouble in the public sewer is a matter for Uisce Éireann or the local authority.\n\nThe short version\n\nOutside gullies block because leaves fall through the grid and rot in the trap. This rectangle drain cover stops them at the top. It is a flat plate of satin stainless steel, 280 x 200mm, about 1mm thick, with 108 holes of 7mm.\n\nThe maker states it is not suitable for pedestrian or road traffic. Use it only where nobody walks or drives, and treat it as a leaf guard and not a load-bearing cover.\n\nMeasure your gully, clear it out, lay the plate over the existing grid and sweep the leaves off through autumn. If the gully still floods when it is clean, call a qualified plumber.",
      "llm_summary": "This is a flat rectangle drain cover, also described by the maker as a drain guard or swirl cover. It measures 280 x 200 mm (11 x 8 inch) and is made from satin stainless steel, with a listed thickness of 0.1 cm. It has 108 drainage holes, each 7 mm in diameter according to the maker. Its purpose is to keep leaves and debris out of outside drains. The maker states it is not suitable for pedestrian or road traffic and recommends it for homes and other private properties. The maker says it can replace or sit in addition to an existing drain cover, suggests it for keeping rodents out of drains and for exterior air vents. Fixing method and weight are not stated by the maker.",
      "returnable": true,
      "return_policy": "14-day right to cancel from delivery under the Consumer Rights Act 2022, buyer pays return postage; the refund may be reduced if the item has been used beyond normal handling; Consumer Rights Act 2022 rights for faulty goods. Return postage on faulty goods is ours.",
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    },
    {
      "id": "round-drain-cover-175mm",
      "sku": "round-drain-cover-175mm",
      "title": "175mm Round Plastic Drain Cover",
      "slug": "round-drain-cover-175mm",
      "price": 21.99,
      "currency": "EUR",
      "availability": "in_stock",
      "category": "floor-drain-covers",
      "category_label": "Outdoor Drain Covers & Gully Grids",
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      "weight": "60 g",
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      ],
      "description_short": "The round grid pattern lets rainwater and waste water run through while holding back leaves and garden debris, and the black finish sits quietly in a patio, yard or garden.",
      "description": "The puddle that comes back every autumn\n\nMost Irish houses have at least one gully outside. It might sit under the kitchen window, where the sink waste comes out. It might be at the foot of a downpipe, taking rain from the gutter. Often it is a round or square pot set into the ground with a grid on top.\n\nThat grid matters more than it looks. Take it away, or let it crack and go missing, and the gully becomes an open hole. Leaves blow into it. Moss slides off the roof and down the pipe. Gravel from the path gets kicked in. Children drop things in it.\n\nEverything that falls in settles at the bottom, in the trap. A gully trap holds water for the same reason the bend under your sink does. It stops smells coming back up. But a trap full of rotting leaves cannot pass water, and the first you know of it is a grey puddle spreading across the yard on a wet night.\n\nA cover does not fix a blocked drain. What it does is stop the blockage being built in the first place.\n\nWhat this cover is\n\nThis is a round drain cover, sold as 175mm across. It is made of plastic, it is black, and the maker gives its weight as 60 g. One cover comes in the pack.\n\nThe surface is a round grid pattern. The maker says the pattern lets water flow through while holding back leaves and debris. That is the whole job of a leaf cover. Water goes down, leaves stay on top, and you sweep the leaves away.\n\nThe maker describes the finish as painted and the look as modern. In plain terms it is a simple black disc that will not draw the eye in a patio or a gravel yard.\n\nWhat we do not know\n\nIt is better to be direct about the gaps than to guess.\n\nThe maker gives no thickness. The size of the openings in the grid is not stated. There is no list of gully makes or models it suits, and the fixing method is not described beyond a general statement that setup is simple.\n\nThe most important gap is strength. The maker does not state that this cover is made for foot traffic or for vehicle traffic. The maker's description does mention driveways as a place it might be used, but mentioning a place is not the same as stating that a cover can carry a car.\n\nSo we sell it as a leaf guard, not as a load-bearing cover. Fit it over a gully in a flower bed, beside a wall or in a corner of the yard where nobody walks. Do not fit it in the middle of a path, and do not fit it anywhere a wheel will cross. A drain in the way of feet or vehicles needs a cover that is made and rated for that load.\n\nAt 60 g this is a light part, which fits with that advice.\n\nMeasuring before you buy\n\nThe single figure to work from is 175mm.\n\nIf you have the old cover, measure straight across it at the widest point. Turn it a quarter and measure again. Old plastic covers warp and old gullies are not always perfectly round, so two readings are better than one.\n\nIf the old cover is gone, measure the recess it sat in. That is the ledge inside the top of the gully. Measure across the ledge from inner wall to inner wall. A cover that is a few millimetres too big will not drop in. One that is too small will fall through or rattle about.\n\nAlso look at depth. If the recess is shallow, a thick cover will stand proud and catch a foot or a brush. The thickness of this cover is not stated by the maker, so the product photos are your guide.\n\nCheck whether a pipe discharges into the gully from above. Some gullies have a downpipe shoe or a waste pipe ending just over the grid. The water needs to land on the grid and run through. The maker does not state that there is a cut-out for a pipe.\n\nIf your gully is square, or a different size, this is not the right cover. Forcing or trimming a plastic grid tends to end with a broken grid.\n\nClear the gully first\n\nThere is little sense in putting a clean cover over a full gully.\n\nPut on waterproof gloves that reach up your forearm. Lift out whatever remains of the old cover. Scoop the leaves and silt out by hand or with an old trowel, and put it in a bucket for the brown bin or the compost heap, not back onto the yard.\n\nReach down into the trap if you can and clear that too. Then pour in a bucket of clean water. It should drop steadily and run away. If it does, the gully is clear and you can fit the new cover.\n\nIf the water sits there or drains very slowly, the blockage is past the trap, further along the pipe. A cover will not help with that. On your own property it is a job for a drainage contractor with rods or a jetter. If the trouble is in a public sewer, contact Uisce Éireann or your local authority.\n\nWe do not recommend chemical drain cleaners for gullies or for any other drain. Clearing by hand and flushing with water is safer for you and does the job.\n\nFitting and the limits of the job\n\nPutting a loose cover onto an existing gully is a household task. Sit it in the recess, check it lies flat and does not rock, and pour a little water over it to see that it runs through.\n\nChanging the gully itself is another matter. Digging out a broken gully pot, connecting a new one or moving a drain is fixed drainage work. That should be done by a qualified person, and the Irish Building Regulations apply to it. A new cover is a quick fix for a missing grid. It is not a repair for a cracked gully.\n\nKeeping it working\n\nA leaf cover only works if somebody clears it. Left alone through October and November, the leaves mat together on top and the water has nowhere to go. You end up with the same puddle as before, only this time the blockage is at the surface.\n\nThat is still the better outcome. A mat of leaves on top of a grid takes ten seconds to lift off. The same leaves packed into a trap take half an hour and a pair of long gloves.\n\nGet into the habit of brushing the cover off when you sweep the yard. After a storm, have a look. Once or twice a year, lift the cover out, rinse it and check underneath. An old washing-up brush clears moss from the openings.\n\nWhile it is out, look it over. Outdoor plastic lives a hard life between frost, sun and the odd knock from a wheelie bin. The maker describes the cover as made for outdoor conditions but gives no figures, so an annual check for cracks is sensible. Replace it if it has split.\n\nOther ways to keep leaves out of drains\n\nA gully cover is one part of the picture. If the gully takes a downpipe, much of what arrives in it started in the gutter. Clearing the gutters once the trees are bare cuts the load a great deal. A guard at the top of the downpipe helps too.\n\nAround the gully, keep gravel and bark mulch back from the edge. Both wash in during heavy rain. And if a kitchen waste discharges into the gully, the grease from it will collect on the grid over time, so that one will need a wash with hot water and washing-up liquid now and then.\n\nThe short version\n\nAn open gully fills with leaves, and a full gully floods the yard. A grid on top stops most of it at the surface.\n\nThis is a round drain cover sold as 175mm across, in black plastic, weighing 60 g. The round grid pattern lets water through and holds leaves back. Thickness, opening size and fixing method are not stated by the maker, so measure your gully and check the photos.\n\nThe maker does not state that it is made for foot or vehicle traffic. Treat it as a leaf guard and keep it out of the way of feet and wheels. Clear the gully before you fit it, sweep the cover when you sweep the yard, and call a drainage contractor if a clear gully still will not drain.",
      "llm_summary": "This is a round plastic drain cover, sold as 175mm across, offered by Drains Company in Ireland as a gully grid and outdoor drain leaf cover. It has a round grid pattern that the maker says lets water flow through while holding back leaves and debris. The colour is black, the material is plastic, the finish is described by the maker as painted, and the weight is 60 g. One cover is included. The maker describes it for outdoor settings like gardens, yards and patios. The maker does not state that it is made for foot or vehicle traffic, so it should be treated as a leaf guard and not as a load-bearing cover. Thickness, grid opening size, fixing method and compatible gully types are not stated by the maker.",
      "returnable": true,
      "return_policy": "14-day right to cancel from delivery under the Consumer Rights Act 2022, buyer pays return postage; the refund may be reduced if the item has been used beyond normal handling; Consumer Rights Act 2022 rights for faulty goods. Return postage on faulty goods is ours.",
      "shipping_profile": "standard",
      "warranty": null,
      "brand": "Drains Company",
      "gtin": null,
      "mpn": null,
      "condition": "new",
      "url": "https://drains.irish/round-drain-cover-175mm/",
      "canonical_url": "https://drains.irish/round-drain-cover-175mm/",
      "json_url": "https://drains.irish/api/products/round-drain-cover-175mm.json",
      "updated_at": "2026-10-12"
    },
    {
      "id": "square-plastic-drain-cover-146mm",
      "sku": "square-plastic-drain-cover-146mm",
      "title": "Square Plastic Drain Cover 146mm Leaf Guard",
      "slug": "square-plastic-drain-cover-146mm",
      "price": 17.99,
      "currency": "EUR",
      "availability": "in_stock",
      "category": "floor-drain-covers",
      "category_label": "Outdoor Drain Covers & Gully Grids",
      "tags": [],
      "colors": [],
      "materials": [],
      "dimensions": null,
      "weight": "50 g",
      "images": [
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      ],
      "description_short": "A black plastic grid, 146mm square, that lets rainwater through and holds leaves and larger debris on top where you can lift them off.",
      "description": "A small job that prevents a messy one\n\nMost people do not think about the drain in the yard until it stops working. Then it gets all of their attention. Water spreads across the patio, the smell arrives, and somebody ends up on their knees with a glove on, pulling black sludge out of a hole in the ground.\n\nNearly all of that is avoidable. The drain did not block in a day. It blocked over months, as leaves and moss and bits of garden rubbish washed into it and settled. If those things had stayed on the surface, they could have been swept up in seconds.\n\nThat is the whole idea behind a leaf guard. It is a simple grid that sits over the drain. Water goes through. Leaves do not.\n\nHow an outside drain blocks\n\nThe square drain beside the house is called a gully. Rainwater from the downpipes often runs into it, and in many homes so does the waste water from the kitchen sink or the washing machine. Under the grid there is a trap, a bend that holds water to keep sewer smells from coming up.\n\nThat trap is where the trouble starts. Anything heavier than water sinks into it. Leaves go soggy and sink. Soil washed off the patio sinks. Moss from the roof comes down the downpipe and sinks. In a gully that also takes kitchen waste, fat coats all of it and binds it together.\n\nFor a while the water finds a way past. Then one wet week it does not, and the gully overflows.\n\nThe standard grid on a gully has fairly wide slots. It is there to carry weight and to stop large objects from falling in. It was never meant to filter leaves. A leaf guard laid on top does that part of the job.\n\nWhat this cover is\n\nThis is a square plastic drain cover. The maker gives the size as 5.75 inch square, which is about 146mm by 146mm. It is black, it has an open square grid, and it weighs 50 g. One cover comes in the pack.\n\nThe maker describes it as made to sit over a drain of that 146mm size, and separately lists a compatible size of 15 cm. The material is given as plastic with an unfinished surface. The type of plastic is not stated by the maker. Neither is the thickness.\n\nThe maker says there is nothing to install. You place it over the drain and it is ready. No tools, screws or clips are mentioned.\n\nWhat it is not\n\nThis matters, so it gets its own section.\n\nThe maker names gardens, patios and driveways as places where the cover can be used. What the maker does not give is any rating for foot traffic or vehicle traffic. A cover that weighs 50 g and comes with no load figure should not be asked to carry a person, never mind a car.\n\nSo we treat it as a leaf guard. It goes on top of a sound gully grid, in a spot where nobody walks and no wheel runs. It is not a replacement for a cracked or missing grid. If your gully grid is broken, replace that first with a proper one.\n\nIt is also not a seal. It is an open grid, so it will not hold back smells, and the maker makes no claim about pests.\n\nMeasuring your drain\n\nGullies are not all the same size, so do not skip this step.\n\nClear the moss and dirt from around the grid so you can see its real edges. Measure across the grid in both directions, in millimetres. Then look at how the grid sits. Some sit down inside a raised lip or frame. Others sit flush with the paving.\n\nIf your grid is close to 146mm square, this cover is in the right range. If the grid sits inside a lip, check that a 146mm square will drop inside that lip. A cover that sits within a frame is held on all four sides and is much less likely to move. A cover that sits on top of flat paving can be nudged by a brush, a hose or the wind.\n\nLook up as well as down. If a downpipe or a waste pipe ends just above the gully, check the gap between the end of the pipe and the grid. The maker does not mention any cut-out for a pipe, so the cover is a plain square that has to slide in underneath.\n\nIf your drain is round, or a good deal bigger than 15 cm, this is not the right guard for it.\n\nFitting it\n\nThere is very little to do.\n\nLift out any leaves already sitting on the gully. If the gully itself is full of sludge, clear that first, wearing gloves. A leaf guard keeps new debris out. It does nothing about what is already down there.\n\nBrush the grid and the surround clean so the cover can sit flat. Place the cover over the drain. Pour a bucket of water over it to see that the water runs through freely and the cover stays where you put it.\n\nThat is the job done. Do not drill the gully surround to screw the cover down. The maker does not describe any fixing, and drilling can crack the surround.\n\nFitting a loose guard like this is something any householder can do. Changing the gully itself, or any pipework connected to it, is different. That is work for a qualified plumber, and the Irish Building Regulations apply to drainage work.\n\nLooking after it through the year\n\nA leaf guard does not remove the work. It moves the work to the surface, where it is quick and clean.\n\nIn autumn, check the cover about once a week if there are trees or hedges near the house. Lift it off, shake or brush the leaves into the garden waste, rinse it and set it back. If you leave a thick mat of wet leaves sitting on it, water will pool on top instead of draining, which defeats the purpose.\n\nThrough the other seasons, a look after heavy rain or a windy night is usually enough. Because the cover is light and has no stated fixing, wind can move it. Put it back and carry on.\n\nEach time you clean it, look at the plastic. The maker says it is suited to outdoor conditions but gives no figure for sunlight or frost. All plastic left outdoors ages. If the cover has gone brittle or has cracked, replace it.\n\nFine material will still get through. Grit and silt are smaller than the holes in any grid. Once or twice a year, lift the main gully grid too and scoop out whatever has settled in the trap.\n\nIf the drain is already causing trouble\n\nA cover is prevention. It is not a cure.\n\nIf the gully is overflowing now, deal with that first. Scoop out the trap by hand with a long glove. If that does not clear it, the blockage is further along the pipe, and it needs drain rods or a drainage contractor.\n\nWe do not recommend chemical drain cleaners. They do little against a plug of leaves and silt, and they make the water in the gully unpleasant and unsafe to put a hand into.\n\nIf more than one drain around the house is backing up, the problem may be in the main drain. A blockage in a public sewer is a matter for Uisce Éireann or your local authority.\n\nChoosing a leaf guard\n\nIf you are comparing covers, a few things are worth checking.\n\nShape and size come first. Square for a square gully, and close to the size of your grid. For anyone hunting for the best square gully cover, the right answer is the one that matches the tape measure.\n\nNext is how it stays in place. Some guards clip or screw on. This one is simply placed, which makes it quick to lift and clean.\n\nThen think about where it will sit. Out of the way beside a wall is ideal for a light guard like this. In the middle of a path or a drive is not.\n\nThe short version\n\nOutside drains block because leaves and debris wash in and settle in the trap. A leaf guard keeps them on the surface.\n\nThis one is a black plastic grid, 146mm square by the maker's figures, weighing 50 g and supplied singly. You place it over the drain with no tools. The type of plastic and the thickness are not stated by the maker.\n\nThe maker gives no foot or vehicle traffic rating, so use it as a leaf guard over a sound gully grid, away from feet and wheels. Measure your drain before ordering, clear the cover often in autumn, and replace it if the plastic starts to crack.",
      "llm_summary": "The Square Plastic Drain Cover 146mm is a leaf guard for outside drains, sold by Drains Company. The maker gives the size as 5.75 inch square, about 146 mm x 146 mm, and also lists a compatible size of 15 cm. It is made of black plastic with an unfinished surface and an open square grid that lets water through while holding back leaves and larger debris. It weighs 50 g and is supplied as a single cover. The maker says it is placed over the drain with no tools or fixing. The type of plastic and the thickness are not stated by the maker. No foot or vehicle traffic rating is stated, so it should be treated as a leaf guard and not as a load-bearing cover or a replacement for a gully grid.",
      "returnable": true,
      "return_policy": "14-day right to cancel from delivery under the Consumer Rights Act 2022, buyer pays return postage; the refund may be reduced if the item has been used beyond normal handling; Consumer Rights Act 2022 rights for faulty goods. Return postage on faulty goods is ours.",
      "shipping_profile": "standard",
      "warranty": null,
      "brand": "Drains Company",
      "gtin": null,
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      "url": "https://drains.irish/square-plastic-drain-cover-146mm/",
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      "updated_at": "2026-10-12"
    },
    {
      "id": "stainless-steel-drain-cover-150mm-2-pack",
      "sku": "stainless-steel-drain-cover-150mm-2-pack",
      "title": "Square Stainless Steel Drain Cover 150mm, 2 Pack",
      "slug": "stainless-steel-drain-cover-150mm-2-pack",
      "price": 27.99,
      "currency": "EUR",
      "availability": "in_stock",
      "category": "floor-drain-covers",
      "category_label": "Outdoor Drain Covers & Gully Grids",
      "tags": [],
      "colors": [],
      "materials": [],
      "dimensions": null,
      "weight": "180 g",
      "images": [
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      ],
      "description_short": "Two perforated 150mm square plates sit within the drain opening, letting rainwater through while leaves and garden waste stay on top where you can brush them off.",
      "description": "Leaves, gullies and a wet autumn\n\nEvery house has a few of them. A small square opening in the ground at the foot of a downpipe, outside the kitchen wall, or in a corner of the patio. It is called a gully, and its job is to take rainwater and waste water into the drain.\n\nIt is also the lowest point in the yard, which means everything ends up there. Leaves blow in. Moss drops off the roof and washes down the downpipe. Grass cuttings and soil arrive with every heavy shower. From October on, a gully without a cover can fill in a week.\n\nWhat goes in does not come out by itself. Leaves sink into the water in the gully pot and rot. In a few months you have a thick black sludge that smells, slows the drain, and has to be scooped out by hand. Leave it long enough and it washes on into the pipe, where it is far harder to reach.\n\nA leaf guard changes where the mess collects. Instead of sinking into the pot, the leaves sit on a plate at ground level. You brush them off and the job is done.\n\nWhat this cover is\n\nThis is a pack of two covers. Each is a flat, square plate of stainless steel with a polished finish. The maker gives the size as 15 x 15 cm, which is 150mm square, and a depth of 0.7 cm.\n\nThe surface is perforated. The maker describes the holes as evenly spaced, there to let rainwater and poured water through while holding back leaves and larger bits. The hole size is not stated by the maker.\n\nThe maker describes the steel as rust resistant and suited to rain and damp. The grade of steel is not stated. The stated weight is 180 g, and the maker does not say if that figure is for one plate or for the pack. Either way, these are light.\n\nNo screws, clips or other fixings are mentioned. The maker describes the plate as shaped to sit within the drain opening, flat and flush, without standing above the surface.\n\nMeasure the opening first\n\nThis is the step that decides if the cover will work for you, so do not skip it.\n\nGo out to the gully with a tape. If there is an old grid in place, lift it out. Most gullies have a square recess at the top, a shallow ledge that the grid rests on. Measure that recess from side to side and from front to back, in millimetres.\n\nYou are looking for a recess that takes a 150mm square plate. A millimetre or two of play is fine. If the recess is clearly smaller, the plate will not go in. If it is clearly larger, the plate will have nothing to rest on and could drop into the pot.\n\nCheck the shape as well. This is a square plate for a square opening. A round gully needs a round cover.\n\nLook at how the downpipe meets the gully too. Where the pipe stops above the gully and water falls onto the grid, a flat plate works well. Where the pipe runs down through the opening into the pot, a flat plate cannot fit around it. Do not cut the plate to get round a pipe. It is not made to be cut, and a cut edge is sharp.\n\nWhere it belongs, and where it does not\n\nThe maker describes outdoor use on patios, in gardens and in driveway drainage areas.\n\nHere is the part that is not stated. The maker gives no rating for foot traffic and no rating for vehicle traffic. With no stated rating, the safe way to treat this cover is as a leaf guard and not as a load-bearing cover.\n\nIn practice that means choosing where it goes. A gully tucked against the house wall, under a downpipe or in a planted corner is a good place for it. Nobody stands there. A gully in the middle of a path, at a back door step, or in the part of a drive where wheels run is not a good place. Those need a grid that is rated for the load.\n\nIf you already have a sound grid in a walked-on spot, leave it there.\n\nFitting it\n\nThere is very little to do. Clear the gully first. Put on gloves, lift out any old grid, and scoop the leaves and silt out of the pot with a trowel or an old ladle. Run a bucket of water through to make sure it drains.\n\nBrush the recess clean so the plate can sit flat. Then lower the plate in. It should rest evenly on all four sides and lie flush. If it rocks, lift it and clear whatever grit is under one edge.\n\nThat is the whole fitting. Do the same at the second gully with the second plate.\n\nPlacing a cover like this is a job for any householder. Replacing the gully itself, or altering the pipework around it, is not. That work should go to a qualified plumber, and the Irish Building Regulations apply to drainage work.\n\nKeeping it clear\n\nA leaf guard that is never cleared becomes a lid. Wet leaves mat together over the holes, and rainwater then runs across the yard instead of into the drain.\n\nSo build it into the routine. In autumn, look at each gully once a week and after any windy night. Lift the plate, tip the leaves into the brown bin or the compost heap, brush both faces and put it back. For the remainder of the year a monthly check is usually enough.\n\nNow and then, rinse the plates with clean water and wipe them. Stainless steel left outdoors can pick up brown surface marks over time, and more so near the coast. A wash keeps it looking well.\n\nFine silt and grit will still pass through the holes. That is normal for any perforated cover. Once or twice a year, lift the plate and scoop out what has settled in the pot.\n\nGetting the most from a pack of two\n\nMost houses have more than one gully, and they do not all work as hard. Before you place the two covers, walk round the house on a wet day and see which gullies collect the most.\n\nThe busiest is usually the one under the downpipe nearest to trees, because the gutter feeds it everything that lands on the roof. Moss, twigs and leaf mould all come down that pipe. The second is often a yard or patio gully in a sheltered corner where the wind drops whatever it is carrying. Those two are the places where a patio drain cover saves the most work.\n\nIf only one of your gullies suits a 150mm square plate, keep the second cover as a spare. A light plate can be mislaid during a garden tidy-up, and a spare means the gully is not left open in the meantime.\n\nWhen the gully is already blocked\n\nA cover prevents. It does not cure. If the gully is holding water today, fitting a plate over it will change nothing.\n\nStart by clearing the pot by hand, as described above. In most cases that is all it takes, because the blockage is a plug of rotted leaves sitting in the trap of the gully.\n\nWe do not recommend chemical drain cleaners. They do little against a mass of leaves and silt, and whatever goes into a gully ends up further down the drain.\n\nIf the gully is clean and the water still will not go, the blockage is further along the drain. That is a job for drain rods or a drainage contractor. If the blockage turns out to be in a public sewer, it is not yours to clear. Contact Uisce Éireann or your local authority.\n\nThe short version\n\nOutdoor gullies fill with leaves, and leaves in the pot turn to sludge. A perforated cover keeps them on top.\n\nThis pack gives you two polished stainless steel plates, each 150mm square with a stated depth of 0.7 cm. They sit within the opening and lift out by hand. The maker describes the steel as rust resistant.\n\nMeasure the recess before you order. Use them where nobody walks or drives, because the maker states no load rating. Then brush the leaves off once a week in autumn.",
      "llm_summary": "This is a pack of two square outdoor drain covers. Each is a flat perforated plate of polished stainless steel measuring 15 x 15 cm (150mm square), with a stated depth of 0.7 cm. The maker states that it fits a 15 cm opening and sits within the drain opening. Evenly spaced perforations let rainwater through and hold back leaves, garden waste and dirt. The maker describes the steel as rust resistant and describes outdoor use on patios, gardens and driveway drainage areas. The stated weight is 180 g. No load rating for foot or vehicle traffic is stated by the maker, so it should be treated as a leaf guard and not a load-bearing cover. Steel grade, hole size, fixings and country of origin are not stated by the maker.",
      "returnable": true,
      "return_policy": "14-day right to cancel from delivery under the Consumer Rights Act 2022, buyer pays return postage; the refund may be reduced if the item has been used beyond normal handling; Consumer Rights Act 2022 rights for faulty goods. Return postage on faulty goods is ours.",
      "shipping_profile": "standard",
      "warranty": null,
      "brand": "Drains Company",
      "gtin": null,
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      "condition": "new",
      "url": "https://drains.irish/stainless-steel-drain-cover-150mm-2-pack/",
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    },
    {
      "id": "aluminium-gutter-guard-mesh-6m",
      "sku": "aluminium-gutter-guard-mesh-6m",
      "title": "6m Aluminium Gutter Guard Mesh",
      "slug": "aluminium-gutter-guard-mesh-6m",
      "price": 37.99,
      "currency": "EUR",
      "availability": "in_stock",
      "category": "gutter-and-downpipe-guards",
      "category_label": "Gutter & Downpipe Guards",
      "tags": [],
      "colors": [],
      "materials": [],
      "dimensions": null,
      "weight": null,
      "images": [
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      ],
      "description_short": "The 12.7cm wide aluminium mesh can be cut to size and fixed with clips, screws or adhesive, and a pair of protective gloves comes in the pack for handling it.",
      "description": "Why gutters overflow\n\nA gutter has one job. It catches the rain coming off the roof and carries it along to a downpipe. It only needs a clear channel and a slight fall to do that.\n\nThe trouble is that a gutter is also an open trough sitting under the sky. Leaves blow into it every autumn. Moss grows on the roof and rolls down in lumps. Birds drop twigs. Over a season or two this turns into a dark, wet mat lying in the bottom of the channel.\n\nWater cannot get through the mat to the outlet, so it takes the easy way out. It pours over the front lip in a sheet, or it runs back behind the gutter and down the wall. You see green streaks on the render, splashed windows and a soggy strip of ground along the house. Left for years, that damp gets into fascia boards and walls.\n\nThe cure is to clear the gutter. The way to do that less often is to stop the leaves getting in.\n\nWhat gutter mesh does\n\nGutter mesh is a simple idea. A strip of open mesh sits over the gutter. Rain runs off the roof, hits the mesh and passes through the openings. Leaves and twigs are too big to follow, so they stay on top.\n\nOnce they are on top, they are out in the wind. Many dry out and blow off. The rest can be swept away with a brush on a pole, which is a much quicker job than scooping sludge out of the gutter by hand.\n\nThis product is one 6 metre length of aluminium mesh, 12.7cm wide. The maker says it can be cut to size, and that it can be trimmed to suit the size and shape of an existing gutter.\n\nWhat comes in the pack, and what does not\n\nThe pack holds the 6 metre mesh and a pair of protective gloves. The gloves matter. Metal mesh has sharp edges, and the edges you make when you cut it are sharper still.\n\nThe maker says the mesh can be attached with clips, screws or adhesive. None of those is listed in the pack. Decide how you will fix it and buy the fixings before the day you plan to do the work.\n\nA few details are not stated by the maker. These are the size of the openings, the thickness of the metal and the colour. The product photos are the guide for those.\n\nThe whole thing is light. The maker gives the package as 14 x 11 x 11 cm and 340 g.\n\nMeasuring up\n\nTwo measurements decide whether this is the right product.\n\nThe first is the width of your gutter. Measure across the open top, from the back edge against the fascia to the front lip. The mesh is 12.7cm wide. If your gutter is narrower than that, you have width to spare for shaping the mesh or for fixing it. If the gutter is wider than 12.7cm, this strip will not cover it.\n\nThe second is length. Walk along the outside of the house and measure each gutter run. Add them together. One pack covers 6 metres at full width. Allow a few centimetres of overlap wherever two lengths meet, and a little waste at corners.\n\nIt is worth doing this with a tape and a notebook from the ground before you order. Guessing from memory is how people end up one length short on the last wall.\n\nFitting it\n\nStart with a clean gutter. Scoop out the leaves and silt, then pour a can of water in at the far end and watch it run to the downpipe. If it does not run away, the outlet or the downpipe is blocked and needs clearing first. Mesh over a blocked gutter fixes nothing.\n\nDo your cutting on the ground. The maker does not name a cutting tool. Tin snips or heavy scissors are what most people use on light aluminium mesh. Wear the gloves.\n\nHow you fix the mesh depends on the gutter you have. The maker names three options, clips, screws or adhesive. Clips are the gentlest on a plastic gutter, since they can come off again and they make no holes. Screws hold firmly but mean drilling, and holes should be kept away from joints and brackets. Adhesive needs a clean, dry surface, which is not easy to find on an old gutter in an Irish winter.\n\nWhichever you choose, leave the roof covering alone. The maker describes attaching the mesh to the gutter. Pushing mesh up under slates or tiles is a different method and can crack them or lift them.\n\nWhere two lengths meet, overlap them so there is no gap. At a corner, cut the mesh to follow the angle and overlap again.\n\nWorking at height\n\nThis is the part that deserves real thought. A fall from a ladder is a far bigger risk than an overflowing gutter.\n\nUse a ladder that is in good condition, set on firm level ground, at a sensible angle. Have a second person hold the foot of it. Move the ladder often, so you never lean out to the side. Do not rest the ladder on the gutter itself, especially a plastic one.\n\nDo not work in wind or rain, and do not work over a conservatory roof from a ladder.\n\nIf the gutters are at first floor height or above, or if any of the above makes you uneasy, pay a gutter contractor to fit the mesh. It is a short job for someone with the right access gear.\n\nIs your house a good candidate\n\nMesh earns its place on houses that sit near trees dropping whole leaves, and on low gutters that block every year, like those on a shed, a garage or a conservatory. Those small gutters are often the worst, because they are shallow and close to overhanging branches.\n\nIt is less clear cut under conifers. Needles are thin and can lodge in or slip through open mesh, and the opening size of this mesh is not stated by the maker. It will still hold back cones and twigs, but expect to brush it more often.\n\nIf there is not a tree within sight of your roof and the gutters only ever collect a little moss, a yearly clean may be all you need.\n\nWhat mesh will not do\n\nIt is fair to be plain about the limits.\n\nMesh reduces blockages. It does not stop every one. Fine silt washes off roof tiles and passes through any open mesh. So do small seeds and moss spores. Over a few years a thin layer builds up in the gutter underneath.\n\nLeaves also sit on top in still, wet weather. If a thick layer is left there, rain can run over it and miss the gutter. A quick brush along the mesh once or twice a year deals with that.\n\nAnd mesh cannot help with a problem lower down. If the gully at the foot of the downpipe is full, or the drain beyond it is blocked, water will back up no matter how clean the gutter is. A blockage in a public sewer is a matter for Uisce Éireann or your local authority. One on your own property needs a drainage contractor.\n\nLooking after it\n\nAluminium is light and does not rust the way plain steel does, which is why it is so widely used for gutter mesh. The maker describes this mesh as made to cope with outdoor weather.\n\nOnce a year, late in the autumn when the trees are bare, look along the gutters. Brush off anything lying on the mesh. Check that the fixings are still holding and that no section has lifted in the wind. Every couple of years, lift a section and look underneath for silt.\n\nIf a length gets bent or damaged, cut out that piece and replace it. That is one advantage of a cut to size product.\n\nThe short version\n\nGutters overflow because leaves and moss block them. A mesh over the top keeps most of that out while letting the rain through.\n\nThis is a 6 metre length of aluminium mesh, 12.7cm wide, with a pair of protective gloves in the pack. The maker says it can be cut to size and fixed with clips, screws or adhesive, which you buy separately. The opening size and colour are not stated by the maker.\n\nMeasure your gutter width and your total run before you order. Clean the gutter first, cut on the ground, wear the gloves and treat the ladder with respect. Then check the mesh once a year, and expect a lot less sludge than before.",
      "llm_summary": "This is a 6 metre length of aluminium gutter guard mesh, 12.7cm wide, sold by Drains Company in Ireland. It is laid over or into a gutter so that rainwater passes through while leaves and debris are kept out. The maker says the mesh can be cut to size, trimmed to suit the size and shape of the gutter, and attached to existing gutters with clips, screws or adhesive. The pack contains the 6 metre mesh and a pair of protective gloves. Fixings are not stated as included. The package measures 14 x 11 x 11 cm and weighs 340 g. The size of the mesh openings, the thickness and the colour are not stated by the maker. Fitting involves working at height and should be done from a secure ladder or by a contractor.",
      "returnable": true,
      "return_policy": "14-day right to cancel from delivery under the Consumer Rights Act 2022, buyer pays return postage; the refund may be reduced if the item has been used beyond normal handling; Consumer Rights Act 2022 rights for faulty goods. Return postage on faulty goods is ours.",
      "shipping_profile": "standard",
      "warranty": null,
      "brand": "Drains Company",
      "gtin": null,
      "mpn": null,
      "condition": "new",
      "url": "https://drains.irish/aluminium-gutter-guard-mesh-6m/",
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      "json_url": "https://drains.irish/api/products/aluminium-gutter-guard-mesh-6m.json",
      "updated_at": "2026-10-12"
    },
    {
      "id": "downpipe-leaf-guard-mesh-4-pack",
      "sku": "downpipe-leaf-guard-mesh-4-pack",
      "title": "Downpipe Leaf Guard Mesh, Pack of 4",
      "slug": "downpipe-leaf-guard-mesh-4-pack",
      "price": 25.99,
      "currency": "EUR",
      "availability": "in_stock",
      "category": "gutter-and-downpipe-guards",
      "category_label": "Gutter & Downpipe Guards",
      "tags": [],
      "colors": [],
      "materials": [],
      "dimensions": null,
      "weight": null,
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      ],
      "description_short": "Four aluminium alloy mesh guards, wider at the top than the bottom, sit in the gutter outlet to hold back leaves, twigs and moss while rainwater runs through.",
      "description": "The blockage you cannot see\n\nA blocked gutter is easy to spot. Grass grows out of it, or water pours over the front in a sheet when it rains. A blocked downpipe is harder. From the ground the pipe looks the same as ever. The first sign is often a gutter that fills and overflows at one end, or a damp patch spreading on the wall behind the pipe.\n\nBy then the plug has usually been building for a season or two. Leaves wash along the gutter to the outlet and drop into the pipe. Most go straight through. Some catch at the first bend, where the pipe kicks back towards the wall. More leaves catch on those. Moss and grit pack the gaps. In the end the pipe holds a solid column of wet compost.\n\nGetting that out means taking the pipe apart or pushing rods through it from above. Keeping it out in the first place is a much smaller job. That is what an outlet guard is for.\n\nWhat an outlet guard does\n\nThe idea is plain. Put a strainer over the hole so water gets through and debris does not.\n\nThe guard sits in the gutter outlet, the opening in the bottom of the gutter where the downpipe begins. Rainwater runs along the gutter, reaches the guard and passes through the mesh into the pipe. Leaves and twigs arrive at the same place and stop.\n\nThe debris then sits in the gutter around the guard. That is the right place for it. A gutter is open at the top. You can see into it from a ladder and scoop it out with a gloved hand. A downpipe is a closed tube, and nothing in it can be reached without tools.\n\nA guard does not make the leaves go away. It moves them from a place you cannot reach to a place you can.\n\nHow these guards are made\n\nThere are four guards in the pack. Each is made from aluminium alloy mesh. The maker describes the mesh as dense and the metal as lightweight, and lists the colour as silvery.\n\nThe shape matters. Each guard is wide at the top and narrow at the bottom. The narrow end goes down into the outlet and the wide end stands up in the gutter. The maker says this makes it hard for the guard to fall into the pipe, which is the obvious worry with anything you push into a hole above a long drop.\n\nThe maker lists the size as 8 x 8 x 15 cm and the weight as 100 g. It does not say whether that weight is for one guard or all four.\n\nThe maker also describes the guards as reusable. You can take one out, clean it and put it back.\n\nGetting the size right\n\nMesh can be bent, and that is the point of this design. The maker says the shape and diameter are adjustable.\n\nTwo size ranges are given. One guard on its own fits an opening of 3 to 8cm. For an opening of 8 to 15cm, two guards are combined into one larger guard.\n\nThat affects how far a pack goes. Four guards protect four outlets in the smaller range. In the larger range, four guards protect two outlets.\n\nSo measure before you order. From a ladder, measure straight across the inside of the outlet at the bottom of the gutter. If you would sooner stay on the ground, measure across the downpipe itself, which gives you a close guide. Then count the downpipes on the house, including the ones on a porch, a garage or an extension. A semi-detached house commonly has two or three. A detached house with a garage can have six.\n\nThe maker does not mention square pipes specifically. The mesh is shaped by hand, so the measurement across the opening is what counts.\n\nFitting them safely\n\nThe maker sums up fitting in a line. Adjust the diameter, insert the guard and secure it. Cable ties are included for fixing, though the maker does not say how many.\n\nHere is a sensible way to go about it.\n\nPut gloves on first and keep them on. The maker warns about sharp edges, and metal mesh will find bare skin.\n\nClear the gutter for an arm's length either side of the outlet. There is no sense fitting a guard into a heap of old leaves. Check that the outlet itself is open by pouring a jug of water into it.\n\nShape the guard on the ground or at the top of the ladder so the narrow end is a snug fit in the opening. Push it in until it holds, with the wide end standing clear above. Fix it with a cable tie where there is something to tie to, such as a gutter bracket or the lip of the outlet.\n\nFor a large outlet, open out two guards, overlap them into a single larger shape and tie them to each other before fitting.\n\nNone of this alters the gutter or the pipe. Nothing is cut or drilled. It is a householder's job, as long as the ladder work is done properly.\n\nAnd that is the real risk. Use a ladder tall enough that you are not stretching. Stand it on firm, level ground. Have someone hold it. Move the ladder along instead of leaning out. If you are not comfortable at gutter height, a gutter cleaning service will fit guards in minutes while they are up there anyway.\n\nWhat a guard will not do\n\nIt will not keep the gutter clean. Leaves still land in the gutter and still need to be taken out.\n\nIt will not stop fine material. Grit off the roof tiles and silt are smaller than the mesh and wash through.\n\nIt will not clear a pipe that is already blocked. If water is not getting away, have the pipe cleared before you fit anything.\n\nAnd it can make a neglected gutter overflow sooner. A guard buried under a thick mat of leaves lets little water through. That is still better than a blocked pipe, because the fix is a handful of leaves and not a dismantled downpipe. But it does mean the guards need looking at.\n\nUpkeep through the year\n\nTwice a year is the minimum. Go up once the leaves are fully down in late autumn, and again in spring when the moss has been loosened by frost and birds. Check after a big storm too.\n\nAt each visit, clear the debris from around the guard and lift the guard out. Knock it against the ladder or brush it to clear the mesh, rinse it if you have water to hand, and refit it. If you had to cut a cable tie, use a new one.\n\nAluminium does not rust the way steel does. Over time it goes dull and grey outdoors, which is normal. If a guard gets crushed or torn, replace it.\n\nHouses under large trees are a different case. Sycamore, ash and beech can fill a gutter in a fortnight in October. There the guards may need clearing several times in a season.\n\nChoosing a downpipe guard\n\nWhen people compare outlet guards, a few things separate them.\n\nMaterial is the first. Some guards are moulded plastic in one fixed size. Metal mesh can be bent by hand to suit the opening. These are aluminium alloy.\n\nFit is the second. A fixed-size guard either fits your outlet or it does not. An adjustable mesh covers a range, here 3 to 15cm across the two ways of using it. That makes it a practical choice for a house with mixed pipe sizes, and it is why many people looking for the best gutter leaf guard for an older house end up with a shaped mesh type.\n\nThen there is how it stays put. A guard that only rests in the hole can lift out in the wind or float in a full gutter. These come with cable ties.\n\nLast is the count. Work out how many outlets you have and whether each needs one guard or two.\n\nThe short version\n\nDownpipes block when leaves and moss wash in from the gutter. A mesh guard in the outlet holds that debris in the gutter, where it is easy to clear.\n\nThis pack has four aluminium alloy mesh guards, wider at the top than the bottom. The maker says one guard fits openings of 3 to 8cm and two combined fit 8 to 15cm. Cable ties are included. The edges can be sharp, so wear gloves.\n\nMeasure your outlets, count your downpipes, fit the guards from a safe ladder and check them in autumn and spring.",
      "llm_summary": "This is a pack of four mesh leaf guards sold by Drains Company for gutter outlets and downpipes. Each guard is made from aluminium alloy mesh, listed by the maker as silvery in colour, with a wide top and narrow bottom so it sits in the outlet without dropping into the pipe. The shape and diameter can be adjusted by hand. The maker says one guard fits openings of 3 to 8 cm and two guards combined fit openings of 8 to 15 cm. The maker lists the size as 8 x 8 x 15 cm and the weight as 100 g. Cable ties are included for fixing, though the number is not stated by the maker. The maker warns that the edges can be sharp and describes the guards as reusable. They hold back leaves, twigs and moss while letting rainwater through. Country of origin is not stated by the maker.",
      "returnable": true,
      "return_policy": "14-day right to cancel from delivery under the Consumer Rights Act 2022, buyer pays return postage; the refund may be reduced if the item has been used beyond normal handling; Consumer Rights Act 2022 rights for faulty goods. Return postage on faulty goods is ours.",
      "shipping_profile": "standard",
      "warranty": null,
      "brand": "Drains Company",
      "gtin": null,
      "mpn": null,
      "condition": "new",
      "url": "https://drains.irish/downpipe-leaf-guard-mesh-4-pack/",
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      "updated_at": "2026-10-12"
    },
    {
      "id": "plastic-gutter-guard-mesh-8m",
      "sku": "plastic-gutter-guard-mesh-8m",
      "title": "Plastic Gutter Guard Mesh 8m Roll with Fixing Hooks",
      "slug": "plastic-gutter-guard-mesh-8m",
      "price": 37.99,
      "currency": "EUR",
      "availability": "in_stock",
      "category": "gutter-and-downpipe-guards",
      "category_label": "Gutter & Downpipe Guards",
      "tags": [],
      "colors": [],
      "materials": [],
      "dimensions": null,
      "weight": null,
      "images": [
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      ],
      "description_short": "A flexible plastic mesh, 18cm wide, that you trim with ordinary scissors and hold in place with the fixing hooks supplied.",
      "description": "The job nobody wants to do twice a year\n\nCleaning gutters is cold, wet, awkward work. It is done at the top of a ladder, usually in November, with a hand full of black sludge. Most people put it off. Some put it off for years.\n\nThe trouble is what happens in the meantime. Leaves fall into the gutter and rot down into a dense, soggy layer. Moss from the roof slates joins them. Rain washes the lot along to the outlet, where it packs into the top of the downpipe. Once the outlet is blocked, the gutter fills like a bath and spills over the front edge or, worse, over the back edge and down the wall.\n\nWater running down a wall is how damp patches and stained render begin. An overflowing gutter can also soak the fascia board behind it. A small strip of mesh is a cheap way to make all of that less likely.\n\nHow gutter guard mesh works\n\nThe idea is as plain as it sounds. A gutter is an open channel. A gutter guard is a cover for that channel with holes in it.\n\nRain lands on the roof, runs down to the eaves and drops onto the mesh. Water passes through the holes into the gutter and flows away as normal. A leaf is much bigger than the holes, so it stays on top. In dry weather the leaf dries out and the wind takes it. In wet weather it sits there until someone brushes it off.\n\nEither way, it is not in the gutter, and it is not on its way to the downpipe.\n\nWhat you get with this roll\n\nThis is a single roll of flexible plastic mesh. It is 18 cm wide and 8 metres long.\n\nThe maker says it unrolls easily and can be cut to length with a pair of ordinary scissors. That matters more than it might seem. Metal guards need tin snips and leave sharp edges. A mesh you can cut with kitchen scissors is far easier to fit around brackets, corners and the odd-length runs that every house has.\n\nFixing hooks are included to hold the mesh in place. Here the maker is inconsistent. One part of its description says 15 fixings and another says 10. We cannot tell you which is right, so count them when the pack arrives.\n\nThe maker states that the mesh resists rust or corrode. It is plastic, so that is what you would expect.\n\nThe roll is light. The pack measures 19.8 x 13 x 12.6 cm and weighs 400 g.\n\nThree things are not stated by the maker: the colour, the size of the holes in the mesh, and the type of plastic. If the colour needs to match your gutters, ask us before ordering.\n\nWill it suit your gutters?\n\nStart with a tape measure.\n\nMeasure across the top of the gutter, from the front lip to the back edge where it meets the fascia. The mesh is 18 cm wide. It needs to be wider than the opening it covers, with a little to spare so that it can curve and be hooked on. Many house gutters are narrower than 18 cm across, so there is usually width in hand. The maker does not list particular gutter profiles, so judge it against your own measurement.\n\nThen measure the length of each run. Add the front and back of the house together, plus any extension or garage. One roll covers 8 metres in total. Allow a little extra for overlaps where two lengths meet. Many homes will need a second roll.\n\nFinally, look at what is falling on the roof. Broad leaves from sycamore, beech or ash are what a gutter leaf mesh handles well. Pine needles and fine seeds are much smaller. Because the hole size is not stated by the maker, we cannot promise how it copes with those.\n\nFitting it\n\nClean the gutter first. This is not optional. If you cover a gutter that is already half full of silt, you have simply hidden the problem. Scoop out the debris into a bucket, then run a hose along the gutter and watch the water go down the downpipe. If it backs up, clear the outlet before you go any further.\n\nMeasure each run and cut the mesh to length on the ground. It is much easier and much safer than cutting at the top of a ladder. Roll each cut length up loosely so you can carry it.\n\nThe maker does not give step by step fitting instructions, so what follows is the usual approach for a roll of this kind. Lay the mesh along the top of the gutter so that it covers the opening from front to back. Let it curve gently. Use the hooks to hold it in place, spacing them out along the run so that no long section is left loose. Where two lengths meet, overlap them by a few centimetres.\n\nAt a bracket, snip a small notch so the mesh sits down around it. At a corner, cut the two ends at an angle so they meet neatly.\n\nWhen a run is finished, pour a jug of water onto the mesh to see that it runs through and away.\n\nWorking safely at height\n\nThis part matters more than the mesh.\n\nUse a ladder that is in good condition and long enough that you are not standing on the top rungs. Set it on firm, level ground. Have a second person hold the foot of it. Never rest the ladder against the gutter itself, because plastic gutters flex and can crack. A ladder stand-off that rests on the wall is the proper way.\n\nDo not overreach. Move the ladder instead. It is slower, and it is how people stay on ladders.\n\nStay well clear of overhead cables. Do not work in wind, rain or frost.\n\nWear gloves. Gutter sludge is dirty, and old gutters can have sharp edges and loose fixings.\n\nIf the gutters are above first floor level, or the ground is sloped or soft, hire a gutter contractor. Fitting mesh is a small job for someone with the right access equipment.\n\nWhat a gutter guard will not do\n\nIt is worth being honest about the limits.\n\nA gutter guard does not make a gutter maintenance free. Leaves that land on the mesh can build up into a mat, especially where two roof slopes meet. When that happens, rainwater runs across the top and overshoots the gutter. So the mesh itself needs a brush now and then.\n\nFine material still gets through. Grit off concrete roof tiles, dust and small moss fragments will wash into the gutter. It builds up slowly, but it does build up. Lift a section of mesh once a year, look underneath and flush the gutter if it needs it.\n\nA guard also does nothing for a gutter that is sagging, leaking at the joints or sloping the wrong way. Those need to be repaired first.\n\nLooking after it\n\nCheck the gutters twice a year. Late autumn, after the leaves are down, is the important one. Spring is a good time for the second look.\n\nFrom the ground, look along each run for any section of mesh that has lifted or slipped. From the ladder, brush off anything sitting on top, check that the hooks are holding and feel the mesh. The maker gives no figure for resistance to sunlight or frost, and any plastic left outdoors will age. If a section has gone brittle or has torn, cut a new piece and replace it.\n\nAfter a storm, a quick look from the ground is enough to see that everything is still in place.\n\nComparing gutter guards\n\nThere are several kinds of guard on the market, and the best gutter leaf guard for one house is not the same as for another.\n\nRigid clip-on guards are made for one gutter profile and are neat when they fit. Brush guards sit inside the gutter and are quick to drop in. A roll of mesh like this one is the flexible option. It is cut to suit, it copes with odd lengths and awkward corners, and it is light to handle.\n\nIf your gutters are a standard size and easy to reach, any of the three will do the job. If your house has a mix of runs and corners, a cut to length mesh is the simpler thing to work with.\n\nThe short version\n\nGutters block because leaves and moss collect in them and wash into the downpipe. A mesh over the top keeps most of that out.\n\nThis roll is 18 cm wide and 8 metres long, in flexible plastic that cuts with ordinary scissors. Fixing hooks are included, though the maker quotes both 15 and 10. The colour, the hole size and the type of plastic are not stated by the maker.\n\nClean the gutter before you fit it, cut the lengths on the ground, and take ladder safety seriously or hire someone. Then check it twice a year and brush off what lands on top.",
      "llm_summary": "The Plastic Gutter Guard Mesh 8m is a roll of flexible plastic mesh sold by Drains Company for keeping leaves and debris out of roof gutters. The roll is 18 cm wide and 8 m long. The maker says it unrolls easily and can be cut to length with ordinary scissors. Fixing hooks are included, and the maker gives the number as 15 in one place and 10 in another, so the count is not confirmed. The maker states the mesh resists rust or corrode. The packed size is 19.8 x 13 x 12.6 cm and the packed weight is 400 g. The colour, the mesh hole size and the type of plastic are not stated by the maker. Fitting involves working at height, and a gutter guard reduces but does not remove the need to check and clean gutters.",
      "returnable": true,
      "return_policy": "14-day right to cancel from delivery under the Consumer Rights Act 2022, buyer pays return postage; the refund may be reduced if the item has been used beyond normal handling; Consumer Rights Act 2022 rights for faulty goods. Return postage on faulty goods is ours.",
      "shipping_profile": "standard",
      "warranty": null,
      "brand": "Drains Company",
      "gtin": null,
      "mpn": null,
      "condition": "new",
      "url": "https://drains.irish/plastic-gutter-guard-mesh-8m/",
      "canonical_url": "https://drains.irish/plastic-gutter-guard-mesh-8m/",
      "json_url": "https://drains.irish/api/products/plastic-gutter-guard-mesh-8m.json",
      "updated_at": "2026-10-12"
    },
    {
      "id": "wire-gutter-balloon-63-to-75mm-2-pack",
      "sku": "wire-gutter-balloon-63-to-75mm-2-pack",
      "title": "Wire Gutter Balloon for 63 to 75mm Downpipes, Pack of 2",
      "slug": "wire-gutter-balloon-63-to-75mm-2-pack",
      "price": 24.99,
      "currency": "EUR",
      "availability": "in_stock",
      "category": "gutter-and-downpipe-guards",
      "category_label": "Gutter & Downpipe Guards",
      "tags": [],
      "colors": [],
      "materials": [],
      "dimensions": null,
      "weight": null,
      "images": [
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      ],
      "description_short": "Two galvanised wire balloons sit in the top of a 63 to 75mm downpipe or hopper head and grip without tools or fixings, holding leaves, twigs and moss in the gutter where you can lift them out.",
      "description": "Where gutter trouble starts\n\nStand outside on a wet November evening and look up. If water is sheeting over the front of the gutter instead of running along it, there is a good chance the downpipe is blocked.\n\nIt happens the same way on most houses. Leaves, moss from the roof tiles and bits of twig land in the gutter through the autumn. The next heavy shower washes all of it towards the lowest point, which is the outlet. The outlet is also the narrowest point in the whole system. A wide gutter empties into a pipe only a few centimetres across.\n\nSome of that debris goes straight down and out. A lot of it does not. It lodges at the first bend, or at the shoe at the bottom, or in the gully underneath, and each new leaf packs in behind it. A blocked downpipe is awkward to clear, because the blockage sits where you cannot see it or get a hand to it. An overflowing gutter also sends water down the wall, and a wall that stays wet is where damp begins.\n\nThe fix is to stop the debris before it goes over the edge. That is the whole job of a gutter balloon.\n\nWhat a gutter balloon is\n\nIt is a balloon shaped guard made of wire that sits in the gutter outlet, at the top of the downpipe. Water runs through the gaps in the wire and down the pipe as normal. Leaves and twigs are too big to follow, so they stay in the gutter.\n\nThis pack contains two. The maker states they are made from galvanised wire and lists the colour as grey. The maker gives the dimensions as 15 x 8 x 8cm and the weight as 110g, though it does not say whether those figures are for one guard or for the pair.\n\nThere are no moving parts and nothing to assemble. It is about as simple as a piece of rainwater kit can be.\n\nHow it fits\n\nAccording to the maker, you insert the balloon into the top of the downpipe or hopper head, and it expands to grip the pipe. No tools, fixings or special skills are needed.\n\nIn practice that means pressing it down into the outlet by hand until it holds. The wire springs against the inside of the pipe and keeps the guard in place. With this type of guard, the top of the balloon sits up in the gutter above the outlet, and that is the part that does the filtering.\n\nBefore you fit one, clear the gutter around the outlet. If you push a guard into a pile of old leaves, it cannot seat properly, and you start with a problem already in place. Run a little water through the downpipe to make sure it is clear too. A guard only prevents new blockages. It does nothing for one that is already there.\n\nGetting the size right\n\nThe maker states that these balloons fit downpipes from 63 to 75mm. It lists both round and square pipes, and asks buyers to check their sizing before ordering.\n\nThat range covers the downpipes found on a great many houses. A 68mm round downpipe, one of the most common sizes on homes here, sits inside it. Many square downpipes are close to 65mm across, which is also in range.\n\nTo be sure, measure. The figure you want is the width of the opening where the gutter outlet drops into the downpipe. If you cannot safely reach the gutter, measure the outside of the downpipe lower down as a guide. Larger pipes of 100mm and more are outside the range and need a larger guard.\n\nHow many you need\n\nOne balloon goes in each gutter outlet, so count your downpipes. A typical semi-detached or terraced house has one at the front and one at the back, which is what a pack of two covers. A detached house or a bungalow with a long roof often has four or more. Extensions, porches and garages usually have their own short gutter and their own outlet as well.\n\nIt is worth walking round the house and counting before you order. Note the size of each pipe while you are at it. Houses that have been extended over the years sometimes end up with two different downpipe sizes, and the guards only suit outlets within the 63 to 75mm range.\n\nIf you only want to protect some of the outlets, start with the ones under or near trees. Those are the ones that collect the most leaves and block first.\n\nWhat a guard will and will not do\n\nIt is worth being straight about this. A gutter balloon does not keep your gutters clean. It keeps your downpipes clear, which is a different thing.\n\nThe leaves still land in the gutter. With a guard fitted, they stay there, gathered around the balloon, where you can lift them out by hand. Without one, they vanish down the pipe and turn up later as a blockage somewhere much harder to reach. That is a real improvement, but it is not a reason to stop looking at the gutters.\n\nIf debris is left to build up around the balloon, it will eventually form a mat that slows the water. Then the gutter overflows for a new reason. Checking in autumn and again in spring keeps that from happening, and houses under trees will need a look more often during leaf fall.\n\nFine material is another limit. Grit from roof tiles and small seeds can pass through any open wire guard. The size of the gaps is not stated by the maker.\n\nHopper heads\n\nA hopper head is the open box you see at the top of some downpipes, often where a pipe from an upstairs bathroom or a second gutter joins. They are open to the sky and collect leaves readily.\n\nThe maker says the balloon can be inserted into a hopper head as well as a downpipe. The thing to check is the outlet at the bottom of the hopper. If that opening is between 63 and 75mm, the balloon is in range.\n\nWorking at height\n\nThe fitting is easy. Getting to it safely is the part that needs thought.\n\nUse a ladder in good condition, set on firm and level ground, at a sensible angle. Have someone stand at the bottom. Do not lean out sideways to reach an outlet. Climb down and move the ladder instead. Do not rest a ladder against the gutter itself, because plastic guttering is not made to carry that load.\n\nPick a dry, calm day. Wear gloves. If the gutter is above a conservatory, over a steep drop or more than one storey up and you are not used to ladders, hire a gutter cleaning contractor. They can clear the run and fit the guards in the same visit.\n\nNot a ground drain cover\n\nOne point of confusion comes up now and then. A gutter balloon is for the outlet at roof level. It is not a cover for a gully or drain in the ground.\n\nThe maker states no load rating for foot or vehicle traffic. Treat it as a leaf guard and nothing more.\n\nOn the subject of the ground, it is worth a look at the gully where each downpipe ends. Leaves gather there as well. A gully on your own property can usually be cleared by hand. If water is backing up from a road drain or a public sewer, contact your local authority or Uisce Éireann. Altering rainwater pipework or underground drains is work for a qualified person, and the Irish Building Regulations apply to drainage work.\n\nLooking after the guards\n\nThere is very little to do. When you check the gutters, lift each balloon out, shake off what is caught in it, and rinse the wire. Push it back into the outlet and make sure it grips.\n\nGalvanised wire is zinc coated for outdoor use. The maker gives no figure for how long it will last, and we will not invent one. If a guard has been bent out of shape and no longer holds in the pipe, or the wire is badly corroded, replace it.\n\nThe short version\n\nThis is a pack of two galvanised wire gutter balloons in grey. The maker states they fit round and square downpipes from 63 to 75mm, and that they push into the top of a downpipe or hopper head by hand and expand to grip. No tools or fixings are needed.\n\nThey hold leaves, twigs and moss in the gutter and out of the pipe. You still need to clear the gutter in autumn and spring. Measure your downpipe before ordering, take care on the ladder, and do not use them as covers for drains in the ground.",
      "llm_summary": "This is a pack of two wire gutter balloons, also called downpipe leaf guards. The maker states they are made from galvanised wire, are grey in colour, and fit round and square downpipes from 63 to 75 mm. Each guard is inserted by hand into the top of a downpipe or hopper head, where it expands to grip the pipe. No tools or fixings are needed. The guard lets rainwater through while holding back leaves, twigs and moss. The maker gives dimensions of 15 x 8 x 8 cm and a weight of 110 g. Whether those figures are per guard or for the pack is not stated by the maker. No load rating is stated by the maker, and the product is a leaf guard, not a load-bearing cover. Country of origin is not stated by the maker.",
      "returnable": true,
      "return_policy": "14-day right to cancel from delivery under the Consumer Rights Act 2022, buyer pays return postage; the refund may be reduced if the item has been used beyond normal handling; Consumer Rights Act 2022 rights for faulty goods. Return postage on faulty goods is ours.",
      "shipping_profile": "standard",
      "warranty": null,
      "brand": "Drains Company",
      "gtin": null,
      "mpn": null,
      "condition": "new",
      "url": "https://drains.irish/wire-gutter-balloon-63-to-75mm-2-pack/",
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      "updated_at": "2026-10-12"
    },
    {
      "id": "kitchen-sink-strainer-and-plug-78mm-2-pack",
      "sku": "kitchen-sink-strainer-and-plug-78mm-2-pack",
      "title": "78mm Stainless Steel Kitchen Sink Strainer and Plug, 2 Pack",
      "slug": "kitchen-sink-strainer-and-plug-78mm-2-pack",
      "price": 31.99,
      "currency": "EUR",
      "availability": "in_stock",
      "category": "kitchen-sink-strainers",
      "category_label": "Kitchen Sink Strainers",
      "tags": [],
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      "images": [
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      ],
      "description_short": "Two polished stainless steel strainers sized for 78mm sink holes, each with a press-down knob, 20 drainage holes and spare rubber seals, so both bowls of a double sink get a fresh fitting in one go.",
      "description": "The problem with a tired sink plug\n\nNobody shops for a sink plug out of excitement. You buy one because the old one has given up. Usually it goes in one of three ways. The rubber perishes and the water drains away while you are halfway through a stack of plates. The knob seizes up so you end up fishing it out with a fingernail every time. Or the basket cracks and food scraps start going down the pipe, which means a smelly trap and eventually a blockage.\n\nIt is a small part doing a surprising amount of work. A kitchen sink plug sits in hot water, cold water, grease, dish soap, lemon juice, tomato sauce and whatever else goes down the drain, many times a day, for years. Plastic fittings go cloudy and brittle. Thin metal pits around the rim. The rubber hardens and stops sealing.\n\nThe good news is that replacing it is one of the easiest fixes in a kitchen. You are not touching the pipework. You are swapping the piece that sits in the hole in the bowl, and it takes less time than making a cup of tea.\n\nHow this fitting works\n\nThis is a combined plug and strainer, which is the sensible design for a kitchen rather than a bathroom. The body is polished stainless steel, shaped like a shallow basket with twenty small holes in it. On top sits a knob.\n\nPress the knob down and the rubber seal underneath presses against the waste. The bowl fills and holds water, which is what you want for washing up, soaking a baking tray or rinsing vegetables. Lift the knob slightly and the seal releases. Water runs away through the holes in the basket while anything solid stays on top.\n\nThat second part matters more than people expect. Rice, tea leaves, coffee grounds, onion skins, bits of pasta: these are the things that build up in a trap and start to smell. Catching them in a basket you can tip into the bin takes about two seconds and saves you a very unpleasant job later. A good kitchen sink filter is cheap insurance against a plumber's call-out fee.\n\nThe whole thing lifts straight out when you want to clear it or clean it. There is no mechanism to go wrong, no pop-up linkage under the sink, and nothing that needs adjusting.\n\nWhy stainless steel\n\nWalk down any hardware aisle and you will find sink plugs in plastic, chrome-plated metal and stainless steel. They are not equivalent.\n\nPlastic is cheapest and it fails fastest. Hot water and dish soap make it cloudy, then brittle, and a cracked basket is useless. Chrome plating looks fine for a while, but once the plating lifts around the edge, the metal underneath starts to corrode and you get rust streaks in a clean sink.\n\nStainless steel does not have those problems. It handles the constant wet and the food acids without pitting, and a polished finish wipes clean with a sponge. The look is neutral enough to sit happily in a stainless bowl, a composite bowl or a ceramic butler sink. That is why a stainless steel sink plug is the standard choice for anyone replacing a fitting they do not want to think about again.\n\nWho this suits\n\nAnyone with a standard kitchen sink whose plug has stopped sealing. That is the simple answer.\n\nIt is particularly useful if you have a double bowl sink, because there are two fittings in the pack. Replacing both at once means they match and they wear at the same rate, so you are not back in six months swapping the other one. If you have a single bowl, you still get a spare, which is handy because the day a plug fails is rarely the day you have time to go shopping.\n\nIt also suits renters doing a bit of quiet improvement. The swap needs no tools and nothing permanent changes, so you can keep the original and put it back if you ever move out.\n\nRenovators and anyone fitting a new sink will find this useful too, though in that case check the specification of the new bowl rather than guessing. Not every sink uses the same opening.\n\nGetting the size right\n\nThis is the one thing worth slowing down for. Sink holes are not universal, and a plug that is a few millimetres out will either sit proud of the bowl or rattle around without sealing.\n\nThis fitting is made for a groove diameter of 78mm, which suits sink holes in roughly the 78 to 80mm range. That covers a great many standard kitchen sinks, but not every single one.\n\nTo check, take the old plug out and lay a ruler or tape measure across the widest part of the circular opening in the bowl. Measure the hole itself, not the rim of the old plug, because rims usually overhang the opening. If your number lands near 78mm, you are in the right place. If it comes out around 90mm, which is common on sinks fitted with a waste disposal unit, you need a different size.\n\nIf the measurement is awkward to take or you are not confident about it, send us the number you have and a photo of the sink, and we will tell you whether it matches. It takes a minute and saves a return.\n\nFitting it\n\nThere is no trick to it. Pull the old plug out of the hole. Give the opening a quick wipe, since grit and old soap residue sitting in the groove is a common reason a new seal does not hold. Check the rubber ring on the new strainer is seated evenly all the way round. Drop it into the hole.\n\nThat is it. Press the knob down, run some water, and check it holds. Lift the knob and check it drains. If there is any seeping, lift the strainer out and look for a hair or a crumb caught under the seal, which is usually the culprit.\n\nKeeping it working\n\nThe maintenance is nothing, but doing it makes a real difference to how long the fitting lasts.\n\nAfter washing up, lift the strainer and tip the scraps into the bin rather than pushing them through with your finger. Rinse the basket under warm water. Once a week or so, give it a wipe with a sponge and a little dish soap to clear grease from around the holes, then dry the steel so you do not get water marks on the polished surface.\n\nStay away from steel wool, scouring powder and bleach. Abrasives leave fine scratches that dull the shine and hold dirt, and strong chemicals harden rubber. Warm soapy water genuinely does the job.\n\nWhen the seal eventually goes, and it will before the steel does, that is what the spare rubber seals in the pack are for. Slide the old one off, clean the groove, fit the new one evenly and drop the strainer back in. You have effectively bought yourself another few years for no extra cost.\n\nThe short version\n\nA kitchen sink strainer and plug is a small part that quietly prevents two annoying problems: water that will not stay in the bowl, and food scraps that end up in your trap. This 2 pack gives you two polished stainless steel fittings sized for a 78mm sink hole, each working as both a plug and a filter, with spare seals included.\n\nMeasure your sink opening first. If it sits in the 78 to 80mm range, the swap takes under a minute and needs no tools. Rinse the basket after washing up, keep abrasives away from the steel, and change the seal when it hardens. Do that and you will not think about your sink plug again for a long while, which is exactly the point.",
      "llm_summary": "A two pack of stainless steel kitchen sink strainers and plugs from. Each unit has a polished finish and measures 7.8 by 7.8 centimetres, with a compatible groove diameter of 78 millimetres for standard kitchen sink holes. The design works as both a plug and a strainer. Pressing the knob down seals the waste so the bowl holds water, while lifting it slightly lets water drain through small holes in the basket that trap food scraps. The pack contains two units plus spare rubber seals. Colour is listed as silver and the style as modern. Weight, country of origin, overall packaged dimensions and warranty are not specified by the maker.",
      "returnable": true,
      "return_policy": "14-day right to cancel from delivery under the Consumer Rights Act 2022, buyer pays return postage; the refund may be reduced if the item has been used beyond normal handling; Consumer Rights Act 2022 rights for faulty goods. Return postage on faulty goods is ours.",
      "shipping_profile": "standard",
      "warranty": null,
      "brand": "Drains Company",
      "gtin": null,
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      "url": "https://drains.irish/kitchen-sink-strainer-and-plug-78mm-2-pack/",
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      "updated_at": "2026-10-12"
    },
    {
      "id": "kitchen-sink-strainer-plug-84mm",
      "sku": "kitchen-sink-strainer-plug-84mm",
      "title": "84mm Stainless Steel Kitchen Sink Strainer Plug",
      "slug": "kitchen-sink-strainer-plug-84mm",
      "price": 20.99,
      "currency": "EUR",
      "availability": "in_stock",
      "category": "kitchen-sink-strainers",
      "category_label": "Kitchen Sink Strainers",
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      ],
      "description_short": "A stainless steel basket with a rubber sealing ring and a push-knob centre shaft, so one fitting both holds a full sink of water and catches the bits that cause blockages.",
      "description": "The problem nobody notices until the water stops moving\n\nA kitchen drain almost never blocks overnight. It fills up slowly, over weeks, with the stuff that slips past a tired old plug. A spoonful of rice here, a handful of coffee grounds there, some peelings, a bit of fat that cools and sticks, a few strands of hair. Each one is harmless on its own. Together they form a soft, greasy mass in the trap that eventually slows the water to a crawl.\n\nBy then you are holding a plunger, or worse, paying someone to clear it. The irritating part is that the fix was a small one all along. A strainer basket sitting in the waste opening catches almost all of that material before it ever enters the pipe. You empty it into the bin, rinse it, and carry on.\n\nThe 84mm strainer plug is one of those fixes. It is a stainless steel basket with a rubber sealing ring and a push-knob centre shaft, so it seals the sink when you want to fill it and strains the water when you let it go. One part, two jobs, no swapping.\n\nHow a combined plug and strainer works\n\nOlder kitchen sinks often had two separate items. A rubber or metal plug on a chain to hold the water, and a loose mesh basket you dropped in afterwards to catch scraps. The basket got in the way, went missing, or sat in a cupboard unused.\n\nA combined unit solves that by building the seal into the strainer body. Push the centre knob down and the rubber seal presses against the sink rim, closing the waste. The bowl fills and stays filled. Lift the knob slightly and you create a gap for water to escape, while the perforated steel basket stays seated in the opening. Water drains, solids stay behind.\n\nThat small design change is why these get used. The strainer is never in the way, because it is the plug. There is nothing extra to find, fit or remember.\n\nOn this model the key figures are an 84mm outside diameter, a 55mm rubber seal and 30mm from the bearing to the rim. The listed item dimensions are 8.4cm wide by 7.8cm high. Those four numbers are what you compare when you are working out whether it will suit your sink.\n\nFit is the whole story\n\nHere is the honest part, and it is the thing most product pages skip over. A strainer plug either fits your waste opening or it does not, and the brand name has nothing to do with it.\n\nThis one is designed for openings between 84mm and 86.3mm. That is a narrow band, and it covers a lot of common kitchen sinks, but not all of them. If your opening measures 90mm, this is the wrong part, no matter how well made it is.\n\nEven matching the diameter is not quite enough. Sinks differ in seating depth, which is how far down the plug sits before it meets the rim. They differ in rim shape and in the design of the waste fitting underneath. A plug can have the right outer diameter and still fail to seal because it sits too high or too low.\n\nSo before you order, do this. Pull out your existing plug. Measure straight across the widest point of the circular opening in the sink, in millimetres. Then look at the old plug itself and note the diameter of its rubber seal, the length of its centre shaft and how deep the body sits. Compare all four with the numbers listed above. If they line up, you are in good shape. If something is clearly off, keep looking rather than hoping.\n\nTwo minutes with a ruler saves a return.\n\nWho this suits\n\nAnyone with a compatible kitchen sink and a habit of rinsing plates straight into the drain. That covers most households.\n\nIt is particularly worth having if you cook with rice, pasta, lentils or anything else that sheds small grains. Those are the classic blockage builders, because they swell and clump. The same goes for tea leaves and coffee grounds, which look harmless going down and then settle in the trap.\n\nIt also helps in homes where the kitchen sink does more than dishes. Washing a pet's bowl, rinsing muddy vegetables, cleaning a paintbrush, soaking something grubby from the garden. Hair, grit and leaves all end up in there, and a basket catches them easily.\n\nRenters often find a replacement plug is the cheapest kitchen upgrade going. Worn plugs that no longer seal are extremely common in rentals, and swapping one out costs far less than living with a sink that will not hold water. Just measure first, and keep the original so you can put it back when you move.\n\nChoosing between the options\n\nWalk into a hardware shop and you will see a few styles sitting side by side. Here is how they actually differ.\n\nA plain rubber plug on a chain seals well and costs almost nothing, but it catches nothing. Every scrap goes down with the water.\n\nA loose mesh basket catches scraps nicely but does not hold water, so you still need a plug. Two items to store and two to lose.\n\nA basket strainer with a lift-and-turn or push-knob mechanism, like this one, does both. It costs a bit more and it has to match your waste opening, which the loose basket does not. In return you get a fitting that stays in place and works without thinking.\n\nMaterial matters too. Plastic strainers are cheap and they do work, but they stain, they can warp near hot water and the fine edges get brittle. Stainless steel handles heat, resists corrosion and cleans back to looking new. For a part that is wet every single day, steel earns its keep.\n\nThe last thing to weigh up is how easy it is to clean, which sounds minor and is not. A strainer that is awkward to empty quietly stops getting emptied.\n\nLooking after it\n\nThe routine is short. After washing up, lift the basket out, tip the food waste into the bin or the compost caddy, then rinse the basket under warm water. A squeeze of dish soap and a soft brush clears anything stuck in the perforations.\n\nEvery so often, give it a deeper clean. The centre shaft unscrews, so the parts come apart and you can get at the rubber seal and the underside of the basket, where a film tends to build up. Wash, rinse, dry and screw it back together. Check the knob still moves freely before you refit it.\n\nA few things to avoid. Do not leave bleach or strong drain chemicals sitting on the rubber seal, because that is what shortens a seal's life. Skip abrasive scouring pads on the steel, since they leave fine scratches that hold grime. Drying the steel after washing keeps water spots away, which is cosmetic but takes two seconds.\n\nIf the sink starts holding water less well over time, look at the seal and the sink rim before you assume the plug has failed. Nine times out of ten there is a crumb or a smear of grease stopping the rubber from sitting flat.\n\nThe short version\n\nA kitchen sink strainer plug stops food waste getting into your pipes, which is the single cheapest way to avoid a blocked drain. This model combines a stainless steel basket with a rubber seal and a push knob, so one fitting holds water and strains it.\n\nIt fits sink waste openings between 84mm and 86.3mm, with an 84mm outside diameter, a 55mm seal and 30mm from bearing to rim. Measure your opening before you order, and compare the seating depth with your current plug as well as the diameter.\n\nClean it after each use and take it apart now and then. Do that, and it quietly does its job for years.",
      "llm_summary": "The kitchen sink strainer plug (model 1011) is a stainless steel basket strainer and water stopper in one. It has an 84mm outside diameter, a 55mm rubber sealing ring and a 30mm bearing-to-rim measurement, and is designed for kitchen sink waste openings measuring 84mm to 86.3mm. Listed item dimensions are 8.4cm wide by 7.8cm high. Pressing the centre knob down seals the waste so the sink holds water; raising it slightly lets water drain while the perforated basket catches food scraps, hair and other debris. The basket lifts out for emptying and the centre shaft unscrews so parts separate for cleaning. Weight, country of origin and warranty are not specified by the maker.",
      "returnable": true,
      "return_policy": "14-day right to cancel from delivery under the Consumer Rights Act 2022, buyer pays return postage; the refund may be reduced if the item has been used beyond normal handling; Consumer Rights Act 2022 rights for faulty goods. Return postage on faulty goods is ours.",
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    {
      "id": "mesh-sink-strainer-75mm-2-pack",
      "sku": "mesh-sink-strainer-75mm-2-pack",
      "title": "Mesh Sink Strainer 75mm, 2 Pack",
      "slug": "mesh-sink-strainer-75mm-2-pack",
      "price": 10.99,
      "currency": "EUR",
      "availability": "in_stock",
      "category": "kitchen-sink-strainers",
      "category_label": "Kitchen Sink Strainers",
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      "description_short": "A two pack of polished stainless steel strainers with fine, high density perforations and smooth rounded edges, sized at 75mm across to sit in most standard plugholes.",
      "description": "The problem nobody notices until it is too late\n\nA kitchen drain almost never blocks in one dramatic moment. It happens slowly. A few grains of rice today, a spoonful of coffee grounds tomorrow, a bit of onion skin after Sunday lunch. All of it slips past the plughole and settles somewhere in the trap, where it combines with grease and turns into a soft plug that water struggles to get through.\n\nBy the time you notice, the sink is draining slowly, there is a faint smell when you run hot water, and you are standing in a hardware shop looking at drain cleaner. That bottle costs more than a strainer, it is unpleasant to use, and it does nothing to stop the same thing happening again in six months.\n\nA mesh sink strainer solves the problem at the top of the pipe instead of the middle. It is a flat perforated screen that sits in the plughole. Water goes through, solids stay on top, and you tip them into the bin. That is the entire mechanism. It is not clever, but it works better than almost anything you can pour down the drain afterwards.\n\nHow a fine mesh screen differs from a basic drain cover\n\nMost sinks already come with some kind of grid built into the waste fitting. The holes are usually big, maybe 8 or 10mm across. They stop a teaspoon from vanishing and they stop large peelings, and that is roughly the limit of their usefulness.\n\nThe things that actually block pipes are small. Rice swells. Coffee grounds are dense and settle. Tea leaves clump. Pasta breaks into short pieces. Oats turn to paste. Every one of those passes straight through a wide grid.\n\nThis strainer uses a high density pattern of much smaller perforations. The individual holes are tight enough to hold those fine solids back, but there are a lot of them, so the total open area still lets water drain at a normal speed. That trade off is the whole design question with any sink drain filter. Too coarse and it catches nothing useful. Too fine and the sink backs up every time you empty a bowl of pasta water.\n\nIn practice you will notice the mesh filling faster than you expected during a big wash up. That is not a fault. It is the strainer doing exactly what it is there for. Lift, tip, rinse, carry on.\n\nSize is the only thing that really goes wrong\n\nIf a mesh strainer disappoints someone, it is nearly always because it did not fit. Everything else about these products is fairly predictable. Fit is not, because sink waste openings are not standardised in any helpful way across countries, ages of fitting and manufacturers.\n\nThis one has an outer diameter of 75mm, which is 2.95 inches, and an inner diameter of 45mm, which is 1.77 inches. The listed item dimensions are 7.7 by 7.7 centimetres and the item depth is 2mm, so it is a shallow flat screen rather than a deep basket.\n\nBefore you order, do this. Take a tape measure or a ruler and measure straight across the widest part of your drain opening, from one inside edge to the other. If that measurement is somewhere under 75mm, the strainer will rest on the rim and cover the hole, which is what you want. If your opening is 80mm or more, the strainer will simply fall through and you need a larger size.\n\nIt takes thirty seconds and it saves a return. Worth doing even if you are fairly confident, because kitchen sink openings and bathroom basin openings in the same house are often different sizes.\n\nWhy stainless steel over plastic\n\nYou can buy plastic strainers for very little money, and they do the same job on day one. The difference shows up later.\n\nPlastic goes brittle where hot water hits it repeatedly. It stains from tea, turmeric and tomato. It flexes out of shape so the rim no longer sits flat, which lets scraps slide past the edge. And it starts to look tired in a way that is hard to clean off.\n\nPolished stainless steel does not have those problems. It handles boiling water from a drained pan without complaint, it does not take on colour from food, and it keeps its shape. The silver finish also sits more comfortably beside chrome taps and steel sinks than a beige plastic disc does.\n\nThe edges on this one are rounded rather than cut sharp, which matters more than it sounds. You are lifting this thing out with wet, soapy fingers several times a day. A raw pressed metal edge is unpleasant to handle and can mark the sink base when you set it down.\n\nWho gets the most out of it\n\nAnyone who cooks from scratch benefits straight away, because scratch cooking generates peelings, trimmings and rinse water full of bits. Rice and pasta households in particular, since those are classic pipe cloggers.\n\nIt also suits renters. You cannot change the plumbing in a rented flat and you do not want to be the tenant who causes a blockage, so a strainer that costs a few pounds and leaves no trace is an easy win. It lifts straight out when you move.\n\nHouseholds with older plumbing should consider it almost essential. Narrow or partly scaled pipes have less tolerance for food waste than modern plastic runs, and a good food waste catcher at the top makes a real difference to how often you need a plunger.\n\nFinally, there is the bathroom use. Hair is the single biggest cause of slow bathroom drains, and a fine screen catches it before it wraps around whatever is inside the trap. Fitting one of the pair as a bathtub drain strainer is a sensible use for the spare.\n\nLiving with it day to day\n\nThe routine is short. When you finish washing up, lift the strainer by the rim, knock the scraps into the bin or the compost caddy, and rinse it under the tap. Put it back. That is it.\n\nOnce or twice a week, give it a proper wash with warm soapy water and a soft brush to clear anything lodged in the perforations. An old toothbrush is ideal because the bristles reach into the holes. It can also go into the dishwasher cutlery basket if you prefer, though rinsing it first stops you redistributing food debris around the machine.\n\nTwo things to avoid. Do not use steel wool or scouring powder, because they scratch the polish and leave the surface duller and harder to clean next time. And do not leave it sitting full of wet scraps overnight, because that is how you end up with a smell you then blame on the drain.\n\nOne more habit worth building. Wipe greasy pans with kitchen paper before they go near the sink. Fat and oil go through any mesh as a liquid, then cool and set inside the pipe. No strainer can stop that, so it has to be handled at the pan.\n\nThe short version\n\nA mesh sink strainer is one of the few cheap household items that genuinely prevents a bigger problem. It catches the small, dense food waste that ordinary drain grids let through, and it keeps that material out of your trap entirely.\n\nThis pack gives you two polished stainless steel screens, 75mm across the outer rim with a 45mm inner diameter and a shallow 2mm depth. Steel means no staining, warping or brittleness over time, and the rounded edges make them pleasant to handle wet.\n\nMeasure your drain opening before you order. If it sits comfortably under 75mm, you are set. Keep one in the kitchen, put the other in the bath or hold it as a spare, empty them regularly, and your pipes should stay a lot happier than they otherwise would.",
      "llm_summary": "This is a two pack of mesh sink strainers in polished stainless steel. Each strainer is 75mm (2.95 in) in outer diameter with a 45mm (1.77 in) inner diameter and an item depth of 2mm, listed with item dimensions of 7.7 by 7.7 centimetres. The colour is silver and the stated style is modern. The fine, high density perforated mesh is designed to trap food scraps, hair and other debris at the plughole so they do not pass into the drain, and the edges are rounded. It suits kitchen sinks, bathtubs and shower drains where the opening matches the size. Product weight, country of origin and packaged dimensions are not specified by the maker.",
      "returnable": true,
      "return_policy": "14-day right to cancel from delivery under the Consumer Rights Act 2022, buyer pays return postage; the refund may be reduced if the item has been used beyond normal handling; Consumer Rights Act 2022 rights for faulty goods. Return postage on faulty goods is ours.",
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    {
      "id": "pop-up-sink-strainer-plug-83mm",
      "sku": "pop-up-sink-strainer-plug-83mm",
      "title": "Pop Up Sink Strainer Plug 83mm",
      "slug": "pop-up-sink-strainer-plug-83mm",
      "price": 13.99,
      "currency": "EUR",
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      "category_label": "Kitchen Sink Strainers",
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      "description_short": "Stainless steel with a silicone seal and a chrome-plated brass shaft, it lifts to strain and presses down to plug, fitting any kitchen or bathroom sink with an 80mm outlet.",
      "description": "The slow drain nobody notices until it stops\n\nA kitchen drain rarely blocks overnight. It blocks slowly, over months, while you tip a pan of pasta water into the sink and watch a few strands disappear. Rice, coffee grounds, onion skins, bits of egg shell. Each one is harmless on its own. Together they form a sticky mat in the trap, grease binds it, and one evening the water sits in the bowl and refuses to move.\n\nThe fix is not a bottle of chemicals. It is a piece of mesh sitting in the hole, catching the solids before they ever reach the pipe. That is the entire job of a sink strainer, and it is why a fitting that costs less than a takeaway can save you a plumber's call-out.\n\nThis particular fitting does a second job too. It is a pop up sink strainer plug 83mm, which means the same cap that strains your water also seals it. Lift it and water drains. Press it down and the silicone gasket closes the outlet so the bowl holds water. One fitting, two positions, no chain.\n\nHow a pop up strainer plug works\n\nInside the cap is a chrome-plated brass shaft with a ball bearing and a rubber seal. The shaft locates in the centre of your sink outlet and the cap rides up and down on it.\n\nIn the upper position there is a gap between the gasket and the outlet rim. Water flows around the edge and down the pipe, while the mesh and the basket hold on to anything solid. That is your everyday setting for rinsing, draining and general washing up.\n\nPush the cap down and the gasket meets the rim. The seal closes, the water stays. You can fill the bowl to soak a roasting tin or wash a load of glasses in hot soapy water. When you are done, lift the cap and it drains.\n\nWhat makes this better than a loose rubber plug is that nothing lives outside the sink. There is no stopper on the windowsill collecting limescale and no chain clanking against the steel. It is a small ergonomic improvement that you notice every single day.\n\nGetting the size right\n\nThis is where most sink plug purchases go wrong, so it is worth slowing down.\n\nThis unit has a compatible groove diameter of 83mm and is designed for kitchen and bathroom sinks with an 80mm outlet. The item itself measures 8.3cm wide by 4.7cm high, with a depth of 10mm.\n\nTo check yours, pull out whatever is currently in the sink and measure straight across the top of the waste opening, rim to rim, with a tape measure or a ruler. If you land close to 80mm, you are in the right territory. A lot of stainless steel and composite kitchen sinks use this size, which is why it is often sold as a sink strainer for 80mm outlets.\n\nIf you measure 90mm, this will not seal. If you measure something much smaller, you are probably looking at a bathroom basin waste, which usually takes a different fitting entirely. Measure first. It takes thirty seconds and saves a return.\n\nOne more check: look down into the outlet and make sure the housing is a standard open waste rather than a disposal unit. Disposal units have their own matching splash guards and will not take a drop-in strainer plug.\n\nWhy the materials matter more than the price\n\nA sink is a harsh little environment. Hot water, cold water, detergent, bleach, degreaser, acid from lemons and tomatoes, plus daily knocks from pans and cutlery.\n\nCheap plastic stoppers do not love that. The plastic goes cloudy, the seal hardens, and after a year it no longer holds water properly. Then you buy another one.\n\nThis strainer uses stainless steel for the body and basket, silicone for the gasket, and chrome-plated brass for the central shaft. The maker states those materials resist chemical products like detergents and bleach. Stainless steel does not stain from tea or tomato sauce the way plastic does. Silicone stays flexible far longer than cheap rubber, which is what keeps the seal working. Brass is the traditional choice for a moving shaft because it does not corrode and seize the way a mild steel pin would.\n\nThe practical result is a stainless steel kitchen sink waste plug that still seals properly in two years, which is the only measure of value that counts for a part like this.\n\nWho it suits\n\nAnyone who cooks. If you prep vegetables, drain pasta or rinse rice at the sink, a removable drain basket pays for itself the first time it stops a blockage.\n\nRenters, too. It is a drop-in fitting with no plumbing work, so you can install it the day you move in and take it with you when you leave. Nothing is drilled, glued or altered.\n\nHouseholds with older pipework benefit the most. Old cast iron or heavily scaled pipes have less room to spare, so keeping solids out of them matters more. The same goes for anyone on a septic system, where food waste is a genuine nuisance rather than just a plumbing risk.\n\nIt is also quietly useful in a bathroom basin with an 80mm waste, where the thing you are catching is hair rather than food. Hair is the single most common basin blockage and a mesh cap stops almost all of it.\n\nLiving with it, and keeping it working\n\nThe maintenance routine is simple and it is the whole secret.\n\nAfter any cooking that produces scraps, lift the cap out and tip the contents into the bin. Do not push them down the drain, since that defeats the point. A couple of times a week, wash the whole unit in warm soapy water. If the mesh holes look greasy, a soft washing-up brush clears them in seconds.\n\nAvoid steel wool and gritty cream cleaners on the chrome-plated shaft. They will dull the finish over time without improving anything. Wipe the silicone seal clean when you wash it, since a smear of grease or a grain of grit under the gasket is the usual reason a plug suddenly stops holding water.\n\nWhile the strainer is out, give the outlet rim a wipe as well. The seal needs a clean surface to press against, and that rim collects film faster than you would expect.\n\nIf you ever notice the cap sticking in one position, it is almost always debris around the shaft. Rinse it under the hot tap and work the cap up and down a few times.\n\nWhat arrives\n\nOne strainer plug, supplied bulk. That means it ships in a protective envelope and bag rather than a retail display box. The product is new. If you are buying it as a gift, be aware there is no presentation packaging, so wrap it yourself or pair it with something else for the kitchen.\n\nFinish is silver, described as chrome-plated and stainless steel, in a plain modern style that disappears into a stainless sink.\n\nWeight and country of origin are not specified by the maker, so we will not guess at them here.\n\nThe short version\n\nIf your sink has an 80mm outlet, this gives you a strainer and a plug in one fitting that you can lift out and rinse in seconds. The steel, silicone and brass combination handles bleach, detergent and hot water without going soft, and the push down action means no chain and no stray stopper to lose.\n\nMeasure your waste opening before you order. That one check is the difference between a part that drops straight in and a part that goes back in the post. Everything else about this fitting is straightforward.",
      "llm_summary": "The pop up sink strainer plug 83mm is a combined strainer and waste stopper for kitchen and bathroom sinks with an 80mm outlet. It has a compatible groove diameter of 83mm, measures 8.3cm wide by 4.7cm high, and has an item depth of 10mm. Construction is stainless steel with a silicone gasket and a chrome-plated brass shaft, finished in silver. In the raised position the mesh cap lets water drain while catching solid waste. Pressed down, the seal holds water in the basin. The cap is removable for cleaning in warm soapy water. One unit per pack, supplied without retail packaging. Weight and country of origin are not specified by the maker.",
      "returnable": true,
      "return_policy": "14-day right to cancel from delivery under the Consumer Rights Act 2022, buyer pays return postage; the refund may be reduced if the item has been used beyond normal handling; Consumer Rights Act 2022 rights for faulty goods. Return postage on faulty goods is ours.",
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    {
      "id": "stainless-sink-waste-strainer-78mm-2-pack",
      "sku": "stainless-sink-waste-strainer-78mm-2-pack",
      "title": "Stainless Steel Sink Waste Strainer 78mm, 2 Pack",
      "slug": "stainless-sink-waste-strainer-78mm-2-pack",
      "price": 11.99,
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      ],
      "description_short": "Two stainless steel strainer plugs with 18 drain holes, a 78mm fitting and a lift-out basket that rinses clean in seconds.",
      "description": "The small part that saves you a very bad evening\n\nNobody thinks about their sink waste until the water stops going down. Then it is suddenly all you can think about. You are standing in the kitchen at nine at night with a plunger, a bucket, and a slowly rising pool of grey water with bits of dinner floating in it.\n\nThe irritating part is how avoidable most of it is. Household blockages rarely start with something dramatic. They start with rice. Then coffee grounds. Then the scrapings off three plates that nobody could be bothered to bin properly. Each one is tiny. Together, over months, they build a soft plug in the trap that water eventually cannot get past.\n\nA sink strainer is the cheapest piece of plumbing insurance you can buy. It is a metal basket that sits in the plughole and separates liquid from solid. Water goes down. Everything else stays where you can see it, and you tip it in the bin. That is the whole idea, and it works.\n\nHow this one actually works\n\nThis is a drop-in strainer for a 78mm plughole. It is a single piece of stainless steel with a basket that sits 45mm deep in the waste and a rim that rests in the groove at the top. There is nothing to screw in, no seal to fit, and no tools involved. You lift out the old plug, give the seat a wipe, and put this one in.\n\nThe base has 18 holes punched through it. That number matters more than you would think. Too few holes and the sink drains at a crawl, which drives people mad and makes them take the strainer out. Too many, or holes that are too fine, and you get a mesh that clogs with grease every other day. Eighteen openings is the sensible middle, fast enough that a full bowl clears properly, tight enough that peelings and tea leaves do not slip through.\n\nThe second job it does is act as a plug. Seat it square in the groove and it holds water in the bowl. That is useful more often than you expect. Soaking a roasting tin, washing wine glasses in warm water rather than under a running tap, rinsing vegetables in a filled sink. One piece, two functions, and nothing extra to lose in the back of a cupboard.\n\nBecause it is stainless steel, it copes with the environment it lives in. A sink waste is wet all day, gets hit with hot water, cold water, washing-up liquid and the occasional saucepan. Steel handles all of that. Plastic strainers go cloudy, crack at the rim and eventually snap. Steel just keeps going.\n\nWho this suits\n\nIf your kitchen sink has a 78mm waste and currently has nothing in it, or has a tired strainer that has seen better days, this is a straight upgrade. That covers a very large number of standard kitchen sinks across most homes.\n\nIt suits households that cook properly, which is to say households that generate scraps. If you are chopping vegetables, draining pasta, rinsing rice or clearing plates into the sink, you are the person this is for. Households that mostly reheat things and eat off one plate will still benefit, just less dramatically.\n\nIt is also a good fit for utility rooms, laundry sinks and workshop basins, where grit, lint and odd debris head straight for the drain. A laundry sink plug that also strains is quietly useful, and having a spare in the pack means you can cover two rooms at once.\n\nWho it does not suit is simple. If your plughole is 90mm or any other size, this will not work, no matter how good it is. Size is the whole game with sink wastes.\n\nGetting the size right the first time\n\nThis is the only part that trips people up, so it is worth being careful.\n\nTake out whatever is in your plughole now. Lay a tape measure or ruler across the opening, edge to edge, at the widest point. You are measuring the seat the strainer sits in, not the pipe below. Write the number down. If it comes out at or very near 78mm, you are good.\n\nCommon sizes are 78mm and 90mm, and the difference is obvious once you have measured. If you are between sizes, measure again at a different angle, because older sinks can wear slightly oval. Do not guess from a photo. A strainer that is a few millimetres too small will sit loose and let scraps past the edge, and one that is too large simply will not seat.\n\nIf you are replacing an existing strainer, the easiest check is to measure the old one across its rim. That tells you what your sink was built for.\n\nLiving with it day to day\n\nUse is straightforward. Leave it in the plughole and let it do its work. When you have finished the washing-up, lift it out by the rim, tip the contents into the bin, and give it a rinse under the tap.\n\nThat habit is the difference between a strainer that helps and one that annoys you. Scraps left sitting in a warm damp basket overnight will smell, and that smell will get blamed on the sink. Thirty seconds after each wash-up and the problem never starts.\n\nFor cleaning, warm water and washing-up liquid on a sponge handles almost everything. Grease builds up slowly around the holes, and a soft brush clears it. If you live in a hard water area you will see limescale film forming on the steel after a few weeks. A soak in warm soapy water loosens it, then a gentle scrub brings the finish back.\n\nWhat to avoid is steel wool, scouring powder and long soaks in bleach. Abrasives scratch the surface, and those scratches hold dirt. Bleach left sitting on steel can pit it. Neither is necessary when soap and warm water work fine.\n\nThe manufacturer describes it as hand washable, so stick with hand washing rather than putting it through a dishwasher cycle.\n\nWhat a strainer can and cannot fix\n\nBe realistic about what you are buying. A strainer stops solids. It is very good at that.\n\nIt does nothing about fat and oil, because those go down as liquid and set hard somewhere cooler in your pipework. That is a separate habit to build. Pour cooled fat into a jar or an old tin and put it in the bin. Wipe greasy pans with kitchen roll before they go near the sink.\n\nIt also does not fix a drain that is already partly blocked. If your sink is draining slowly today, clear that first with hot water and a plunger, or a proper drain cleaner if needed. Then fit the strainer and keep it clear from there on.\n\nThink of it as prevention, not a cure. Fitted and emptied regularly, it stops the problem forming in the first place, which is the only version of drain maintenance anybody actually enjoys.\n\nWhy two in a pack is the right call\n\nA single strainer would be cheaper, but it would also be slightly frustrating. Double-bowl sinks need two. Lots of homes want one in the kitchen and one in the utility room. And small metal objects that live by a sink have a habit of going missing, usually into a bin bag with the potato peelings.\n\nHaving the second one in a drawer means a lost strainer costs you nothing more than the walk to the kitchen. For a part that protects your plumbing, that is sensible redundancy rather than upselling.\n\nThe short version\n\nIf your kitchen sink has a 78mm waste, this two pack is an easy fix for a problem you probably have and have not dealt with yet. Stainless steel so it lasts, 18 holes so it drains fast, a 45mm basket so it holds a proper amount, and it doubles as a plug so you can fill the sink when you want to.\n\nMeasure your plughole first. Everything else about this is simple.",
      "llm_summary": "The stainless steel sink waste strainer is sold as a two pack (model M34351-2) and fits kitchen plugholes with a 78mm groove diameter. Each strainer is made of stainless steel with a silver finish and a modern style, measures 7.9cm wide by 4.1cm high with an item depth of 45mm, and weighs 40 grams. The base has 18 drain holes so water passes through quickly while food scraps are caught in the basket. It also functions as a plug to hold water in the sink. The unit lifts out for rinsing by hand and is reusable, and can be used in kitchen sinks, washbasins and workshop or utility sinks. Colour, material and country of origin are not separately specified by the maker beyond the stainless steel description.",
      "returnable": true,
      "return_policy": "14-day right to cancel from delivery under the Consumer Rights Act 2022, buyer pays return postage; the refund may be reduced if the item has been used beyond normal handling; Consumer Rights Act 2022 rights for faulty goods. Return postage on faulty goods is ours.",
      "shipping_profile": "standard",
      "warranty": null,
      "brand": "Drains Company",
      "gtin": null,
      "mpn": null,
      "condition": "new",
      "url": "https://drains.irish/stainless-sink-waste-strainer-78mm-2-pack/",
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      "updated_at": "2026-10-12"
    },
    {
      "id": "three-in-one-kitchen-sink-plug",
      "sku": "three-in-one-kitchen-sink-plug",
      "title": "Three in One Kitchen Sink Plug with Stainless Steel Strainer Basket",
      "slug": "three-in-one-kitchen-sink-plug",
      "price": 37.99,
      "currency": "EUR",
      "availability": "in_stock",
      "category": "kitchen-sink-strainers",
      "category_label": "Kitchen Sink Strainers",
      "tags": [],
      "colors": [],
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      "dimensions": null,
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      ],
      "description_short": "A brushed nickel pop-up stopper with a SUS304 stainless steel basket and a double rubber seal, sized for standard 75mm sink holes with a depth over 28mm.",
      "description": "The small part that causes the big annoyances\n\nNobody thinks about their sink plug until it stops working. Then it becomes the most irritating object in the kitchen. You fill the basin to soak a baking tray, walk away, and come back to find half the water gone. Or you lift the old rubber bung and a lump of yesterday's rice comes with it. Or there is a faint sour smell near the sink that no amount of wiping the worktop seems to fix.\n\nAll three of those problems trace back to the same fitting. The original plug that came with the sink is usually the cheapest component in the whole installation. The rubber hardens, the chain snaps, the strainer holes clog with grease, and the seal gives up. Once that happens, the sink stops being a basin and becomes a funnel.\n\nA three in one kitchen sink plug tackles all three at once. It seals so you can fill the sink. It strains so food waste never reaches the pipe. And the seal itself doubles as a barrier against the air coming back up the waste line. One part, three jobs, no moving between them.\n\nHow the three functions work together\n\nStart with the seal, because it is the foundation. This unit uses a double-layer rubber gasket rather than a single ring. Two seal faces mean that if one surface sits over a slight imperfection in the drain groove, the second still has a chance to make contact. That is why a twin gasket tends to hold a full sink longer than a single thin washer, which is the usual failure point on a budget plug.\n\nAbove that sits the pop-up core. Press it once and it locks down in the closed position. Press it again and it springs back up to let water through. The point is not novelty, it is that you are not reaching into cold, greasy washing-up water to find a chain. Anyone who has done the dishes after a big meal knows exactly how unpleasant that moment is.\n\nThen there is the strainer basket, made from SUS304 stainless steel. That grade is specified because kitchens are harsh on metal. Water sits on it constantly. Lemon juice, vinegar, tomato and wine all land in it. Hot water from a drained pan hits it regularly. SUS304 shrugs that off without rusting or pitting, which is more than you can say for a cheap chrome-plated basket that starts flaking inside six months.\n\nThe basket catches the solids: peelings, rice grains, tea leaves, crumbs, bits of pasta. Those are the things that build up in a trap and eventually turn into a blockage. Catching them at the sink surface, where you can tip them straight into the bin, is far easier than calling someone out to clear a pipe later.\n\nDoes it fit your sink?\n\nThis is the only question that really matters, and it is where most online sink plug purchases go wrong. People buy on looks, the parcel arrives, and the plug rattles around in a hole that is too big or refuses to sit down in one that is too shallow.\n\nThe two numbers to check are groove diameter and groove depth. This plug is listed for a compatible groove diameter of 75 millimetres and a compatible groove depth of 28 millimetres. Item depth is also given as 28 millimetres.\n\nTo measure, take a tape and lay it across the widest point of the drain opening inside the sink basin. You want the opening in the sink itself, not the pipe below the sink. Note that figure. Then measure from the sink surface down to the bottom of the recess where a plug would seat. That is your depth.\n\nIf your diameter lands near 75mm and your depth is around 28mm or more, you are in the right territory. Most standard kitchen drains fall in this range, which is why a universal sink plug exists as a category at all. If your measurements are notably smaller, you probably have a bathroom-sized waste and need something different.\n\nOne practical tip: measure before you order, not after the box arrives. It takes thirty seconds and saves a return.\n\nWho this suits\n\nRenters get a lot out of a plug like this. You cannot replace the sink, and you probably should not be re-plumbing anything, but swapping a drop-in stopper is reversible and takes no tools. Keep the original in a drawer and put it back when you move out.\n\nAnyone who cooks from scratch benefits too. Peeling vegetables, rinsing rice, draining pasta: all of it sends solids toward the drain. A heavy-duty basket intercepts them. If you have ever paid for a drain to be cleared, you know the cost of that one job dwarfs the price of a decent strainer.\n\nIt also suits people who hand-wash a lot. Glassware, knives, non-stick pans and anything the dishwasher would ruin all get washed in a filled basin. That only works if the plug holds water reliably for the whole wash.\n\nIf you have a double-bowl sink, consider two units. One per bowl means you can fill the wash side and keep the rinse side draining freely. Each pack here contains a single stopper, so order accordingly.\n\nChoosing between a plug, a strainer and a combined unit\n\nThere are three common options and they are not interchangeable.\n\nA plain drain cover is the cheapest. It is a mesh or perforated disc that sits in the opening and catches scraps. It does not hold water. If you never fill the sink, that may be all you need.\n\nA plain stopper seals but does not strain. It is what most sinks ship with. It works until the rubber ages, and it does nothing about food waste.\n\nA combined unit does both, which is the case here. The trade-off is that you are depending on one part for two jobs, so build quality matters more. A stainless basket and a twin rubber seal are the two specs worth paying attention to, and both are present on this model.\n\nFinish is the last consideration, and it is cosmetic rather than functional. Brushed nickel has a soft, matt sheen. It sits well against stainless steel sinks and brushed or satin taps, and it hides fingerprints and limescale spotting far better than polished chrome. If your tap is bright chrome you may prefer a matching polished plug, though in practice few people notice the drain fitting.\n\nKeeping it working\n\nCare is genuinely simple, and doing it keeps the plug functioning for years rather than months.\n\nEmpty the basket after each wash-up. Lift it out, knock the contents into the bin or compost caddy, rinse under the tap. This is the single habit that prevents slow drainage and smells.\n\nClean the rubber seal occasionally. Grease builds up on it, and a greasy gasket does not seat flat. Warm water and dish soap on a soft cloth is enough. Dry it and check it is sitting evenly in the groove.\n\nAvoid abrasives on the brushed finish. Steel wool and scouring powder will leave scratch marks that never buff out. A non-scratch sponge handles anything that needs removing.\n\nIf you are using a chemical drain cleaner, take the plug out first. Caustic products are hard on rubber seals, and there is no reason to expose the gasket to them.\n\nThe short version\n\nA kitchen sink plug is a cheap part that causes expensive problems when it fails. This one combines a sealed pop-up stopper, a SUS304 stainless steel strainer basket and a double-layer rubber gasket in a single drop-in fitting, finished in brushed nickel.\n\nIt is sized for a 75mm groove diameter with a 28mm groove depth, which matches a large share of standard kitchen drains. Fitting needs no tools. Cleaning takes a minute.\n\nMeasure your drain opening first. If the numbers line up, this replaces a tired old plug and quietly fixes three annoyances at once: a sink that will not hold water, scraps heading into the pipe, and that faint smell near the drain. If the numbers do not line up, tell us what you measured and we will say so rather than sell you the wrong part.",
      "llm_summary": "The three in one kitchen sink plug (model EU11H-12KDrain-7500-BNP) is a brushed nickel pop-up sink stopper with an integrated stainless steel strainer basket. It performs three jobs, holding water in the sink, straining food waste, and helping to block odours from the waste pipe. A double-layer rubber gasket forms the seal, and the pop-up core switches between retain and drain with a single press. It is listed for a compatible groove diameter of 75 millimetres and a compatible groove depth of 28 millimetres, with an item depth of 28 millimetres. The strainer basket is SUS304 stainless steel. The pack contains one drain stopper. Weight, overall dimensions and country of origin are not specified by the maker.",
      "returnable": true,
      "return_policy": "14-day right to cancel from delivery under the Consumer Rights Act 2022, buyer pays return postage; the refund may be reduced if the item has been used beyond normal handling; Consumer Rights Act 2022 rights for faulty goods. Return postage on faulty goods is ours.",
      "shipping_profile": "standard",
      "warranty": null,
      "brand": "Drains Company",
      "gtin": null,
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      "url": "https://drains.irish/three-in-one-kitchen-sink-plug/",
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    },
    {
      "id": "bellows-sink-plunger",
      "sku": "bellows-sink-plunger",
      "title": "Bellows Sink and Shower Plunger",
      "slug": "bellows-sink-plunger",
      "price": 15.99,
      "currency": "EUR",
      "availability": "in_stock",
      "category": "plungers",
      "category_label": "Plungers",
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      ],
      "description_short": "An accordion style body sits over the plughole and pumps water down the waste, so you can work on a slow basin, bath or shower tray by hand with nothing to plug in.",
      "description": "When the water stops going down\n\nIt tends to start small. The basin takes a little longer to empty after you brush your teeth. The shower tray holds a shallow pool that was not there last month. Nobody does anything, because the water does still go, just slowly.\n\nThen one evening it does not go at all, and you are looking at a sink of grey water with the washing up still to do.\n\nWhat has happened is ordinary. Under every sink, bath and shower there is a trap, a bend in the pipe that holds water to keep drain smells out of the room. That bend is also where things settle. Hair and soap film collect in a bathroom. Fat and food scraps collect in a kitchen. Each wash adds a thin layer, and one day the gap left for water is too small.\n\nA plunger is the usual first answer, and for good reason. It needs no tools, you do not have to open any pipework, and it works on the part of the drain where most household clogs sit.\n\nHow a bellows plunger works\n\nA classic plunger is a rubber dome on a stick. You push, the dome flattens, and a puff of air and water goes down the plughole. It works, but a lot of the push is spent squashing air.\n\nA bellows plunger has a different shape. The body is a stack of folds, like a concertina or an accordion, with a large opening at the bottom. You sit that opening over the plughole and press down. The folds close up and whatever is inside is sent down the waste.\n\nThe maker of this one says it pushes water at the blockage, not just air. That matters because water does not squash. When you press on a column of water, nearly all of that push arrives at the clog. Air gives way first, so less of it gets there.\n\nWhen you let go, the folds open again and pull back on the water in the pipe. That back and forth movement is what loosens a clog. A soft plug of hair and soap rocks, breaks up, and moves on down the pipe where the bore is wider.\n\nThere is no motor and nothing to charge. It is a hand tool, and the maker lists it as needing no batteries.\n\nWhere it suits and where it does not\n\nThis is sold as a sink and shower drain plunger, and that is the right way to think about it. It suits kitchen sinks, bathroom basins, baths and shower trays. The maker says you can place it over the plughole even when the shower tray is already full of water, which is handy, because that is exactly when most people go looking for a shower tray unblocker.\n\nThe maker also mentions toilets. We would be careful there. The width of the opening is not stated by the maker, so there is no way to confirm it will seal against a toilet pan, and a plunger that cannot seal cannot do much. If the toilet is the fitting that keeps blocking, buy a plunger made for that shape.\n\nThere are also blockages no plunger will fix. If the kitchen sink, the bath and the downstairs toilet all slow down together, the problem is not in a trap. It is in the main drain outside. A blockage in a public sewer is a matter for Uisce Éireann or your local authority. One on your own property needs a drainage contractor with rods or a jetter.\n\nGetting a good seal\n\nNearly every failed attempt with a plunger comes down to the seal. If pressure can escape somewhere easier than through the clog, it will.\n\nStart with the overflow. Most basins and baths have one, a slot or a round opening near the top. It joins the waste pipe just below the plughole. Leave it open and each push sends water up and out of the overflow. The maker's advice is to block it with a damp cloth before you start, and that is the single most useful tip for a sink or bath. Hold the cloth firmly in place with one hand while you pump with the other.\n\nA double kitchen sink needs the same thinking. The two bowls share a waste, so put the plug in the bowl you are not working on.\n\nIf the basin has a pop-up stopper, lift it out if it will come. Leaving it in puts an obstacle between the plunger and the pipe.\n\nLastly, make sure there is water over the rim of the opening. A few centimetres is enough. If the sink has drained dry, run the tap for a moment. A plunger working in air is mostly making noise.\n\nStep by step\n\nPut on rubber gloves and move anything you care about off the surround. Plunging can splash.\n\nCover the overflow, or plug the second bowl. Check that water covers the plughole.\n\nSit the large opening flat over the plughole. Press down slowly the first time. This pushes trapped air out of the folds so the next strokes move water.\n\nNow pump. The maker suggests a couple of firm pumps to begin with. Keep the opening pressed to the surface as you go, so the seal holds on both the push and the pull.\n\nLift it away and watch. If the water starts to drop, even slowly, you are winning. Give it another round. If nothing changes after four or five rounds, stop. Forcing it will not help, and the clog probably needs a different tool.\n\nWhen the water runs away, turn on the hot tap and let it run for a minute or two. That carries the loosened bits through the trap and along the pipe so they do not settle again a metre further on.\n\nOne point on safety. Do not plunge a drain that has had chemical cleaner poured into it. We do not recommend those products at all, and plunging is one reason why. Whatever is in the water can splash back on your skin and into your eyes. If a chemical has already gone down, flush with plenty of cold water over time, wear eye protection, and if in doubt leave it for a plumber.\n\nWhat the maker tells us about this one\n\nIt is worth being plain about what is known. The maker describes the material as PVC. The size is given as 10 x 1 x 10 cm and the weight as 130 g. One plunger comes in the pack, and it is the only item included.\n\nThe colour is not stated by the maker, and neither is the width of the opening. Go by the photos, and look at your own plughole before you order. Most sink and basin plugholes are modest in size, but a large shower waste with a wide chrome cover is worth measuring.\n\nCleaning and storing it\n\nA plunger that is put away dirty is not nice to pick up next time. The maker's method is short. Spray it with a cleaning product, then rinse it with clean water so nothing is left sitting in the chamber.\n\nA good way to rinse the inside of the folds is to pump it a few times in a bucket or a sink of clean water. Shake it off, stand it somewhere to dry, and then put it in the cupboard under the sink. Keep it out of strong sunlight, as with most plastics.\n\nIf you use it in both the kitchen and the bathroom, rinse it well between the two.\n\nKeeping drains clear afterwards\n\nOnce the water is running again, a few habits make the next blockage less likely.\n\nIn the shower, a simple hair catcher over the waste stops most hair before it reaches the trap. In the kitchen, wipe greasy pans with kitchen paper before washing them, and use a sink strainer for food scraps. Run hot water for half a minute after washing up.\n\nAnd when a drain first starts to slow, deal with it that week. A partial clog is soft and shifts with a few pumps. A full one has had months to pack down.\n\nWhen to stop and call someone\n\nA plunger is a first step, not a cure for everything. If a few good attempts do nothing, the next option is to take off the trap under the sink and clean it by hand, with a basin underneath to catch the water. A drain snake reaches further again.\n\nIf you find a leak under the sink, a waste pipe that has come apart, or a job that means changing fixed pipework, that is work for a qualified plumber. And if the trouble is outside the house, in a gully or a shared drain, it is not a plunger job at all.\n\nThe short version\n\nMost slow sinks and showers are blocked close to the plughole, in the trap. A bellows sink plunger sits over the plughole and pumps water down at that spot. The maker says it pushes water where a plain cup mostly pushes air, and that it works in a shower tray that is already full.\n\nCover the overflow with a damp cloth, keep the opening under water, and start with a couple of firm pumps. Rinse it clean and keep it under the sink.\n\nIt suits sinks, basins, baths and shower trays. For toilets, for several drains blocking at once, or for anything involving the pipework itself, you need a different tool or a plumber.",
      "llm_summary": "This is a bellows (accordion) plunger for household sinks, basins, baths and shower trays, sold by Drains Company in Ireland. The large opening is placed over the plughole and the folded body is pressed by hand so that water is pushed down the waste pipe towards the blockage. The maker says it works with water standing in a shower tray. On a sink or bath with an overflow, the overflow should be covered with a damp cloth first. It is manual and needs no batteries. The maker describes the material as PVC and gives the size as 10 x 1 x 10 cm and the weight as 130 g. One plunger is included. The colour and the width of the opening are not stated by the maker.",
      "returnable": true,
      "return_policy": "14-day right to cancel from delivery under the Consumer Rights Act 2022, buyer pays return postage; the refund may be reduced if the item has been used beyond normal handling; Consumer Rights Act 2022 rights for faulty goods. Return postage on faulty goods is ours.",
      "shipping_profile": "standard",
      "warranty": null,
      "brand": "Drains Company",
      "gtin": null,
      "mpn": null,
      "condition": "new",
      "url": "https://drains.irish/bellows-sink-plunger/",
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      "json_url": "https://drains.irish/api/products/bellows-sink-plunger.json",
      "updated_at": "2026-10-12"
    },
    {
      "id": "bellows-toilet-plunger",
      "sku": "bellows-toilet-plunger",
      "title": "Bellows Toilet Plunger 60cm",
      "slug": "bellows-toilet-plunger",
      "price": 43.99,
      "currency": "EUR",
      "availability": "in_stock",
      "category": "plungers",
      "category_label": "Plungers",
      "tags": [],
      "colors": [],
      "materials": [],
      "dimensions": null,
      "weight": null,
      "images": [
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      ],
      "description_short": "A 60cm flexible PVC bellows draws in water and air, then drives it down the pan outlet, so you can work on a blockage without drain chemicals.",
      "description": "When the water rises instead of falling\n\nYou press the flush and the water climbs. It stops a few centimetres under the rim and sits there. Nobody wants to deal with it, and everybody in the house needs it fixed within the hour.\n\nMost toilet blockages are simple. Too much paper went down in one go, or something that should have gone in the bin went in the pan. The lump lodges in the bend built into the base of the toilet, which is the narrowest point in the whole run. Water backs up behind it.\n\nTo move it, you need to push water at it. That is all a plunger does. The question is how much water it moves and how well it copes with the shape of your pan.\n\nHow a bellows plunger works\n\nThe familiar plunger is a rubber cup on a wooden stick. It works by sealing against a flat surface and flexing. On a flat sink bottom that is fine. In a toilet, the outlet sits at the bottom of a curved bowl, and a flat cup often cannot seal against it at all. You end up splashing water around the bowl and moving very little of it down the pipe.\n\nA bellows plunger takes a different approach. The working end is a tall column of folded plastic, like an accordion. This one is 60cm long overall and about 13cm across, and the maker describes the body as flexible PVC. At the bottom there is an opening 5cm in diameter. That opening sits in the outlet of the pan.\n\nWith water in the bowl, the folds fill. When you press down, the column shortens and everything inside it has one way to go, which is out through the opening and down the outlet. When you pull back up, the column stretches and takes in more water and air. Each stroke is a push followed by a pull, and both help. The push drives the blockage forward. The pull tugs it back and loosens it.\n\nThis is what \"water driven\" means on a plunger like this. There is no hose and no tap connection. The water doing the work is the water already in your toilet.\n\nWhy the seal matters less\n\nAnyone who has fought a cup plunger on a modern toilet knows the problem. Pans come in many shapes now. Some have a squared-off base. Some are long from front to back. Low-flow models can have a smaller, oddly shaped outlet. A flat cup made for one shape leaks on the others.\n\nThe maker of this plunger says it is designed to work even when the fit around the bowl is not perfectly sealed, and lists low-flow, square bottom and elongated toilets among the types it suits. That makes sense for the design. The opening is narrow, the force comes from the volume inside the folds, and it does not depend on a wide lip gripping the porcelain.\n\nIt is still worth seating it properly. Lower the base into the outlet, feel for the point where it sits squarely, and start with a gentle press. The better it sits, the less water escapes around the sides.\n\nUsing it without flooding the floor\n\nA little preparation saves a lot of mopping.\n\nStart by looking at the water level. If it is near the rim, do not flush again. Bail some into a bucket with an old jug until the bowl is about half full. If the bowl has drained almost empty, add water until the base of the plunger will be covered. The bellows needs water inside it, not only air.\n\nPut old towels around the base of the toilet and wear rubber gloves. Lift the seat.\n\nLower the plunger in at an angle so the folds fill with water as it goes down. Seat the opening in the outlet. Make the first press slow, because a fast first stroke pushes the air out of the folds and up into your face. After that, work in a steady rhythm. Press down firmly, pull back, press again. Six to ten strokes make a round. Stop and watch the water.\n\nIf the level drops with a gulp, the blockage has moved. Wait a moment, then flush once with your hand near the cistern stop valve in case it has not fully cleared. If the level has not changed, do another round.\n\nWhen to stop\n\nA plunger is a first response and not a cure for everything. Know the signs that it is the wrong tool.\n\nIf something solid went down the toilet, such as a child's toy, a plastic bottle top or an air freshener block, do not plunge. Pressure cannot break a hard object up. It can only wedge it tighter or push it out of reach. That job needs a plumber.\n\nIf water rises in the shower tray or bath when you plunge the toilet, the blockage is not in the pan. It is in the shared drain further on. The same applies if a gully outside is overflowing, or every toilet in the house is slow at once. More plunging will not help.\n\nAt that point, ring a plumber. If your neighbours have the same trouble, the fault may be in the public sewer, and that is a matter for Uisce Éireann or your local authority. It costs nothing to ask them before you pay for work on your own side of the boundary.\n\nOne firm rule. Never plunge a toilet that has drain chemicals in it. We do not recommend chemical drain cleaners in any case. They sit in the bowl on top of the blockage, and a plunger will throw them straight back at you.\n\nChoosing a toilet plunger\n\nIf you are comparing plungers, a few points decide whether one will work in your bathroom.\n\nThe first is what it is made for. A plunger for a toilet and a plunger for a sink are different tools. This one is for toilets only. Keep a small cup plunger for basins and the kitchen sink, and never swap them over. That is as much about hygiene as fit.\n\nThe second is the shape of your pan. If you have an older pan with a round, open outlet, most plungers will cope. If you have a square bottom, elongated or low-flow toilet, look for a plunger whose maker names those shapes, as this one does. People hunting for the best plunger for low flow toilet outlets are usually reacting to a cup plunger that would not seal.\n\nThe third is size and storage. At 60cm tall, a bellows plunger does not hide behind the pan as easily as a short one. It weighs 250 g, so it is easy to handle, but you need somewhere upright to keep it.\n\nThe last is what you get. This comes as one plunger and an instruction manual. The maker does not mention a holder or tray, so an old bucket or a plant saucer under it is a sensible addition.\n\nCleaning and storing it\n\nNobody enjoys this part, but it takes two minutes.\n\nOnce the toilet is flushing normally, flush again and work the bellows up and down in the clean water. That rinses the inside of the folds. Then wash it with hot soapy water or a household disinfectant, in the toilet bowl or in a bucket kept for the purpose. Never in a sink you use for anything else.\n\nShake the water out, which takes a few firm shakes because the folds hold it. Stand the plunger upright to dry. Put it away only when it is fully dry, or the folds will smell the next time you need it.\n\nFlexible plastics last longest away from heat and strong light. A cupboard, the corner of a utility room or the space beside the cistern are all fine. On top of a radiator or on a sunny windowsill is not.\n\nStopping the next blockage\n\nMost toilet blockages come from the same short list. Wipes are the worst, including the ones sold as flushable. Cotton buds, dental floss, sanitary items, nappies and kitchen roll follow close behind. None of them break down like toilet paper. A small bin with a lid beside the toilet does more for your drains than any tool.\n\nIf a toilet has always been slow to clear, even with nothing odd going down it, mention it to a plumber the next time one is in the house. A poor flush can come from the cistern and not the drain.\n\nThe short version\n\nA bellows toilet plunger pushes a larger volume of water down the outlet than a flat cup, and it depends less on a perfect seal. This one is 60cm long with a 5cm base opening, weighs 250 g and is made from flexible PVC. The maker lists low-flow, square bottom and elongated toilets as suitable.\n\nUse it with water in the bowl, start slowly and work in steady rounds. Clean it, dry it and store it upright.\n\nIf the blockage is soft and sits in the pan, this is the right tool. If something solid went down, or other drains in the house are backing up too, stop and ring a plumber.",
      "llm_summary": "This is a manual bellows toilet plunger sold by Drains Company for clearing blockages in a toilet pan. The body is an accordion style column of flexible PVC. Used with water in the bowl, it draws in water and air when pulled and pushes them down the pan outlet towards the blockage when pressed. The maker gives the size as 60 x 13 x 13 cm, the opening at the base as 5 cm in diameter and the weight as 250 g. The maker says it is designed to work without a perfect seal and lists low-flow, square bottom and elongated toilets as suitable. One plunger and an instruction manual are included. Colour and country of origin are not stated by the maker. It is intended for toilets, not sinks or baths.",
      "returnable": true,
      "return_policy": "14-day right to cancel from delivery under the Consumer Rights Act 2022, buyer pays return postage; the refund may be reduced if the item has been used beyond normal handling; Consumer Rights Act 2022 rights for faulty goods. Return postage on faulty goods is ours.",
      "shipping_profile": "standard",
      "warranty": null,
      "brand": "Drains Company",
      "gtin": null,
      "mpn": null,
      "condition": "new",
      "url": "https://drains.irish/bellows-toilet-plunger/",
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      "updated_at": "2026-10-12"
    },
    {
      "id": "plunger-set-110mm-and-140mm",
      "sku": "plunger-set-110mm-and-140mm",
      "title": "Plunger Set 110mm and 140mm with Wooden Handles",
      "slug": "plunger-set-110mm-and-140mm",
      "price": 24.99,
      "currency": "EUR",
      "availability": "in_stock",
      "category": "plungers",
      "category_label": "Plungers",
      "tags": [],
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      "dimensions": null,
      "weight": "206.88 g",
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      ],
      "description_short": "Two cup plungers, 110mm and 140mm across, with wooden handles that screw on by hand, so you can seal over a small basin waste or a wide kitchen sink without reaching for chemicals.",
      "description": "The slow sink that will not wait\n\nMost blockages give you a warning. The basin takes longer to empty after you brush your teeth. The kitchen sink holds a few centimetres of grey water while you finish the washing up. Then one evening it stops going down at all, and it is always the evening you have people coming over.\n\nWhat sits in the pipe is rarely a mystery. In a bathroom it is hair bound up with soap. In a kitchen it is food scraps and fat that went down warm and set cold. Most of the time that plug is sitting in the trap, the curved piece of pipe right under the plughole, or just beyond it. That is close enough for a plunger to reach with pressure, which is why a plunger is still the first tool worth picking up.\n\nThis set gives you two of them. One has a 110mm cup and the other a 140mm cup, and each has a wooden handle that screws on by hand.\n\nHow a cup plunger does its job\n\nA plunger does not grab anything. It moves water. When you press the cup down over a plughole, you push water down the pipe towards the blockage. When you pull back up, you draw water the other way. Do that a dozen times and the plug gets rocked back and forth until it loosens, breaks up, or shifts along to a wider part of the pipe where it can wash away.\n\nTwo things make that work. The first is a seal. The rim of the cup has to sit flat on the surface around the plughole, with no gaps for air or water to escape. The second is water. Air squashes and water does not, so a cup full of water passes on far more of your effort than a cup full of air. If the sink is empty, run in enough water to cover the cup before you start.\n\nThere is one more detail people miss. A basin, a bath and many kitchen sinks have an overflow, the slot or hole near the top. It connects to the same waste pipe. If you leave it open, every push sends air and water out of the overflow instead of down at the blockage. Hold a wet cloth firmly over it with your spare hand and the plunger suddenly feels far more effective.\n\nWhy two sizes are worth having\n\nThe size that matters is the cup diameter, and the right one depends on what the cup has to sit on.\n\nThe 110mm plunger is the one for tight spots. A bathroom basin curves quickly away from the plughole, and the tap or pop-up waste often sits close by. A smaller cup finds a flat ring to seal on where a big one would rock on the curve. It is also the handier choice for a bidet or a small cloakroom basin. The maker gives its total length as 29cm, which is short enough to work under a low mixer tap.\n\nThe 140mm plunger covers more ground. The floor of a kitchen sink, a bath or a shower tray is flatter and wider, and the wastes are bigger. A larger cup moves more water with each stroke and seals comfortably around a wide waste. The maker gives its total length as 37.5cm, so you have a little more reach into a deep sink or down to the floor of a bath.\n\nHaving both means you are not trying to make one cup fit everything. It also means you can keep one for the kitchen and one for the bathroom, which most people prefer once they think about where each has been.\n\nWhat the set is made of\n\nThe handles are wood, and each one joins its cup with a screw thread that you turn by hand. No tools are involved. You can unscrew them again, which makes the set easier to tuck away in a cupboard. The maker lists the colour as red and describes the set as four pieces, which fits two cups plus two handles.\n\nThe material of the cups is not stated by the maker, so we will not guess at it. The maker gives the weight as 206.88g and the overall dimensions as 37.5 x 14 x 14cm.\n\nUsing a plunger properly\n\nStart by clearing the area. Take out the plug, lift out any strainer, and remove whatever is sitting in the sink. If there is a deep pool of dirty water, bail some out into a bucket so it does not slop over the edge, but leave enough to cover the cup.\n\nBlock the overflow with a wet cloth. Set the cup over the plughole and press down slowly the first time. That first slow push squeezes the air out from under the cup. After that, work the handle up and down with short, firm strokes while keeping the rim in contact with the surface. Ten to fifteen strokes is a fair round. Then lift the plunger away sharply and watch the water.\n\nIf the level drops, you have shifted something. Run the hot tap for a minute to carry the loosened material away, then plunge once more for good measure. If nothing changes, try another two or three rounds before you give up. Blockages often move on the third attempt, not the first.\n\nOn a double kitchen sink, the two bowls share a waste. Put the plug in the second bowl, or have someone hold a wet cloth over its plughole, or all your effort will come up the other side.\n\nA word of caution about chemicals. We do not recommend chemical drain cleaners, and a plunger and a caustic liquid are a bad mix. If someone has already poured a cleaner into the drain, plunging can splash it back at your hands and face. Flush with plenty of cold water first, wear gloves and eye protection, and if you are unsure, leave it alone.\n\nWhere a plunger suits and where it does not\n\nThe maker lists washbasins, baths, showers, bidets, sinks and toilets among the uses. In practice, a flat cup like these seals best on a flat or gently curved surface, which is why it feels most at home on a sink, basin, bath or shower tray. A toilet pan has a deep, curved outlet, so getting a good seal there takes more care, and some blockages in a toilet will need a different tool.\n\nA plunger works on soft blockages that sit close to the plughole. Hair, soap, food residue and grease are all fair game. It will not help with a solid object such as a bottle cap or a small toy lodged in the trap. Pushing harder at something solid can wedge it tighter. In that case, put a bucket under the trap, unscrew it by hand and lift the object out.\n\nIt also has limits further along the line. If several fittings back up at once, or water rises in the bath when you empty the sink, the trouble is in the shared drain and not in one trap. Inside your property boundary that is a job for a drain contractor or a qualified plumber. If the blockage is in a public sewer, contact Uisce Éireann or your local authority. No hand tool will fix that from the kitchen.\n\nLooking after the set\n\nCare is short. Rinse each cup under running water after use, inside and out, and wipe the handle. Wood does not enjoy standing wet, so do not leave a plunger sitting in a bucket of water or resting cup-up with water pooled inside. Let both parts dry before you put them away.\n\nStore the set somewhere dry and out of direct heat. Under the kitchen sink is the usual home, and unscrewing the handles lets the pieces lie flat in a small space. Check now and then that each handle is screwed in snugly before you use it. A handle that has worked loose will wobble and make it harder to keep the seal.\n\nIt is worth a quick look at the rim of each cup from time to time. A cup that has split or gone hard will not seal well, and at that point it has done its service.\n\nStopping the next blockage\n\nOnce the water is running freely, a few habits keep it that way. A strainer over the bath or shower waste catches hair before it reaches the pipe. In the kitchen, scrape plates into the bin and wipe greasy pans with kitchen roll before washing them. Pour cooled fat into a container and bin it. Running the hot tap for a minute after a greasy wash-up helps stop fat settling in the trap.\n\nNone of that is hard, and it means the plungers spend most of their life in the cupboard, which is where you want them.\n\nThe short version\n\nThis is a set of two cup plungers with wooden handles that screw on by hand. The cups measure 110mm and 140mm across, and the maker gives the total lengths as 29cm and 37.5cm. The smaller one suits basins and tight spots. The larger one suits kitchen sinks, baths and shower trays.\n\nCover the overflow, keep the cup under water, and use short firm strokes. Rinse and dry the set afterwards. If one fitting is slow, start here. If the whole house is backing up, phone a plumber, and if it is the public sewer, contact Uisce Éireann or the local authority.",
      "llm_summary": "This is a set of two manual cup plungers for household drains. The maker states cup diameters of 110 mm and 140 mm and total lengths of 29 cm and 37.5 cm. Both handles are wood and attach to the cups by a screw thread that is fitted by hand, so the handles can be removed for storage. The maker lists the colour as red, the weight as 206.88 g and the overall dimensions as 37.5 x 14 x 14 cm. The maker lists washbasins, baths, showers, bidets, sinks and toilets as suitable uses. The plungers work by water pressure and need no chemicals or power. The material of the cups and the country of origin are not stated by the maker.",
      "returnable": true,
      "return_policy": "14-day right to cancel from delivery under the Consumer Rights Act 2022, buyer pays return postage; the refund may be reduced if the item has been used beyond normal handling; Consumer Rights Act 2022 rights for faulty goods. Return postage on faulty goods is ours.",
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      "warranty": null,
      "brand": "Drains Company",
      "gtin": null,
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    },
    {
      "id": "toilet-plunger-with-gloves",
      "sku": "toilet-plunger-with-gloves",
      "title": "Toilet Plunger with Threaded Handle and Nitrile Gloves",
      "slug": "toilet-plunger-with-gloves",
      "price": 23.99,
      "currency": "EUR",
      "availability": "in_stock",
      "category": "plungers",
      "category_label": "Plungers",
      "tags": [],
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      ],
      "description_short": "A widened rubber cup on a threaded handle gives you a firm push and pull at the outlet, and the hanging hole keeps it off the floor between uses.",
      "description": "The blockage nobody plans for\n\nA blocked toilet never picks a good moment. It happens when visitors are in the house, or late on a Sunday, or five minutes before the school run. The water rises instead of falling, and suddenly it is the only thing anyone can think about.\n\nMost of the time the cause is ordinary. Too much paper went down in one go. A wipe that should have gone in the bin went down the pan instead. The soft mass has lodged in the bend behind the pan, and the water cannot get past it.\n\nThat kind of blockage does not need a call-out. It needs a plunger, a pair of gloves and a few calm minutes. The trouble is that most homes only discover they have no plunger at the exact moment they need one.\n\nThis guide covers what this plunger is, how to use one properly, and when to stop and get help.\n\nWhat you get\n\nThis is a hand plunger with a widened rubber cup and a handle that fixes to the cup with a screw thread. Nitrile gloves are included in the pack.\n\nThe maker describes the materials as PP rubber and stainless steel, and lists the colour as red. There is a hanging hole so it can be stored on a hook. The package measures 41.7 x 17.4 x 7.5 cm and weighs 370 g.\n\nSome details are not stated by the maker, and it is fairer to say so than to guess. The diameter of the cup is not given. The handle length on its own is not given. The number of gloves and their size are not given either. If one of those points matters for your bathroom, ask us before you order.\n\nHow a plunger really works\n\nPeople often think a plunger works by pushing the blockage down the pipe. It does not, or not mainly. It works by moving water.\n\nWater does not compress. When the cup is sealed over the outlet and you push the handle, the water below it has nowhere to go except against the blockage. When you pull, it is drawn back the other way. Push, pull, push, pull. That rocking motion loosens a soft clog the way you might work a stuck drawer free.\n\nTwo things follow from this. First, the cup must be under water. A plunger full of air just squashes the air, and very little force reaches the clog. Second, the seal matters. If water or air leaks out around the rim, the force leaks out with it.\n\nThat is the reason for the shape here. The maker describes a widened cup with a curved plug, shaped to increase the contact area with the drain outlet. A cup that meets the outlet well puts more of your effort into the pipe and less into the room.\n\nWhy the handle joint matters\n\nOn a cheap plunger the handle is often just pressed into the cup. It holds on the push. Then on a firm pull it pops out, and you are left holding a stick while the cup sits in the pan.\n\nThis one uses a threaded joint. The handle screws into the cup, so it is held in both directions. Since the pull stroke does at least half the work, that is a practical detail and not a gimmick.\n\nIt is still a thread, and threads can work loose. Give the handle a quick twist before each use to check it is snug.\n\nUsing it on a toilet\n\nStart by protecting the floor. Lay old towels or newspaper around the base of the pan. Put on the gloves.\n\nLook at the water level. If the pan is close to the rim, do not flush again. Wait a few minutes to see if it falls, or bail some out into a bucket. If the pan is nearly empty, add water from a bucket until the cup will be covered.\n\nLower the plunger in at an angle so the cup fills with water and not air. Seat it over the outlet at the bottom of the pan. Press down slowly on the first stroke. This pushes out any trapped air without sending water over the rim.\n\nNow work the handle with a steady rhythm, pulling as firmly as you push. Keep the seal. Fifteen to twenty seconds is a good round. Then lift the cup away and watch. If the water drops with a gurgle, the clog has moved.\n\nOften it takes two or three rounds. Rest between them. When the level has dropped, flush once and be ready to stop the flow if the water rises again. On most cisterns you can do that by lifting the lid and raising the float by hand.\n\nUsing it on a basin, sink or shower\n\nThe maker says this plunger can be used on sinks and showers as well as toilets. The method is much the same, with one extra step.\n\nMost basins and baths have an overflow hole near the top. If you leave it open, the pressure you make with the plunger escapes through it. Hold a wet cloth firmly over the overflow while you plunge. On a double kitchen sink, plug the second bowl for the same reason.\n\nRun a few centimetres of water into the bowl so the cup is covered. Seat the cup over the plughole and work it as before. A shower tray has no overflow, so you only need enough water to cover the cup.\n\nOne plunger or two?\n\nThis is a hygiene question more than a technical one. A plunger that has been in a toilet should not then go into the sink where you wash vegetables.\n\nThe simple rule is one plunger per job. Keep one in the bathroom for the toilet, and a separate one under the kitchen sink. If you own only one, decide where it lives and keep it there.\n\nWhat a plunger cannot do\n\nA plunger is for soft blockages close to the fixture. It is not the answer to everything.\n\nIt will not bring back a solid object. If a child has flushed a toy, or a plastic air freshener has dropped into the pan, plunging can drive it further into the pipe. Stop if you suspect something solid.\n\nIt will not fix a problem further along. If the toilet, the bath and the basin all drain slowly together, the blockage is in a shared pipe or outside the house. That needs a qualified plumber. If the trouble is in the public sewer, it is a matter for Uisce Éireann or your local authority.\n\nAnd it should never be used with chemical drain cleaner in the pan. We do not recommend those products at all. Plunging a bowl that has chemicals in it can splash the liquid onto your skin and into your eyes.\n\nAny job that means altering fixed pipework, such as taking a toilet off its connection, belongs to a qualified plumber. The Irish Building Regulations apply to drainage work.\n\nCleaning and storing it\n\nOnce the toilet flushes freely, flush again and hold the cup in the clean water as it runs. Swirl it about to rinse it. Shake off the drips over the pan.\n\nDo not put it away wet in a closed cupboard on its base. Use the hanging hole. A plunger that hangs can drip dry, and the cup keeps its shape because it is not resting on its rim.\n\nTake the gloves off by peeling them from the wrist so they turn inside out. The maker does not say whether they are meant for single use, so check them for tears before you use them again. Wash your hands well either way.\n\nChoosing a plunger in general\n\nIf you are comparing plungers, a few points are worth checking on any of them.\n\nLook at how the handle joins the cup, since a threaded joint is harder to pull apart than a push fit. Look at the cup shape, because a toilet outlet is not flat like a sink, and a cup that follows the curve seals better. Check whether there is a way to hang it. And think about where it will live, because a tool you cannot find is no use at midnight.\n\nThis one covers those points with its threaded handle, widened cup with curved plug, and hanging hole. The gloves in the pack are a small extra that saves a search.\n\nThe short version\n\nMost blocked toilets are a soft clog in the bend behind the pan. A plunger clears them by rocking the water back and forth, so the cup needs to be under water and sealed over the outlet.\n\nThis plunger has a widened rubber cup, a handle that screws on, a hanging hole and nitrile gloves in the pack. The maker lists PP rubber and stainless steel as materials and red as the colour. Cup size, handle length and glove count are not stated by the maker.\n\nStart gently, pull as hard as you push, and rinse it when you finish. If the blockage is solid, keeps coming back, or affects more than one fixture, call a qualified plumber.",
      "llm_summary": "This is a hand plunger for household blockages, supplied with nitrile gloves. It has a widened rubber cup with a curved plug and a handle that attaches to the cup by a screw thread. The maker describes the materials as PP rubber and stainless steel and lists the colour as red. It has a hanging hole for storage. The maker says it can be used on toilets, sinks and showers. The package measures 41.7 x 17.4 x 7.5 cm and weighs 370 g. The cup diameter, the handle length, the number and size of the gloves and the country of origin are not stated by the maker. It is a manual tool and needs no power.",
      "returnable": true,
      "return_policy": "14-day right to cancel from delivery under the Consumer Rights Act 2022, buyer pays return postage; the refund may be reduced if the item has been used beyond normal handling; Consumer Rights Act 2022 rights for faulty goods. Return postage on faulty goods is ours.",
      "shipping_profile": "standard",
      "warranty": null,
      "brand": "Drains Company",
      "gtin": null,
      "mpn": null,
      "condition": "new",
      "url": "https://drains.irish/toilet-plunger-with-gloves/",
      "canonical_url": "https://drains.irish/toilet-plunger-with-gloves/",
      "json_url": "https://drains.irish/api/products/toilet-plunger-with-gloves.json",
      "updated_at": "2026-10-12"
    },
    {
      "id": "pop-up-bath-plug-hair-catcher",
      "sku": "pop-up-bath-plug-hair-catcher",
      "title": "Pop Up Bath Plug Hair Catcher",
      "slug": "pop-up-bath-plug-hair-catcher",
      "price": 43.99,
      "currency": "EUR",
      "availability": "in_stock",
      "category": "shower-drain-hair-catchers",
      "category_label": "Shower & Bath Hair Catchers",
      "tags": [],
      "colors": [],
      "materials": [],
      "dimensions": null,
      "weight": "122 g",
      "images": [
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      ],
      "description_short": "Made from polished stainless steel with an adjustable two-part build, it traps hair and small objects over pop-up and shallow bath drains while water keeps draining freely.",
      "description": "The problem nobody notices until the water stops going down\n\nA blocked bath drain never happens suddenly. It builds. One shower leaves a few long strands in the pipe. The next one adds more. Conditioner, shampoo, and soap coat the strands into a sticky rope, and that rope grabs everything that follows. Months later you are standing ankle deep in grey water wondering what changed.\n\nNothing changed. It was always heading that way.\n\nThe frustrating part is how simple the fix is. Hair is big and visible at the moment it leaves your head. It is only a problem once it is out of sight, somewhere in a bend of pipe you cannot reach without tools. Catch it at the drain opening and the whole chain never starts. That is all a bath hair trap does, and it is the reason a small piece of steel can save you a plumber's call-out fee.\n\nHow a pop up bath plug hair catcher works\n\nThe principle is old and uncomplicated. You put a screen with small openings over the drain. Water, which is made of very small molecules, goes through without any trouble. Hair, which arrives as long strands, does not. It catches on the edges of the openings and sits there on top.\n\nWhat separates a good hair catcher from an annoying one is the shape. A flat disc works fine for about two showers, then the hair forms an even mat across the surface and the water starts to pool. A domed shape buys you much more time. Hair collects around the sides while the top of the dome stays clear, so water keeps finding a route down even when the catcher is already working hard.\n\nThis unit is 4.8 cm tall against a width of 11.1 cm, which gives it that raised profile rather than a flat one. It is built in two stainless steel parts that press together by hand. The basket has a lifted handle, so when it is time to empty it you have something to grip instead of pinching a slimy edge with your fingertips.\n\nThere is no installation. Nothing gets unscrewed, nothing gets glued, and your existing pop-up plug mechanism stays exactly as the plumber left it. That matters more than people expect, especially in a rental where you are not supposed to modify fittings.\n\nWho this suits\n\nHouseholds with long hair feel the benefit fastest. If one or two people in the house have hair past their shoulders, a drain can go from fine to sluggish in a matter of weeks. A removable drain hair catcher turns that from a plumbing problem into a ten second chore.\n\nFamilies with small children get a second benefit. Bath toys, bottle lids, hair clips, and small plastic bits have a habit of finding the drain. A screen over the opening stops all of it. Anyone who has fished a Lego brick out of a waste pipe will understand why that is worth something.\n\nRenters are another obvious group. You cannot start swapping out drain fittings in a property you do not own, and you really do not want to be the tenant who caused a blockage. Something that drops in and lifts out leaves no trace.\n\nThen there is the plain practical case. If you already know your pipes run slow, catching hair at the surface stops the existing build-up getting worse while you deal with it properly.\n\nWhat to look at when comparing options\n\nMaterial comes first. Most cheap strainers are moulded plastic. They work on day one. By month six the hot water has warped them, the edges have gone brittle, and the finish has yellowed. Stainless steel does not do any of that. It stays the same shape and the same colour through years of hot water and soap. A stainless steel hair catcher costs more up front and then stops being a recurring purchase.\n\nSize is the thing people get wrong. Drain openings vary more than you would think. Measure the diameter of your drain before you order anything. This unit has an 11.1 cm width, which covers most standard bath and shower drains, but five seconds with a tape measure beats a return.\n\nCheck the fit style. Some catchers are designed to drop into the drain hole itself, which only works with certain fittings. Others, like this one, sit over the top. A drain protector for pop up plugs needs to clear the raised plug mechanism rather than fight with it, and that is the specific job this shape was designed for.\n\nThink about cleaning before you buy. A hair catcher that is a nuisance to empty is a hair catcher that sits under the sink. Two parts that come apart by hand, plus a handle you can grip, makes the difference between a habit and a good intention.\n\nWeight matters a little. At 122 g this one has enough heft to stay put as water drains past it. Very light plastic versions tend to lift and shift, which defeats the point.\n\nGetting it into the routine\n\nThe routine is short. After a bath or shower, lift the catcher, tip the hair into the bin, rinse it under the tap, and set it back over the drain. Done properly it takes less time than drying your hands.\n\nOnce a week or so, give it a proper wash. Warm water, a drop of washing-up liquid, and a soft brush will shift the soap film that builds on any bathroom surface. Dry it with a cloth afterwards and the polished steel stays bright instead of picking up water marks.\n\nThings to avoid: steel wool, scouring powder, and long soaks in bleach. None of those are kind to a polished finish, and none of them are necessary. Soap and water handle it.\n\nOne small tip. Keep a small bin within arm's reach of the bath. The main reason people stop emptying a hair catcher is that there is nowhere convenient to put the hair, so they leave it and then leave it again. Solve that and the habit sticks.\n\nA few honest limitations\n\nThis is a hair catcher, not a drain cleaner. If your pipes are already partly blocked, putting a screen on top will stop things getting worse but it will not clear what is already down there. Deal with the existing blockage first, then fit the catcher to keep it from coming back.\n\nIt also does not seal. If you want to fill the bath for a soak, you still use your plug as normal. The catcher is about what happens when the water goes out, not when it stays in.\n\nAnd it only works if you empty it. A full hair catcher is a blocked drain with better lighting. The upside is that you can see the problem the moment it appears, which is exactly the point.\n\nThe short version\n\nHair causes most bath drain blockages, and hair is easy to stop at the surface. A domed stainless steel screen over the drain catches strands and small objects while water keeps running through. This one is 11.1 cm wide and 4.8 cm tall, weighs 122 g, needs no tools, and comes apart by hand for cleaning.\n\nMeasure your drain, drop it in, and empty it after each use. That is the whole system. It is an unglamorous purchase that quietly prevents one of the more unpleasant jobs in the house.",
      "llm_summary": "It measures 11.1 cm wide by 4.8 cm high and weighs 122 g. The finish is polished stainless steel, and the maker describes it as adjustable with a two-part construction that assembles and separates by hand for cleaning. It is designed to sit over pop-up style bath plugs as well as shallow drains, trapping hair and small objects while water continues to drain through fine openings. No installation or tools are required. Colour, country of origin, and detailed overall dimensions beyond width and height are not specified by the maker.",
      "returnable": true,
      "return_policy": "14-day right to cancel from delivery under the Consumer Rights Act 2022, buyer pays return postage; the refund may be reduced if the item has been used beyond normal handling; Consumer Rights Act 2022 rights for faulty goods. Return postage on faulty goods is ours.",
      "shipping_profile": "standard",
      "warranty": null,
      "brand": "Drains Company",
      "gtin": null,
      "mpn": null,
      "condition": "new",
      "url": "https://drains.irish/pop-up-bath-plug-hair-catcher/",
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      "json_url": "https://drains.irish/api/products/pop-up-bath-plug-hair-catcher.json",
      "updated_at": "2026-10-12"
    },
    {
      "id": "silicone-basin-hair-catcher-2-pack-with-tweezers",
      "sku": "silicone-basin-hair-catcher-2-pack-with-tweezers",
      "title": "Silicone Basin Hair Catcher, 2 Pack with Tweezers",
      "slug": "silicone-basin-hair-catcher-2-pack-with-tweezers",
      "price": 15.99,
      "currency": "EUR",
      "availability": "in_stock",
      "category": "shower-drain-hair-catchers",
      "category_label": "Shower & Bath Hair Catchers",
      "tags": [],
      "colors": [],
      "materials": [],
      "dimensions": null,
      "weight": null,
      "images": [
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      ],
      "description_short": "Two flexible grey strainers with a double filter sit over 37 to 44mm drain holes, and two pairs of black tweezers are included for picking the hair off.",
      "description": "Hair is behind most slow bathroom wastes\n\nA basin rarely blocks in one go. It gets slower over weeks. The water sits for a few seconds after you pull the plug, then for a minute, and one morning it does not go at all.\n\nOpen up the waste at that point and you nearly always find the same thing. Hair. A few strands go down every time someone washes or shaves. They snag on the crossbars of the waste or on the first joint below it. Soap, toothpaste and conditioner stick to the strands, and the lump grows until it fills the pipe.\n\nShowers and baths are worse than basins, because that is where long hair gets washed. The plug of hair forms just below the plughole where you cannot see it, and it only gets noticed when you are standing in grey water.\n\nThe cheapest way to deal with this is to stop the hair going down in the first place. That is all a hair catcher does. It sits at the top of the drain and holds the hair where you can see it and lift it off.\n\nWhat you get in this pack\n\nThis is a pack of two. Each catcher is a soft grey strainer, and the pack also holds two pairs of black tweezers. There is nothing else in the box and nothing else to buy.\n\nThe catchers are made from a flexible, rubbery material. The maker describes it as TPR silicone. The product details list it as thermoplastic elastomer, usually shortened to TPE. In plain terms it is a bendy strainer with smooth edges, not a stiff metal one. The maker says it holds its shape after repeated use.\n\nA soft strainer has two practical points in its favour. It will not scratch an enamel bath or a ceramic basin when you drop it in. And it bends a little to sit over a waste that is not perfectly flat.\n\nThere is also a suction cup, which helps the catcher stay over the plughole when the water is running. The maker gives little detail on it, so the photos are the place to see how it sits.\n\nHow the double filter works\n\nA single flat mesh has a weakness. If the holes are big, short hairs and small bits slip through. If the holes are tiny, they clog in one shower and the water pools.\n\nThe maker describes this catcher as a double filter. A coarse mesh does the heavy work and holds back clumps of hair. Smaller pores then hold finer debris. Water runs through both.\n\nIt still needs emptying. Every strainer does. Once the mesh is matted with hair, water backs up behind it, and that is your signal to lift it and wipe it. A catcher that is cleared after each shower will drain far better than one left for a week.\n\nGetting the size right\n\nThis is where most people go wrong with any plughole hair catcher, so it is worth two minutes with a ruler.\n\nThe maker states that this one fits drain holes with a diameter of 37 to 44mm. Measure the open hole in your basin, bath or shower. Lay the ruler across the widest point of the opening and read it in millimetres. Ignore the chrome flange around the edge. It is the hole that counts.\n\nIf your number falls between 37 and 44mm, you are inside the stated range. If it is under 37mm or over 44mm, do not order this one and hope. A catcher that is too small can slide about, and one sitting over a much wider hole will not cover it.\n\nWide shower tray wastes are the common mismatch. Many trays have a waste of 90mm or so, with a domed cover on top. This catcher is not made for those. Kitchen sinks vary too, and a lot of them have a waste opening wider than 44mm, so measure there as well.\n\nThe outer diameter of the catcher is not stated by the maker. Nor is the weight. The photos give a fair idea of how much rim sits beyond the hole.\n\nWhere it can go\n\nThe maker lists baths, showers and kitchen sinks. A bathroom basin with a hole in the stated range is an obvious home for it as well.\n\nWith two in the pack, a sensible split is one for the basin and one for the bath or shower. Those are the two places where hair goes down every day. If you only have one drain that fits, keep the second as a spare or use it in the kitchen sink to hold back food scraps.\n\nDo not swap the same catcher between the kitchen and the bathroom. Give each one a home and leave it there.\n\nA word on pop-up plugs. The maker does not say how the catcher behaves with a pop-up waste, where the plug stays in the hole and lifts on a spring or lever. A catcher that sits over the drain generally wants a clear opening. If you have a pop-up, look closely at the photos before you buy.\n\nFitting it and living with it\n\nThere is no installation. You place the catcher over the drain and make sure it is centred. No tools, no sealant, no screws. That also makes it a good fit for rented homes, because it leaves no mark and comes with you when you move.\n\nWipe the area around the plughole before you put it down the first time. A suction cup holds better on a clean, smooth surface than on a film of soap.\n\nThen get into one small habit. After a shower or bath, lift the catcher out. Pick the hair off with the tweezers, or wipe it away with a piece of kitchen paper. Rinse the catcher under the tap and put it back. The tweezers mean you never have to touch the wet hair, which is the part most people dislike.\n\nPut the hair in the bin. Do not rinse it down the plughole and do not flush it. A small pedal bin in the bathroom takes care of it.\n\nKeeping it clean\n\nHair is easy to lift off. Soap film takes a little more. Every week or two, give the catcher a proper wash with a drop of washing-up liquid and an old toothbrush, working the bristles through the mesh. Rinse it and let it dry.\n\nThe maker does not say that it is dishwasher safe, so wash it by hand. No heat limit is given either. Hot water from a tap or shower is normal use. If you are about to pour a kettle of very hot water down the waste, lift the catcher out first.\n\nRinse the tweezers at the same time and leave them to dry beside the catcher.\n\nChoosing between catcher types\n\nIt helps to know where this one sits among the options. Rigid metal strainers are hard-wearing but can rattle and mark an enamel bath. Mushroom-style catchers drop down inside the waste and hide the hair, which looks tidy but means pulling out a wet plug of it later. Flat, soft catchers like this one sit on top. The hair is in plain view, which is less pretty and much easier to deal with.\n\nFor most homes, the right silicone drain strainer is decided by two things. The size of the hole, and how willing the household is to empty it. A catcher that people find easy to lift and wipe is one that gets emptied.\n\nWhat a hair catcher will not do\n\nIt is a prevention tool. It will not clear a drain that is already slow, because the plug of hair is sitting in the pipe below it. Deal with that first. A plastic hair hook or a small plunger will usually bring the lump up in a few minutes. After that, the catcher keeps new hair out.\n\nWe do not recommend chemical drain cleaners. They are harsh on skin and eyes, and a solid plug of hair often lets the liquid run past without shifting it.\n\nNo strainer stops every blockage. Soap and toothpaste still coat the inside of a pipe over the years. And if several fittings in the house back up together, or water comes up in the shower when the basin empties, the problem is further along the drain. That is a job for a plumber. If the blockage is in a public sewer, contact Uisce Éireann or your local authority.\n\nThe short version\n\nHair causes most slow basins, baths and showers. A catcher over the plughole stops it at the top.\n\nThis pack gives you two soft grey catchers with a double filter, and two pairs of black tweezers for lifting the hair off. The maker states a fit for drain holes from 37 to 44mm across, so measure yours before you order.\n\nPlace it over the drain, lift it out after you wash, wipe it, rinse it and put it back. Clear any existing blockage first, and bin the hair every time.",
      "llm_summary": "This is a pack of two grey hair catchers for household plugholes, sold with two pairs of black tweezers. Each catcher sits over the drain and has a double filter, a coarse mesh for hair clumps and finer pores for small debris, while water drains through. The maker states that it fits drain holes from 37 to 44mm in diameter. The material is flexible. The maker describes it as TPR silicone and the product details list thermoplastic elastomer (TPE). The stated uses are baths, showers and kitchen sinks. To clean it, lift it out, remove the hair with the tweezers or a paper towel and rinse it. Outer diameter, weight, heat limit and country of origin are not stated by the maker.",
      "returnable": true,
      "return_policy": "14-day right to cancel from delivery under the Consumer Rights Act 2022, buyer pays return postage; the refund may be reduced if the item has been used beyond normal handling; Consumer Rights Act 2022 rights for faulty goods. Return postage on faulty goods is ours.",
      "shipping_profile": "standard",
      "warranty": null,
      "brand": "Drains Company",
      "gtin": null,
      "mpn": null,
      "condition": "new",
      "url": "https://drains.irish/silicone-basin-hair-catcher-2-pack-with-tweezers/",
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      "updated_at": "2026-10-12"
    },
    {
      "id": "silicone-shower-drain-hair-catcher-125mm",
      "sku": "silicone-shower-drain-hair-catcher-125mm",
      "title": "Silicone Shower Drain Hair Catcher 125mm",
      "slug": "silicone-shower-drain-hair-catcher-125mm",
      "price": 13.99,
      "currency": "EUR",
      "availability": "in_stock",
      "category": "shower-drain-hair-catchers",
      "category_label": "Shower & Bath Hair Catchers",
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      ],
      "description_short": "A 125mm grey TPR silicone cover with wide mesh for hair and micro-perforations for crumbs and grit, built with a foldable basket that stays put while you shower.",
      "description": "The problem nobody notices until it is too late\n\nBlocked shower drains do not happen overnight. They build up slowly over weeks and months, and by the time you notice, the damage is already inside the pipe where you cannot see it.\n\nHere is how it goes. A few hairs come loose in the shower and wash towards the drain. Most slip through. They do not travel far. Just past the opening, inside the trap, they catch on a rough edge or snag on each other and stay put. Then conditioner, shower gel, shaving foam, and body oils wash over them. Soap residue sticks to hair much more readily than it sticks to smooth pipe, so the small tangle becomes a sticky mat. The mat catches the next day's hair more easily than the pipe did. Within a couple of months, water takes longer to clear. Within six, you are standing in it.\n\nThe frustrating part is that the fix at that stage is unpleasant. Drain snakes, caustic chemicals, pulling the waste apart, or paying someone to do it for you. All of that for something that could have been stopped with a small piece of silicone sitting on top of the hole.\n\nThat is the whole argument for a drain hair catcher. It moves the problem from a place you cannot reach to a place you can see and empty in ten seconds.\n\nHow a silicone drain catcher works\n\nThe principle is simple. Water needs to get through and hair does not.\n\nThat sounds easy, but hair behaves oddly around holes. It does not drop through like a crumb would. Long strands drape over edges and slide through gaps that look too small, because they go end-first. Short hairs behave more like grit. A good catcher has to handle both.\n\nThis design uses two sizes of opening. Wider mesh slots give water a clear path and give long hair something to drape over and stay on. Finer micro-perforations across the surface hold back the smaller material, sand, exfoliant beads, crumbs in a kitchen sink, and the short hair that a wide mesh alone would let through. Between the two, most of what you would rather not send down the pipe stays on top.\n\nThe shape matters as much as the holes. A completely flat filter has one problem. Once debris covers the surface, water has nowhere else to go and it pools. A raised basket profile puts openings at different heights, so when hair gathers at the bottom edge, the sides are still clear and water keeps moving. It buys you time between cleans. The foldable silicone body also means the catcher can flex into position rather than rattling loose, and it stays seated while the shower runs over it.\n\nFlexibility has a second benefit. Hard plastic strainers crack when you drop them or press them too hard, usually at the rim. TPR silicone bends and springs back. You can squash it in your fist to shake the hair loose and it returns to shape.\n\nWho this suits\n\nAnyone with long hair in the house will see the difference first. A single person with long hair can shed enough in a week to matter, and in a shared bathroom with two or three long-haired people, drains clog fast. This is the obvious case.\n\nBut it is not only long hair. Short hair in volume does the same thing, just more slowly. Men who shave in the shower push a surprising amount of stubble down the drain, and because it is short and stiff it packs together well. A finer filter surface is more useful there than a wide mesh alone.\n\nPet owners are another clear fit. Washing a dog in the bath or shower sends a lot of coarse hair into the waste in one go, often along with mud and grit from a walk. Catching it at the surface saves you a horrible job later.\n\nRenters get a specific benefit. There is nothing to fit, no adhesive, and no change to the plumbing. It sits there while you live in the place and goes in a drawer when you leave. Landlords and property managers often buy the best anti clog drain cover they can find simply to cut the number of callouts about slow drains between tenancies.\n\nAnd then there is kitchen and utility use. The same 12.5 cm cover works on a sink waste of a similar size, where it catches food scraps and coffee grounds. A best reusable drain filter in a kitchen pays for itself quickly compared with disposable mesh bags.\n\nHow to choose the right one\n\nStart with size, because nothing else matters if it does not fit. This cover is listed with a compatible groove diameter of 12.5 cm. Lay a ruler flat across your drain opening and read the widest point. If you are at or just under that figure, you are fine. If your waste is noticeably larger, the cover will not sit over it properly and debris will slip around the edge.\n\nShape is the next check. This is a round cover. Round wastes are the most common in showers and baths, but some wet rooms use linear channel drains or square gratings, and a round cover will not match those.\n\nThen look at the filter surface. A single hole size is a compromise. Make the holes big and fine debris goes straight through. Make them small and the thing clogs instantly. Two sizes working together is a better answer, which is why the best shower drain hair catcher designs tend to combine wide slots with a finer perforated area.\n\nMaterial comes next. You will be handling this thing wet, with hair on it, several times a week. Silicone is pleasant to handle, does not corrode, and does not have sharp edges. Stainless steel strainers are durable but can be cold and unforgiving, and cheap rigid plastic tends to crack at the rim. If you are weighing up the best silicone drain cover against metal, the deciding factor is usually how it feels when you are emptying it half asleep in the morning.\n\nFinally, think about colour. Grey disappears against most trays, baths, chrome, and tiling. White shows hair dye and mineral marks. Black shows limescale. Grey sits comfortably in the middle, which is why it is the default on so many bathroom fittings.\n\nLiving with it, day to day\n\nThe habit is the product. A catcher that sits there full of hair is just a slow drain with extra steps.\n\nLift it out after your shower while you are still in the bathroom. Pull the hair off with your fingers or tip it straight into the bin. Rinse the cover under the tap, warm water is better than cold because it shifts soap film, and put it back. Ten seconds, done.\n\nOnce a week or so, give it a proper wash. A drop of washing-up liquid and a rub with your fingers clears conditioner residue that builds up invisibly. Rinse and let it dry before refitting. In hard water areas you may see a chalky film after a few months. Warm soapy water and a soak loosen it, and a soft cloth takes it off. Stay away from bleach, oven cleaner, and scouring pads. None of them are necessary and all of them are rough on flexible materials.\n\nOne thing to remember. A catcher stops new material entering the pipe, but it cannot clear what is already there. If your drain is already slow, deal with that first, then fit the cover to keep it clear from then on.\n\nThe short version\n\nHair is the reason shower drains block, and the only easy place to catch it is at the surface. A 12.5 cm round silicone cover with two sizes of opening handles both long strands and fine grit, and the raised basket shape keeps water flowing even as it fills. It needs no tools and no adhesive, so it works just as well in a rented flat as in a house you own.\n\nMeasure your drain, check it is round and around 12.5 cm, and then get into the habit of emptying the catcher after each shower. That small routine is what keeps the pipe clear.",
      "llm_summary": "The Silicone Shower Drain Hair Catcher is a round grey cover with a compatible groove diameter of 12.5 cm (125 mm), supplied as a single item in one pack. It is made from silicone (TPR) with a grey silicone finish and is listed with an improved filtration feature, combining wider mesh openings for hair with smaller perforations for finer debris. The design is a foldable basket shape that sits over a standard drain and is lifted out, emptied, and rinsed for reuse. Model and manufacturer part number are MTX-P2-toufaguolv and the UPC is 769016835654. Product weight, packaged dimensions, and country of origin are not specified by the maker.",
      "returnable": true,
      "return_policy": "14-day right to cancel from delivery under the Consumer Rights Act 2022, buyer pays return postage; the refund may be reduced if the item has been used beyond normal handling; Consumer Rights Act 2022 rights for faulty goods. Return postage on faulty goods is ours.",
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      "brand": "Drains Company",
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    {
      "id": "silicone-shower-hair-grid-2-pack",
      "sku": "silicone-shower-hair-grid-2-pack",
      "title": "Silicone Shower Hair Grid 2 Pack",
      "slug": "silicone-shower-hair-grid-2-pack",
      "price": 17.99,
      "currency": "EUR",
      "availability": "in_stock",
      "category": "shower-drain-hair-catchers",
      "category_label": "Shower & Bath Hair Catchers",
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      ],
      "description_short": "A two pack of polished white silicone drain filters with a raised double layer mesh, a soft non-slip base that grips smooth ceramic and glass, and a quick rinse-and-replace clean up.",
      "description": "The real cause of a slow shower drain\n\nAlmost nobody blocks a drain in one go. It builds. A few strands of hair snag on a rough edge inside the pipe, soap and conditioner cling to them, and over a few weeks that small catch turns into a mat that water has to squeeze past. By the time you notice the water rising around your ankles mid-shower, the blockage has usually been forming for a month or more.\n\nThe frustrating part is how preventable it is. The hair that causes the problem goes down the drain in full view. It is on the tray, it is on your hands, you can see it heading for the plughole. A drain filter simply gives it somewhere to stop.\n\nThat is the whole job of a silicone shower hair grid. It sits over the opening and takes the hair out of the equation before it ever gets into the pipework. No chemicals, no plunging, no unscrewing the trap on a Sunday afternoon.\n\nHow a double layer filter differs from a basic strainer\n\nMost cheap drain covers are a flat disc with holes in it. They catch some hair, but they have two weaknesses. First, hair spreads across the flat surface and forms a seal, which chokes the flow. Second, anything smaller than the holes goes straight through, so grit and soap lumps still make it into the pipe.\n\nThe double layer approach deals with both. The outer mesh is coarse and deliberately so. It is sized to grab hair quickly and hold it in a clump you can pick off with your fingers. Below that, a finer mesh catches the smaller material that the top layer lets through. You get hair control and debris control from one piece, which is what people are usually after when they go looking for the best reusable drain filter.\n\nThe raised shape is the other half of the design. Because the filter domes up rather than lying flat, the sides stay open even when hair has collected on top. Water takes the path of least resistance and drains around the clump instead of stalling behind it. In practice that means you notice the mesh needs emptying because you can see the hair, not because the shower has started to flood.\n\nWhy grip matters more than people expect\n\nA drain filter that moves is worse than no filter at all. If it shifts even slightly, hair slides under the edge and straight down the drain, and you end up with the blockage you were trying to avoid plus a bit of plastic drifting around the tray.\n\nThis one uses a soft rubber non-slip strip on the underside. It grips smooth surfaces directly, so there is nothing to glue down and no suction cups to pop off halfway through a shower. Press it over the drain and the strip does the rest.\n\nThe catch, and it is worth being straight about it, is that the grip depends on the surface. Glazed ceramic, glass, acrylic and smooth resin all give the strip something to hold. Stone-effect trays, heavily textured anti-slip finishes and rough tiling do not, because the strip only makes contact at the high points. If your tray is textured, the best non slip drain cover for you may well be a different style that locks into the drain opening instead.\n\nA quick test before you order: wipe the area around your plughole with a dry cloth and run a fingertip across it. If it feels glassy, you are fine. If it feels like fine sandpaper, think twice.\n\nSizing it up\n\nThe filter is 13 cm wide and 3.5 cm high. It sits on top of the drain rather than dropping inside it, so the measurement that matters is the flat, smooth area surrounding your plughole, not the diameter of the hole itself. You want at least 13 cm of clear space so the whole base can make contact.\n\nHeight matters in one specific case. If you have a pop-up or click-clack waste that stands proud of the tray, a surface-mounted filter cannot sit flat over it. Check the height of your fitting against the 3.5 cm profile and you will know straight away whether it works.\n\nBeyond that, silicone is forgiving. It flexes enough to sit comfortably on a very slight curve or dip, which rigid metal covers cannot do.\n\nWho gets the most out of it\n\nHouseholds with long hair feel the difference fastest. If someone in the house sheds enough to need the trap cleared a few times a year, catching it at the surface saves a genuinely unpleasant job. The same goes for anyone who washes a dog in the bath, since pet hair behaves much the same way inside a pipe.\n\nRenters and students tend to like it because it needs no tools, no adhesive and no permanent change to the bathroom. You press it down when you move in and take it with you when you leave.\n\nThen there is the second filter in the pack. Some people put it in a second bathroom. Others use it in the kitchen, where the enemy is food scraps and coffee grounds rather than hair, and a silicone screen works just as well as a hair trap for shower drain duty. A third option is to keep it dry as a spare so there is always a clean one ready to swap in.\n\nKeeping it clean without making a job of it\n\nThe cleaning routine is short enough that it does not become a chore. Lift the filter off the tray, tip the hair straight into the bin, and rinse under warm soapy water. If the finer mesh has gone cloudy with soap residue, a soft brush shifts it in a few seconds.\n\nShake off the water and press it back down. That is it.\n\nTwo things to avoid. Do not attack it with an abrasive scouring pad, because that dulls the polished finish. And lift the filter out before you pour any drain cleaner or strong chemical down the plughole, then rinse both the tray and the filter with plain water afterwards.\n\nLetting it dry fully every so often is worth doing too. Silicone does not absorb water, so any smell is almost always residue sitting in the mesh rather than the material itself. A proper wash and a dry afternoon sorts it.\n\nWhat it will not do\n\nWorth saying plainly. A surface filter prevents new blockages. It does not clear an existing one. If your drain is already slow, deal with that first, whether that means clearing the trap or calling someone, and then fit the filter to stop it coming back.\n\nIt also will not help if it is not in place. The filter only works when it is sitting over the drain, so if you take it out to clean and forget to put it back, you are unprotected until you do.\n\nAnd it is a filter, not a shower mat. The surface is designed to resist slipping, but stepping around it is the sensible move, particularly with soap underfoot.\n\nThe short version\n\nA silicone shower hair grid is one of the cheapest pieces of prevention you can put in a bathroom. This one catches hair on a coarse outer mesh, holds back smaller debris on a finer layer underneath, and keeps draining through the sides thanks to the raised shape.\n\nCheck two things before you buy. Is the area around your drain smooth enough for the non-slip strip to grip, and do you have 13 cm of flat space to work with? If both answers are yes, you are set.\n\nYou get two filters, which covers a shower and a sink, or a shower and a spare. Clean it with a rinse every few days and it quietly does its job for a long time.",
      "llm_summary": "The Silicone Shower Hair Grid 2 Pack by is a reusable drain filter set for showers, baths and sinks. Each filter is moulded in polished white silicone, measures 13 cm wide by 3.5 cm high, and uses a raised double layer filtration structure where a coarse outer mesh catches hair and a finer inner mesh holds smaller debris. A soft non-slip strip on the underside grips smooth surfaces such as ceramic and glass to stop the filter floating or shifting. The filter lifts out for cleaning and rinses under warm soapy water. The pack contains two circular filters. Model number CG-BGLQ-2-CHQ, UPC 782926256784. Weight, country of origin and overall diameter are not specified by the maker.",
      "returnable": true,
      "return_policy": "14-day right to cancel from delivery under the Consumer Rights Act 2022, buyer pays return postage; the refund may be reduced if the item has been used beyond normal handling; Consumer Rights Act 2022 rights for faulty goods. Return postage on faulty goods is ours.",
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    },
    {
      "id": "stainless-steel-hair-strainer-115mm-2-pack",
      "sku": "stainless-steel-hair-strainer-115mm-2-pack",
      "title": "Stainless Steel Hair Strainer 115mm, 2 Pack",
      "slug": "stainless-steel-hair-strainer-115mm-2-pack",
      "price": 12.99,
      "currency": "EUR",
      "availability": "in_stock",
      "category": "shower-drain-hair-catchers",
      "category_label": "Shower & Bath Hair Catchers",
      "tags": [],
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      ],
      "description_short": "A two-pack of 115mm polished stainless steel drain covers with fine perforations that trap hair and food scraps while water drains away fast.",
      "description": "The problem nobody deals with until it is too late\n\nA blocked drain is one of those household jobs that gets worse quietly. Nobody notices the first few strands of hair. Nobody notices the hundredth. What people notice is standing in two inches of grey water, or watching a sink empty at the speed of a leaking bucket.\n\nThe material causing it is almost always the same. Hair, soap, grease and small food scraps meet inside the pipe and knit together into a plug. Hair is the scaffolding, because it tangles and anchors, and everything else sticks to it. Pour a chemical cleaner down there and you are dissolving a problem you created months ago, in a pipe you cannot see, with a product you would rather not have in the house.\n\nA strainer sitting over the opening works on the other end of that chain. It stops the scaffolding getting in. Everything you would have had to dissolve later now sits in plain view, where you can lift it with a finger and put it in the bin. It is not clever technology. It is just the right thing in the right place.\n\nHow a flat drain strainer works\n\nThis type of cover is a shallow stainless steel disc, 115mm across and about 2cm deep, with the face punched full of small round holes. It rests over the drain opening. Water falls onto it, runs through the holes and away. Anything larger than a hole stays on top.\n\nThe hole size is the whole design. Too large and hair slips through, which makes the cover decorative rather than useful. Too small and the water backs up, especially once a bit of shampoo foam is in the mix. The perforations here are set to catch hair and particles while keeping flow close to normal, so in daily use you should not feel like your shower has slowed down.\n\nNote that it strains rather than seals. Water goes through by design, so this is not a plug. If you want to fill a bath or hold water in a sink, you still need the stopper that came with the fitting. Plenty of people use both, with the strainer going back over the top once the water has drained.\n\nThe other thing worth understanding is that a surface catcher only helps if you clear it. Its job is to make the clearing easy, not to make it unnecessary. Thirty seconds a day beats an evening with a drain snake.\n\nWhy stainless steel instead of plastic or silicone\n\nWalk through any homeware aisle and you will see three versions of this product. Plastic domes, silicone mats, and metal discs.\n\nPlastic is the cheapest and it does work at first. The trouble is that bathroom plastic goes brittle. Hot water, shampoo and sunlight through a window all shorten its life, and when it cracks the broken piece can end up in the drain, which is exactly what you were trying to avoid. Silicone lasts better but it is soft, so it can shift under the force of running water and tends to collect a greasy film that is a chore to clean.\n\nStainless steel sits in a wet environment without changing. It does not warp, does not go yellow and does not soften. This set is listed as rust resistant with a polished finish, which means soap residue wipes off rather than soaking in. The weight also helps. A metal disc has enough heft to stay put when water hits it, where a light plastic one can float or slide.\n\nSteel is also easy to clean properly. These are dishwasher safe, so the kitchen one can go in with the plates rather than getting scrubbed by hand.\n\nWill it fit your drain\n\nFit is the one thing worth checking before you buy anything in this category, and it takes about a minute.\n\nTake a tape measure and measure across the drain opening itself, not the decorative plate around it. These strainers are 115mm wide and are designed to sit over openings of roughly 80mm to 100mm, with the rim resting on the flat surface around the hole. If your opening is much wider than 100mm, the cover will fall in. If it is tiny, the cover still works, it just overhangs more than necessary.\n\nThe second thing to check is whether the surface around the drain is flat. A standard shower tray, bath or sink gives you that. A tiled wet room with a strong fall, or a drain set into a recess with a raised lip, may not let the disc sit flush. It will still catch hair, but it may rock.\n\nThe third check is your existing plug. If you have a pop-up waste with a mechanism that stands proud of the drain, the cover may perch on top of it rather than lying flat. Many pop-ups lift out, which solves it. Where the plug sits level or can be left in the open position, there is usually no issue.\n\nWho gets the most out of it\n\nHouseholds with long hair are the obvious group. One person with long hair sheds more than enough in a week to start a clog, and a family with two or three makes it inevitable. This is the single cheapest piece of plumbing insurance you can buy.\n\nDog owners are the next group. Washing a shedding breed in the bath puts an astonishing amount of coat into the drain in one session. Expect to clear the strainer partway through the wash rather than at the end.\n\nRenters benefit too, because nothing is fitted. There is no adhesive, no screw and no modification. You put it down, use it, and take it with you. If the landlord charges for a blocked drain at the end of a tenancy, that is a strong argument on its own.\n\nIn the kitchen, the second strainer in the pack earns its place catching rice, coffee grounds, tea leaves and peelings. Those are the solids that bind with cooking grease and cause slow sinks. Many people find the kitchen one is the piece they use more.\n\nKeeping it clean and keeping it working\n\nThe routine is simple. Lift the strainer, tip whatever is on it into the bin, rinse it under the tap, put it back. In a busy shower that is a daily job. In a guest bathroom it might be weekly.\n\nOnce a week or so, give it a proper wash. Warm soapy water and a soft brush will clear anything stuck in the holes. Dry it off afterwards if you want to keep the polished face free of water marks. Hard water areas will leave limescale spotting over time, and a diluted descaler or a wipe with white vinegar handles that.\n\nAvoid steel wool and scouring powders. They will scratch the polish and leave a dull patch that then holds onto grime. A nylon brush is plenty for anything a drain cover picks up.\n\nIf the holes do slowly clog with soap residue, a soak in hot soapy water loosens it. Push the softened residue out from the underside rather than the top, so you are pushing in the direction the water normally flows.\n\nA few honest limitations\n\nIt is worth being straight about what a surface strainer cannot do. It will not clear an existing blockage. If your drain is already slow, deal with that first, then fit the strainer to stop it coming back.\n\nIt will not catch dissolved grease. Liquid fat goes straight through the holes with the water and cools further down the pipe. Kitchen habits still matter, so pour cooking fat into a jar rather than the sink.\n\nIt is also visible. It sits on top of the drain, so you can see it. Some people prefer the look of a flush chrome grate with nothing on it. If that matters more to you than the maintenance, this is not the product for you. Most people decide a small silver disc is a reasonable trade for never using a plunger again.\n\nThe short version\n\nIf you have hair going down a drain, something is going to catch it. Either you catch it at the top with a strainer you can empty in seconds, or the pipe catches it in a place that needs tools and chemicals.\n\nThis two-pack gives you a 115mm polished stainless steel cover for the shower and another for the kitchen sink. Rust resistant, dishwasher safe, no fitting required, and nothing to break. Measure your drain opening, check the surface around it is reasonably flat, and that is the whole decision.",
      "llm_summary": "The Stainless Steel Hair Strainer 115mm 2 Pack is a set of two polished stainless steel drain covers from, model Abflusssieb Edelstahl. Each strainer measures 11.5cm in diameter with an item depth of 2cm, in a silver finish and modern style, and is described as rust resistant and dishwasher safe. The perforated face sits over a shower, bath or sink drain to trap hair and food scraps while water drains through. It rests on top of the drain rather than fixing in place, so no tools or installation are needed. Product weight, country of origin and overall packaged dimensions are not specified by the maker. No certifications, warranty or customer rating figures are stated here.",
      "returnable": true,
      "return_policy": "14-day right to cancel from delivery under the Consumer Rights Act 2022, buyer pays return postage; the refund may be reduced if the item has been used beyond normal handling; Consumer Rights Act 2022 rights for faulty goods. Return postage on faulty goods is ours.",
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      "brand": "Drains Company",
      "gtin": null,
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      "url": "https://drains.irish/stainless-steel-hair-strainer-115mm-2-pack/",
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      "updated_at": "2026-10-12"
    },
    {
      "id": "stainless-steel-hair-strainer-75mm-2-pack",
      "sku": "stainless-steel-hair-strainer-75mm-2-pack",
      "title": "Stainless Steel Hair Strainer 75mm, 2 Pack",
      "slug": "stainless-steel-hair-strainer-75mm-2-pack",
      "price": 9.99,
      "currency": "EUR",
      "availability": "in_stock",
      "category": "shower-drain-hair-catchers",
      "category_label": "Shower & Bath Hair Catchers",
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      ],
      "description_short": "A two pack of rust-resistant stainless steel sieves, roughly 7.7 cm across and 1.4 cm deep, with holes small enough to trap waste yet open enough to let water run away fast.",
      "description": "The problem nobody notices until it is too late\n\nA blocked drain is one of those household problems that gives you plenty of warning and still manages to catch you out. The shower takes slightly longer to clear. Then there is a shallow puddle around your feet by the end of a wash. Then one morning the water simply sits there, grey and still, and you spend an hour with a wire hook and a bottle of drain cleaner pulling out something you would rather not look at.\n\nAlmost all of it is hair. A single wash sheds dozens of strands, and each one catches on the rough edges inside the waste pipe. Soap, conditioner and skin cells stick to the hair, and the whole thing turns into a dense plug. The same thing happens at the kitchen sink with rice, coffee grounds, tea leaves and bits of food that slip past the washing-up.\n\nThe fix is not clever. It is a small metal sieve sitting over the hole so none of that gets in. That is all a drain strainer does, and done properly it saves you the drain cleaner, the plunger and, eventually, the call-out fee.\n\nHow a surface strainer works\n\nThere are two broad approaches to drain protection. One sits inside the drain, pushed down into the pipe. The other sits on top, over the opening. This one is the second kind.\n\nA surface strainer is a shallow perforated disc that rests on the lip around the plughole. Water flows through the holes, hair and debris stay on top, and you lift it out and empty it. Nothing has to be forced into place, nothing needs sealing, and if it does not suit your drain you just take it away again.\n\nThe hole size is where the design either works or fails. Too fine and the strainer behaves like a filter, clogging with soap scum and backing water up into the tray. Too coarse and hair threads straight through, which defeats the point. The holes on these strainers are sized to let the water out at close to normal speed while catching the hair and scraps that cause the trouble. You can see what is sitting on top, which doubles as a reminder to empty it.\n\nThe shallow profile matters too. At roughly 1.4 cm high, these do not stand up like a cup in the middle of your shower floor. You will not kick one, and it will not interfere with bare feet.\n\nWhy stainless steel beats plastic here\n\nPlastic strainers are everywhere because they are cheap to make. They also have a short life in a bathroom. Constant hot water makes the plastic brittle, shampoo and limescale stain it, and the thin edges warp until the strainer no longer sits flat. After a year it looks tired, and a warped strainer lets hair creep past the rim.\n\nStainless steel does not have those problems. It is listed here as rust resistant, which is the whole reason the material is used for sinks, taps and kitchen tools in the first place. Hot water does nothing to it. Shampoo does nothing to it. A scrub with a brush gets it back to clean rather than slowly wearing a coating off.\n\nThere is also the look. A silver stainless disc sits in a modern bathroom without announcing itself. It matches the chrome around your waste and tap, so it reads as part of the fitting rather than an awkward add-on. For something that lives permanently in the middle of your shower floor, that is worth more than it sounds.\n\nGetting the size right\n\nThis is the one step people skip, and it is the only step that can go wrong.\n\nEach strainer here measures approximately 7.7 cm across. The listed compatible groove diameter is about 1.8 inches, and because the strainer rests on top rather than pushing in, there is some tolerance on either side. What you are checking for is simple. Is your drain opening narrower than the strainer, and is there a flat rim around it for the strainer to sit on?\n\nTake a tape measure or a ruler and measure straight across the opening of the drain, not the decorative plate around it. If the opening comes in under the width of the strainer, you are fine. If your drain is a long slot rather than a round hole, a round strainer is the wrong shape and you want a different product.\n\nMost standard shower trays, bath plugholes and kitchen sinks in Irish homes fall comfortably in range. Older properties and unusual continental fittings are the ones worth measuring twice.\n\nWho this suits\n\nAnyone with long hair in the house is the obvious case. One person with long hair sheds enough in a week to start a blockage, and a surface strainer catches nearly all of it.\n\nHouseholds with pets that get washed in the bath or shower are the next group. Pet hair is shorter and denser than human hair, and it mats into the pipe fast.\n\nRenters get good value from something that needs no tools and leaves no trace. You drop it in, and on moving day you lift it out and take it with you. There is nothing to repair and no deposit at risk.\n\nKitchens are the underrated use. Scraps that look harmless going down the sink build up with grease into something stubborn. A strainer over the kitchen drain catches rice, peelings, coffee grounds and tea leaves before they get the chance. Having two in the pack is why a lot of people put one in each room.\n\nThe people this does not suit are those with slotted or oversized floor drains, and anyone who wants a strainer that locks permanently in place. A surface strainer is removable by design, which is its advantage and its limit.\n\nLiving with it day to day\n\nThe routine is about as short as a cleaning routine gets. After a shower, lift the strainer, tip the hair into the bin, and put it back. Ten seconds. The reason it is worth doing promptly is that wet hair peels off a steel surface easily, whereas hair left to dry on sticks and needs picking at.\n\nOnce a week or so, give it a proper rinse with warm soapy water and a soft brush to clear any soap film from the smaller holes. If you would rather not think about it, both strainers are dishwasher safe and can go on the top rack with the normal load.\n\nAvoid steel wool and aggressive scouring pads. They will not destroy the strainer, but they leave fine scratches that dull the finish and give soap scum something to grip. A nylon brush does the job better and faster.\n\nOne habit worth building, if you have a bath or a sink you fill regularly: take the strainer out before you put the plug in, and put it back once the water has gone. It stops you wondering why the plug will not seat properly.\n\nTwo is more useful than one\n\nA lot of people buy a single strainer, put it in the shower, and then spend the next month wishing they had one for the kitchen. The two pack removes that decision.\n\nThe other way people use the second one is as a rotation. One strainer is in the drain and the other is going through the dishwasher or drying on the side. It means the drain is never left unprotected during the gap, which is usually when something slips through.\n\nThe short version\n\nHair causes most household drain blockages, and the cheapest place to stop it is at the surface. These are two stainless steel sieves, roughly 7.7 cm wide and 1.4 cm deep, that sit over a drain opening of about 1.8 inches and catch hair and food scraps while water runs through.\n\nThere is nothing to fit, nothing to glue, and nothing to unscrew when you move. The steel is rust resistant, so it handles daily soaking better than plastic, and it is dishwasher safe when you want a deeper clean.\n\nMeasure your drain opening first. If it fits, this is a small purchase that quietly prevents a much larger one.",
      "llm_summary": "The Stainless Steel Hair Strainer 75mm is sold as a two pack of drain sieves for bathroom and kitchen use. Each strainer measures approximately 7.7 cm wide by 1.4 cm high, with an item depth of 0.55 inches, and is listed as compatible with a drain groove diameter of around 1.8 inches. The strainers are made from stainless steel in a silver finish, described as rust resistant, in a modern style. They rest over the plughole to catch hair, soap pieces and food scraps while allowing water to drain. No tools or fitting are required. Product weight, country of origin and packaged dimensions are not specified by the maker. Care is straightforward, empty, rinse, and the strainers are dishwasher safe.",
      "returnable": true,
      "return_policy": "14-day right to cancel from delivery under the Consumer Rights Act 2022, buyer pays return postage; the refund may be reduced if the item has been used beyond normal handling; Consumer Rights Act 2022 rights for faulty goods. Return postage on faulty goods is ours.",
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      "url": "https://drains.irish/stainless-steel-hair-strainer-75mm-2-pack/",
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      "updated_at": "2026-10-12"
    },
    {
      "id": "linear-shower-drain-500mm",
      "sku": "linear-shower-drain-500mm",
      "title": "Linear Shower Drain 500mm in Stainless Steel",
      "slug": "linear-shower-drain-500mm",
      "price": 93.99,
      "currency": "EUR",
      "availability": "in_stock",
      "category": "shower-grates",
      "category_label": "Shower Drain Covers & Linear Drains",
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      ],
      "description_short": "A 304 stainless steel channel with a trap that turns through 360 degrees, a built-in odour stop and a catch for hair, made for floor-level showers and fitted by your plumber.",
      "description": "Why the drain matters more without a tray\n\nFor years the standard Irish shower was a tray with a door. The tray did all the work. It was moulded with a slope, the waste sat in a dip, and the edges kept the water in.\n\nTake the tray away and everything changes. In a floor-level shower, the bathroom floor itself has to collect the water and send it somewhere. There is no raised edge to stop it. The only things between the shower and the landing carpet are the slope of the floor and the drain it leads to.\n\nThat is why the drain is one of the first decisions in a walk-in shower or wet room, and not something to pick at the end. It sets the floor levels, the direction of the fall and the pattern of the tiles.\n\nWhat a linear drain is\n\nA traditional floor drain is a small square or round grate, usually in the middle of the shower. To get water to it, the floor has to slope in from all four sides, like a shallow funnel. Tiles have to be cut along the diagonals to follow those slopes. With small mosaic tiles that is fine. With large tiles it looks awkward.\n\nA linear drain is a long, narrow channel. Water falls into it along its whole length. Because it is a straight line and not a point, the floor can fall towards it in one flat plane, like a very gently tilted table. Large tiles can be laid whole. The drain usually sits against the back wall or across the entrance to the shower area, and from above it reads as a single neat strip.\n\nUnder the channel there is a trap. Water passes through the trap and into the waste pipe. The trap holds a small amount of water, and that water is what keeps drain smells from rising into the room.\n\nWhat the maker tells us about this drain\n\nThis drain has a nominal length of 500mm. The maker lists a width of 11cm and a height of 7cm.\n\nThe maker states it is made from 304 grade stainless steel. That is a common grade for sinks and bathroom fittings. The finish is listed as stainless steel and the colour as grey, so what you see is the metal itself.\n\nThe trap rotates through 360 degrees. This is a practical feature and worth understanding. Waste pipes cannot always run where you would like them to. Joists, walls and other pipes get in the way. A trap that turns means the outlet can be pointed in whatever direction the pipe has to go, and the plumber is not forced to add extra bends.\n\nThe maker describes a built-in odour stop. The maker also says the drain holds back hair and debris, so they collect in the drain and not further down the pipe.\n\nOne drain is supplied. The maker says it comes with the hardware needed to fit it, without saying what that hardware is.\n\nWhat the maker does not tell us\n\nIt is just as useful to know what is missing.\n\nThe outlet diameter is not stated by the maker. The waste pipe has to match it, so this needs to be measured on the drain itself.\n\nThe flow rate is not stated by the maker. Every drain can only take away so much water per minute. An ordinary electric shower is rarely a problem. A pumped shower with a large overhead rose puts out far more, and the drain must keep up with it.\n\nThe style of the cover is not stated by the maker, and nor is any height adjustment. The weight is not given either.\n\nNone of this is a reason to avoid the drain. It is a reason to have it in your plumber's hands before the floor is opened, not after.\n\nWhere it goes and which way the floor falls\n\nThere are two usual positions for a linear drain.\n\nThe first is along the back wall of the shower. The whole floor falls gently away from the bathroom towards that wall. The drain is out from underfoot and partly hidden by the line where wall meets floor.\n\nThe second is across the entrance to the shower area. Here the shower floor falls forward to the drain, and the drain acts as a last line before the water reaches the remainder of the room.\n\nEither can work. What matters is that the length of the drain suits the width of the side it sits on. If the shower area is much wider than the channel, water can run past the ends. A 500mm channel suits a compact shower area. For a wide one, talk to your plumber about whether a longer drain is the better fit.\n\nThe fall itself is the tiler's or floor layer's job. It does not need to be steep, but it does need to be consistent, with no flat spots where water can sit.\n\nThis is a job for a plumber\n\nWe sell the drain. We do not suggest fitting it yourself.\n\nPutting in a shower drain means altering fixed pipework. The waste has to be connected properly, with the right fall along its length, to the existing drainage. The Irish Building Regulations apply to drainage work. A qualified plumber knows what they require.\n\nThen there is the floor. A floor-level shower is only as good as its waterproofing. The whole wet area, and the junction between the drain and the floor in particular, has to be sealed with a tanking system before any tile is laid. The maker does not state that a membrane or sealing collar comes with this drain, so your installer should plan to supply one. A leak at that junction does not show for months, and when it does, it shows on the ceiling below.\n\nDepth is the other big question. The maker lists the drain at 7cm high. The floor build-up needs to take that, plus the pipe leaving the trap and the fall on that pipe. In a concrete floor that may mean cutting a chase. In a timber floor it means working between joists, and joists should never be notched without proper advice.\n\nWhat to settle before the floor goes down\n\nA short list will save a lot of trouble. Go through it with your plumber and tiler together.\n\nAgree where the drain sits and which way the floor falls. Measure the outlet and confirm the waste pipe size. Check the depth available against the 7cm height. Decide how the floor will be tanked and who is responsible for the seal at the drain. Check what is in the box against what the job needs. And tell the plumber what shower you are fitting, so they can judge the flow.\n\nDo all of that with the drain on site and unfitted. That is also the point to decide whether it is right for the room. Once a drain is built into a floor, it stays there.\n\nLooking after it\n\nA linear drain needs a little regular attention, and it is not hard.\n\nEvery week or two, lift the cover. Take out the hair that has gathered. Rinse the channel and the trap with warm water and put the parts back as they were. If you leave it for months, hair and soap build up, the water drains slowly and the shower floor starts to puddle.\n\nWipe the steel with a soft cloth and mild soapy water, then rinse. Stainless steel resists corrosion, but it does not like chlorine. Bleach and strong bathroom cleaners should not be left sitting on it. Wire wool will scratch it.\n\nWe do not recommend chemical drain cleaners for any drain, and that includes this one.\n\nIf the shower goes unused for a few weeks, the water in the trap can dry out and a smell may come through. Running the shower for half a minute refills it.\n\nThe short version\n\nA linear drain lets a tiled shower floor fall in one direction to a single channel. This one has a nominal length of 500mm. The maker lists it at 11cm wide and 7cm high and states it is 304 grade stainless steel. The trap turns through 360 degrees, and the maker describes a built-in odour stop and a catch for hair.\n\nThe outlet diameter and flow rate are not stated by the maker, so have your plumber check the drain before the floor is opened.\n\nFitting it is work for a qualified plumber, and the Irish Building Regulations apply. Get the fall and the waterproofing right, clear the hair out every week or two, and keep bleach off the steel.",
      "llm_summary": "This is a linear shower drain sold by Drains Company for tiled, floor-level showers and wet rooms. The nominal length is 500 mm. The maker states it is made from 304 grade stainless steel with a stainless steel finish, listed as grey, and gives a width of 11 cm and a height of 7 cm. The trap rotates through 360 degrees so the outlet direction can be chosen. The maker describes a built-in odour stop and says the drain holds back hair and debris. One drain is supplied, and the maker says fixing hardware is included without itemising it. The outlet diameter, flow rate, cover style, weight and country of origin are not stated by the maker. Fitting alters fixed pipework and should be done by a qualified plumber. The Irish Building Regulations apply to drainage work.",
      "returnable": true,
      "return_policy": "14-day right to cancel from delivery under the Consumer Rights Act 2022, buyer pays return postage; the refund may be reduced if the item has been used beyond normal handling; Consumer Rights Act 2022 rights for faulty goods. Return postage on faulty goods is ours.",
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    },
    {
      "id": "linear-shower-drain-700mm-with-trap",
      "sku": "linear-shower-drain-700mm-with-trap",
      "title": "700mm Linear Shower Drain with Trap",
      "slug": "linear-shower-drain-700mm-with-trap",
      "price": 115.99,
      "currency": "EUR",
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      "category": "shower-grates",
      "category_label": "Shower Drain Covers & Linear Drains",
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      ],
      "description_short": "The set includes a slim trap that turns through 360 degrees, a removable odour seal and hair strainer, and support feet that adjust the mounting height from 77 to 121 mm.",
      "description": "Why the drain comes first\n\nWhen people plan a new shower they tend to start with the tiles, the glass and the shower head. The drain is an afterthought. Then the plumber arrives, asks how deep the floor is and where the waste pipe runs, and half the plan has to change.\n\nIn a walk-in shower or a wet room, the drain decides more than anything else. It sets how the floor slopes, how thick the floor build-up has to be and where the pipe goes underneath. Get it right on paper and the rest of the job is simple. Get it wrong and you find out when water pools in a corner or creeps towards the door.\n\nThis guide explains what a linear drain is, what this 700mm set includes according to its maker, and what to ask before you buy.\n\nWhat a linear drain does differently\n\nA traditional shower waste is a round hole, usually near the middle of the tray or floor. For water to reach it, the floor has to fall towards that one point from every side. On a tiled floor that means cutting tiles into four sloping triangles. Large tiles do not take kindly to that.\n\nA linear drain is a long, narrow channel. It usually sits along the back wall or across the entrance to the shower. Because it is a line and not a point, the floor only has to slope one way. The tiler can lay big tiles in full pieces on a single gentle fall.\n\nThere is a comfort side to it as well. A level-entry floor with no tray edge to step over is easier for small children, older people and anyone unsteady on their feet. A linear drain is what makes that kind of floor practical.\n\nWhat this set includes\n\nThe maker describes this as a 70cm extra flat shower drain in stainless steel, supplied as a complete set with a 360 degree trap. In round figures, here is what is stated.\n\nThe channel is 700mm long. The material is given as 304 stainless steel and the finish as chrome.\n\nThe trap is a slim type. It turns horizontally through 360 degrees. It has an odour seal built in, along with a hair strainer, and the maker says both can be removed for cleaning.\n\nThe channel stands on two-layer adjustable support feet, and the mounting height can be set from 77 to 121 mm.\n\nThe maker states a flow rate of up to 36 litres a minute. Assembly is required.\n\nAnd here is what is not stated. The width of the channel, the diameter of the outlet, the style of the cover and the weight are all missing from the maker's details. None of those is unusual to check on site, but your plumber should look at the product photos, and then at the unit itself, before any floor is prepared.\n\nThe three numbers to check\n\nThe first is length. A 700mm channel suits a shower area a little wider than that, since there is normally a margin of tile at each end. Measure the finished width between walls, after tile and adhesive, not the bare blockwork.\n\nThe second is height. The maker gives 77 to 121 mm as the adjustable mounting range. Your floor needs that much depth available where the drain sits, and the waste pipe leaving the trap needs a steady fall all the way to the stack or the outside drain. On a solid ground floor that may mean chasing out the slab. On a timber floor upstairs it depends on the joists. Nobody should cut into a joist to make room for a drain without proper structural advice.\n\nThe third is flow. The maker's figure is up to 36 litres a minute. Compare that with what your shower puts out. An electric shower puts out a modest amount of water. A large overhead rain head on a pumped system puts out a great deal more, and two shower heads running together more again. Your plumber will also point out that a drain can only clear water as fast as the pipe behind it allows, so the pipe size and its fall matter as much as the figure on the drain.\n\nThe trap, the odour seal and the hair strainer\n\nEvery waste in a house needs a trap. It holds a little water in a bend, and that water blocks drain smells from coming back up the pipe. On a linear drain the trap sits under the channel, hidden in the floor.\n\nA slim trap is used here because floor depth is always tight. The fact that this one turns through 360 degrees is a real help on site. Pipe routes under bathroom floors are rarely where you would like them to be, and being able to point the outlet in any horizontal direction saves bends and awkward joints.\n\nThe hair strainer sits where you can reach it from above. Hair is the main thing that slows a shower drain, and it is far better caught at the top than left to wind itself into the pipe. Because the strainer and the odour seal lift out, cleaning does not need tools or a plumber.\n\nWho fits it\n\nThis is the part to be clear about. Fitting a linear shower drain is not like changing a shower head.\n\nIt means altering fixed pipework, setting the drain to an exact height in the floor, forming the falls and waterproofing the whole area so that water cannot get past the edge of the channel into the structure. That is a job for a qualified plumber, working alongside your tiler or builder. The Irish Building Regulations apply to drainage work, and a leaking wet room floor is an expensive thing to put right.\n\nThe maker does not list a waterproofing membrane or sealing collar with this set. Ask your installer what tanking system they use and how they will seal it to the channel.\n\nQuestions to put to your plumber before you order\n\nIs there 77 mm or more of depth where the drain will sit, with a fall on the pipe after it?\n\nWhich way will the waste pipe run, and does the 360 degree trap suit that route?\n\nWhat size is the waste pipe in the house, and will an adaptor be needed? The outlet diameter is not stated by the maker.\n\nIs 700mm the right length for the finished width of the shower?\n\nCan the shower output be handled by a drain rated by its maker at up to 36 litres a minute?\n\nWho is responsible for the waterproofing, the plumber or the tiler?\n\nIf you can get clear answers to those six, you are in a good position to buy.\n\nIt also helps to have the drain on site before the floor work starts. Your plumber can then hold the actual unit against the plan, check the outlet and set the feet, instead of working from a drawing. Keep the packaging until that check is done.\n\nLiving with it\n\nDay to day, a linear drain asks for very little. Once a week in a busy house, take out the hair strainer and rinse it under the tap. Every month or so, lift out the odour seal too, rinse it and put it back. Pour a jug of water down afterwards so the trap is full.\n\nWipe the steel with a soft cloth and a mild cleaner. Avoid wire wool, scouring powder and bleach left to sit. They can mark a chrome finish.\n\nIf the room starts to smell after a holiday, the water in the trap has probably dried out. Run the shower for half a minute.\n\nWe do not recommend chemical drain cleaners. With a strainer and seal you can reach by hand, there is no need for them.\n\nThe short version\n\nA linear drain lets a shower floor fall in one direction, which suits large tiles and level-entry showers. This set is a 700mm channel that the maker describes as 304 stainless steel with a chrome finish. It comes with a slim trap that turns through 360 degrees, a removable odour seal and a hair strainer.\n\nThe support feet adjust the mounting height from 77 to 121 mm, and the maker states a flow rate of up to 36 litres a minute. Width, outlet size and weight are not stated by the maker.\n\nHave a qualified plumber check the depth, the pipe route and the outlet before you commit, and leave the fitting and waterproofing to the trades. After that, the upkeep is a weekly rinse of the strainer.",
      "llm_summary": "This is a 700mm (70cm) linear shower drain supplied as a complete set with a trap, sold by Drains Company in Ireland. The maker describes it as an extra flat channel in 304 stainless steel with a chrome finish. The slim trap turns through 360 degrees horizontally and includes an odour seal and a hair strainer, both removable for cleaning. The maker states a flow rate of up to 36 litres per minute. Two-layer adjustable support feet give a mounting height from 77 to 121 mm. Assembly is required and the maker lists the installation type as centred. Channel width, outlet pipe diameter, cover style and weight are not stated by the maker. Installation alters fixed pipework and should be carried out by a qualified plumber. The Irish Building Regulations apply to drainage work.",
      "returnable": true,
      "return_policy": "14-day right to cancel from delivery under the Consumer Rights Act 2022, buyer pays return postage; the refund may be reduced if the item has been used beyond normal handling; Consumer Rights Act 2022 rights for faulty goods. Return postage on faulty goods is ours.",
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      "brand": "Drains Company",
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      "url": "https://drains.irish/linear-shower-drain-700mm-with-trap/",
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    {
      "id": "shower-drain-cover-replacement-95mm",
      "sku": "shower-drain-cover-replacement-95mm",
      "title": "95mm Shower Drain Cover Replacement with Dip Cup",
      "slug": "shower-drain-cover-replacement-95mm",
      "price": 21.99,
      "currency": "EUR",
      "availability": "in_stock",
      "category": "shower-grates",
      "category_label": "Shower Drain Covers & Linear Drains",
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      ],
      "description_short": "A replacement cover with small, close-set holes for shower trays with a 90mm waste hole, supplied with a dip cup and made to lift out for cleaning.",
      "description": "The small part that lets a shower down\n\nYou can scrub a shower tray until it shines and it will still look tired if the cover on the waste is dull, pitted or cracked. That little disc in the middle of the tray gets a hard life. Feet land on it. Shampoo, conditioner and cleaning spray sit on it. Hair wraps around it.\n\nSometimes it does not wear out at all. It simply goes missing. Somebody lifts it off to clear the hair, puts it on the edge of the bath, and it is never seen again. Then the waste sits open, hair goes straight down, and small things like razor caps follow it.\n\nIn both cases the fix is the same, and it is a small one. The waste under the tray is usually perfectly sound. You only need a new top.\n\nWhat is in the pack\n\nYou get two pieces. One shower drain cover and one white dip cup.\n\nThe cover has a diameter of 95mm. The maker describes it as electroplated, in a silvery colour with a polished finish. The sealing base and the body are described as polypropylene, a tough plastic often shortened to PP. The maker's notes also mention stainless steel without saying which part that refers to, so the exact metal under the plating is not stated.\n\nThe surface of the cover has small, close-set holes. Water drains through them. Hair and other debris are held back.\n\nThe maker lists the cover as removable, which is what you want. A waste top that cannot be lifted is a waste that cannot be cleaned.\n\nThe stated item dimensions are 11.5 x 9.5 cm. The maker does not explain which parts those two numbers measure. The weight is not stated.\n\nWhat is not in the pack matters as much. There is no waste body and no pipe. This is a replacement part for a waste that is already fitted in your tray.\n\nWhat the dip cup does\n\nIf you have never taken a shower waste apart, the dip cup may be new to you.\n\nLift the cover off most shower tray wastes and you will find a small cup sitting in the middle. That is the dip cup. Water runs over and around it on its way to the pipe, and the cup lifts straight out so you can clean inside the waste from above.\n\nBecause of where it sits, the dip cup collects everything. Hair that slips through the cover ends up wound around it. Soap scum coats it. After a few years a dip cup can be so caked that the shower drains slowly, and old ones sometimes crack.\n\nThat is why it is useful to get a new one with a new cover. You replace the two parts that do the dirty work and leave the remainder of the waste alone.\n\nGetting the size right\n\nShower wastes come in more than one size, and the tops are not interchangeable. Two measurements will tell you if this one suits.\n\nFirst, the hole in the tray. Lift off the old cover and measure straight across the opening. This cover is made for trays with a 90mm waste hole.\n\nSecond, the old cover. Measure across it. It should be about 95mm, a little wider than the hole so that it sits over the opening. If your old cover is nearer 110mm, you have a larger waste. The maker offers a 110mm size as a different item, and this 95mm one will not suit.\n\nThere is a third check, and it is the one people miss. Wastes with a 90mm hole are not all made the same way inside. The shape of the body and the dip cup differ from one design to another. The maker asks buyers to compare the pictures with their own waste before ordering, and that is sound advice. Look at how your old top sat in place and at the shape of your old dip cup, and compare them with the photos.\n\nIf the old cover has been lost, measure the hole and look at the inside of the waste instead.\n\nWhy not leave the waste open\n\nWhen a cover goes missing, some people shrug and carry on without one. It is worth a moment to see why that is a poor idea.\n\nAn open waste takes everything. Hair goes down in full lengths instead of being held at the top. So do razor caps, bottle lids, hair ties and the plastic seals off shampoo bottles. Hair alone will slow a trap in a few weeks. A hard object lodged in the trap can stop it altogether, and getting it out may mean lifting the dip cup with pliers or calling someone in.\n\nThere is a comfort point too. An open 90mm hole in the middle of a tray is not pleasant to stand on, and it looks unfinished. A shower tray waste cover costs little next to the trouble it prevents.\n\nSwapping it over\n\nFor a top that lifts off, this is a job of a few minutes.\n\nPut on rubber gloves. Lift off the old cover. Lift out the old dip cup, which will probably bring a wad of hair with it. Have kitchen paper and a bag ready.\n\nNow clean the inside of the waste while it is open. Wipe round the walls with kitchen paper, then wash them with an old toothbrush and warm soapy water. This is the part that gets rid of the smell that many showers have.\n\nDrop the new dip cup in so that it sits squarely. Set the new cover on top. The exact fixing method is not stated by the maker, so let the photos guide you. Run the shower for a minute and watch that the water drains freely.\n\nKeep the old cover until you are happy with the new one.\n\nA word on where the hand job ends. Changing a cover and a dip cup does not touch the plumbing. Replacing the waste body or the trap beneath the tray does, because it means altering fixed pipework. That is a job for a qualified plumber, and the Irish Building Regulations apply to drainage work.\n\nKeeping it clean\n\nA new top stays looking new if you treat the finish gently. Wash the cover with warm soapy water and a soft cloth. Avoid scouring pads, wire wool and abrasive cream cleaners, because they scratch plated surfaces. Do not leave it soaking in bleach.\n\nAfter each shower, wipe the hair off the cover. It takes five seconds and it keeps the holes clear.\n\nEvery two to four weeks, lift the cover and take out the dip cup. Pull off the hair, wash the cup, wipe the inside of the waste and put it all back. In a house with long hair, do it more often. The hair goes in the bin.\n\nWe do not recommend chemical drain cleaners. They are harsh on skin and eyes and can be hard on finishes. A waste that is cleaned by hand does not need them.\n\nWhen it is more than the cover\n\nA new top will not cure every shower problem, so it helps to know the signs.\n\nIf the shower drains slowly and cleaning the dip cup makes no difference, the blockage is lower down, in the trap or the pipe. A plastic hair hook fed through the waste often brings it up. If that does not work, call a plumber.\n\nIf water marks appear on the ceiling below, or the tray moves when you stand on it, a new cover is not the answer. Stop using the shower and get a plumber in.\n\nIf several fittings in the house are slow together, the trouble is in the main drain. If it is in a public sewer, contact Uisce Éireann or your local authority.\n\nThe short version\n\nThe top of a shower waste wears out or goes missing long before the waste itself fails. Replacing the top is quick and cheap.\n\nThis pack gives you a silvery 95mm cover with a polished, electroplated finish and a white dip cup. It is for shower trays with a 90mm waste hole. The waste body and pipe are not included.\n\nMeasure the hole and the old cover. Compare your waste with the photos. Then lift out the old parts, clean the waste, and drop the new ones in.",
      "llm_summary": "This is a replacement cover for a shower tray waste. The cover has a diameter of 95mm and is intended for shower trays with a 90mm waste hole. The pack contains one shower drain cover and one white dip cup. The waste body and drain pipe are not included. The cover is electroplated in a silvery colour with a polished finish, and the maker describes the sealing base and body as polypropylene (PP). The cover has small, close-set holes that hold back hair and debris while water drains, and it is listed as removable. The stated item dimensions are 11.5 x 9.5 cm. The maker also offers a 110mm size, which is a different item. Weight, the fixing method and country of origin are not stated by the maker.",
      "returnable": true,
      "return_policy": "14-day right to cancel from delivery under the Consumer Rights Act 2022, buyer pays return postage; the refund may be reduced if the item has been used beyond normal handling; Consumer Rights Act 2022 rights for faulty goods. Return postage on faulty goods is ours.",
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    {
      "id": "shower-trap-cover-brushed-brass-110mm",
      "sku": "shower-trap-cover-brushed-brass-110mm",
      "title": "Shower Trap Cover in Brushed Brass, 110mm",
      "slug": "shower-trap-cover-brushed-brass-110mm",
      "price": 34.99,
      "currency": "EUR",
      "availability": "in_stock",
      "category": "shower-grates",
      "category_label": "Shower Drain Covers & Linear Drains",
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      "description_short": "A 110mm replacement cover made of brass, designed for shower traps in a 90mm tray waste and supplied with a fixing screw, so you can swap the top without changing the trap underneath.",
      "description": "The one fitting everyone forgets\n\nPeople spend weeks choosing taps, a shower head and a screen. Then the tray goes in with whatever cover came in the box with the trap, and nobody thinks about it again. Until it starts to look bad.\n\nIt is easy to see why it does. That cover sits in the wettest spot in the house. Soapy water runs over it every day. It gets stood on. Limescale dries on it. A thin plated cover can start to pit or peel after a few years, and once it does, the whole tray looks older than it is.\n\nThe other common reason to change one is colour. Brass tones have become popular for taps and showers, and a bright chrome disc in the middle of the tray stands out once everything around it has changed. Swapping the cover is a small job, and it is often the last piece of a bathroom update.\n\nWhat a shower trap cover is\n\nUnder the hole in your shower tray is the trap. It is the part that holds a little water to stop smells coming back up from the drain, and it connects the tray to the waste pipe. The trap body is fixed into the tray and stays there.\n\nThe cover is the visible top. On the kind of trap this product is made for, the cover is held on by a screw. Undo the screw and the cover lifts away, which is also how you get in to clean out hair.\n\nThis product is the cover only. The maker describes it as a replacement that installs onto your existing shower trap body, and supplies a fixing screw with it. The trap is not included, and you do not need to disturb it.\n\nThe two numbers that matter\n\nTwo measurements appear on this product, and it helps to know which is which.\n\nThe first is 110mm. That is the diameter of the cover itself, as stated by the maker. It is the size of the part you see.\n\nThe second is 90mm. The maker says the cover is designed for shower traps with a 90mm tray. That is the size of the waste hole in the tray, the opening the trap sits in. A 90mm waste is a common size on modern shower trays. The cover is wider than the hole so that it overlaps the opening.\n\nChecking your own is simple. Undo the screw in your current cover and lift it off. Measure straight across the hole in the tray. Then measure across the old cover. If the hole is about 90mm and your old cover is about 110mm, you are looking at the right size.\n\nThe maker asks buyers to check the measurements and photos to confirm the cover suits their trap before ordering. That is sensible advice for any spare part.\n\nCheck the fixing as well as the size\n\nSize is only half of it. Shower traps come from many makers, and they do not all hold their covers the same way. Some covers screw down. Others push or clip on.\n\nThis cover fixes with a screw, which is supplied. So the first thing to confirm is that your existing cover is also held by a screw. If your old cover simply lifts off with no screw, this may not suit your trap.\n\nThe second thing is the screw itself. The thread size and length are not stated by the maker. When the cover arrives, hold the new screw beside the old one. If they look the same, go ahead. If the new one is clearly different, do not force it into the trap. A damaged thread in a trap body is a much bigger problem than a cover that does not fit.\n\nThe height of the cover and the flow rate are also not stated by the maker. How fast your shower drains depends mostly on the trap and the pipe below it, and a new cover will not change that.\n\nWhy change only the cover\n\nIt is fair to ask whether you should replace the whole trap while you are at it. In most cases there is no need. A trap that drains well and does not leak is doing its job, and it is hidden under the tray where nobody sees it. The cover is the only part on show, and the only part that wears where you can see it.\n\nLeaving the trap alone also keeps the job small. Getting at a trap body can mean lifting a tray or opening up a ceiling below, and that is real plumbing work. A cover comes off with one screw from above. You can do it on a Saturday morning with a screwdriver and a cloth, and the shower is back in use straight away.\n\nSo the rule of thumb is simple. If the trap works and only the top looks tired or no longer matches, change the top.\n\nBrass and a brushed finish\n\nThe maker states that the cover is made of brass and has a brushed finish. The colour is listed as brushed brass.\n\nA brushed finish has fine lines worked into the surface. It looks soft and matt instead of mirror bright. In a shower that has a practical side, because water spots and fingerprints tend to show less on a brushed surface than on a polished one.\n\nOne caution about matching. There is no single standard shade called brushed brass. One maker's version can be more yellow, another's more muted. This cover may sit well beside your taps, but we cannot promise an exact match with fittings from another range. If that matters to you, compare them in daylight before you fit the cover.\n\nFitting it\n\nMake sure the tray is dry so you are not working in a puddle. Put the plug of a nearby basin in, or lay a cloth over the tray, so a dropped screw has nowhere to roll.\n\nUndo the screw in the centre of the old cover with a hand screwdriver and lift the cover away. You will probably find hair and soap around the top of the trap. Clear it out and wipe the area. This is a good moment to rinse the trap through with warm water.\n\nThe new cover arrives boxed with a protective silicone cap, which the maker says is there to keep the finish in good condition on arrival. Unpack it, compare the screws, and set the cover in place. Fix it with the screw and tighten by hand until it is snug. Do not overtighten. Run the shower for a minute and check that water drains freely.\n\nIf the old screw will not move, stop. Forcing it can snap the screw or damage the trap. At that point it is worth asking a qualified plumber to take a look.\n\nWhen it becomes a job for a plumber\n\nChanging a cover is ordinary upkeep that a householder can do. Changing what is underneath is not.\n\nIf the trap body is cracked, leaking or the wrong type for the cover you want, it needs to be replaced. That means working on fixed pipework below the tray. It is a job for a qualified plumber, and the Irish Building Regulations apply to drainage work. The same goes for fitting a new shower trap or altering a waste pipe.\n\nA slow shower is a different matter again. Start by lifting the cover and clearing the hair. If it is still slow, the blockage is further along. If several fittings in the house are slow together, call a plumber or drain contractor. A blockage in a public sewer is for Uisce Éireann or your local authority.\n\nLooking after the finish\n\nWarm soapy water and a soft cloth are all you need. Rinse and dry the cover afterwards. Wiping it dry after a shower is the simplest way to keep limescale from building up.\n\nStay away from scouring pads, abrasive powders and harsh or acidic cleaners. They are the usual cause of dull patches on any brushed metal. If you use a bathroom spray on the tray, rinse the cover straight away.\n\nLift the cover every month or so and clear out what has collected underneath. It keeps the shower draining well and stops smells before they start.\n\nThe short version\n\nThis is a single replacement cover for a shower trap. The maker gives the diameter as 110mm and says it is designed for traps with a 90mm tray waste. It is brass with a brushed finish, and a fixing screw is included. The trap body is not.\n\nMeasure the hole in your tray and your old cover, and check that your current cover is held by a screw. Compare the screws before fitting. Clean it with soapy water and a soft cloth. For anything below the cover, call a qualified plumber.",
      "llm_summary": "This is a single replacement cover for a shower trap. The maker states a diameter of 110 mm and says it is designed for shower traps with a 90 mm tray waste. The cover is made of brass with a brushed finish, and the colour is listed as brushed brass. A fixing screw is included for installing the cover onto an existing shower trap body. The trap body is not included. The cover arrives boxed with a protective silicone cap. The packed size is 15.9 x 14 x 2.2 cm and the packed weight is 180 g. The maker advises checking measurements and images to confirm suitability before purchase. The screw thread size, the height of the cover, the flow rate and the country of origin are not stated by the maker.",
      "returnable": true,
      "return_policy": "14-day right to cancel from delivery under the Consumer Rights Act 2022, buyer pays return postage; the refund may be reduced if the item has been used beyond normal handling; Consumer Rights Act 2022 rights for faulty goods. Return postage on faulty goods is ours.",
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    {
      "id": "shower-trap-cover-replacement-90mm",
      "sku": "shower-trap-cover-replacement-90mm",
      "title": "Replacement Shower Trap Cover for 90mm Waste",
      "slug": "shower-trap-cover-replacement-90mm",
      "price": 16.99,
      "currency": "EUR",
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      "category_label": "Shower Drain Covers & Linear Drains",
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      ],
      "description_short": "A polypropylene cover for shower trays with a 90mm waste hole, with small holes that hold back hair while the water drains away.",
      "description": "A small part that does a big job\n\nThe cover over a shower waste is easy to ignore. It is a little disc in the floor of the tray, and most days nobody gives it a thought.\n\nThen it cracks. Or the finish wears and it starts to look shabby. Or it comes off for cleaning one day and never quite sits right again. Sometimes it simply disappears during a house move or a deep clean.\n\nThe shower still works without it, and that is the catch. With no cover, every loose hair and every sliver of soap goes straight down the hole. The trap below fills faster. Within weeks the water is pooling around your feet, and the open hole is not pleasant to look at or to step on.\n\nReplacing the cover is one of the cheapest and quickest repairs in a bathroom. The only hard part is getting the right size.\n\nWhat the cover is for\n\nA shower trap sits under the tray. It is a small chamber that holds a little water, and that water blocks drain smells from coming up into the room. Water from the shower runs through it and away down the waste pipe.\n\nThe cover is the top of that arrangement. It hides the hole, and it stops larger objects, such as a razor cap or a shampoo lid, from dropping into the trap. It also holds back hair.\n\nThat last job matters most. Hair is the cause of nearly every blocked shower. A cover with small holes catches a good share of it at the surface, where you can see it and lift it out.\n\nWhat this one is\n\nThis is a replacement shower trap cover. The maker describes it for shower trays with a 90mm waste hole.\n\nIt is made of polypropylene, a common plastic often written as PP. The maker describes a PP base and a PP body. The colour is listed as black, and the finish is listed as brushed.\n\nThe top has small, closely spaced holes. The maker describes these as blocking human and pet hair and other debris while letting water drain.\n\nOne cover comes in the pack. The trap is not included. This is the visible top part only.\n\nThe weight and full dimensions are not stated by the maker, so we cannot give them here.\n\nTwo numbers to check before you buy\n\nThe maker gives two measurements, and they mean different things.\n\nThe first is 90mm. That is the diameter of the waste hole in the shower tray that the cover is made for.\n\nThe second is 115mm. The maker calls this the cover or cap length. We read it as the width across the top of the cover, the part that sits over the hole and rests on the tray. A top that is wider than the hole makes sense, since it has to overlap the edge.\n\nSo measure both things in your own shower. Lift the old cover off if it is still there. Measure straight across the hole in the tray. Then measure across the old cover. If your figures are close to 90mm and 115mm, this cover is a likely match.\n\nOne caution is only fair. Shower traps are made by many firms, and the fitting under the cap is not the same on all of them. Some covers push in. Some sit on a centre post. Some clip. The maker of this cover does not say which trap designs it suits beyond the 90mm waste size. We cannot confirm a fit for a particular make of trap. If you can, compare the underside of your old cover with the product photos before you order.\n\nSwapping the cover\n\nThe maker describes the job simply. Remove the old cover and put this one in its place. No tools are mentioned.\n\nIt is worth doing a little more than that while you are there.\n\nStart by lifting the old cover out. If it is held by soap scale, try after a warm shower, when the scale is softer. Ease it up with your fingers. Do not lever against the tray with a screwdriver, because acrylic and stone resin trays both chip.\n\nWith the cover off, look into the trap. There will almost certainly be hair. Pull it out with a gloved hand or a piece of tissue and put it in the bin. Many traps have an inner cup or dip tube that lifts out for cleaning. If yours does, rinse it and put it back exactly as it was. That part holds the water seal, and the shower will smell if it is left out.\n\nWipe around the rim of the waste so the new cover has a clean surface to sit on. Then put the new cover in. Run the shower for a minute and watch. The water should drain freely, and the cover should sit flat without rocking.\n\nThat is the whole job. No pipework is touched, which is why this is something a householder can do.\n\nKeeping it clean\n\nA cover that catches hair needs the hair taken off it. That sounds obvious, yet it is the step most people skip.\n\nOnce a week, lift the cover out. Peel the hair away and bin it. Wash the cover with warm water and a soft brush or cloth. The maker describes it as easy to clean and dry with a simple scrub. Dry it and put it back.\n\nIn a home where several people with long hair use the same shower, do it every few days. It takes under a minute, and it is far less work than clearing a blocked trap.\n\nBecause the cover is polypropylene, there is no metal in it to rust. It can still collect soap scale and limescale, which shows up more on a dark surface. Regular washing keeps on top of that. Avoid harsh scourers, which can mark the finish.\n\nWe do not recommend chemical drain cleaners for a slow shower. Clearing the hair by hand is safer and usually more effective.\n\nWhen the cover is not the problem\n\nA new cover fixes a broken or missing cover. It does not fix everything.\n\nIf the shower is still slow after you have cleaned the trap, the blockage is further along the waste pipe. A plastic hair tool or a slim drain brush is a sensible next step.\n\nIf there is a smell, the water seal in the trap may have dried out or the inner part may be missing. Running the shower for a minute refills the seal.\n\nIf there is water staining on the ceiling below, or the tray moves when you stand in it, stop. That points to a leak at the trap or the waste connection. Replacing or refitting a shower trap means working on fixed pipework. That is a job for a qualified plumber, and the Irish Building Regulations apply to drainage work.\n\nAnd if drains across the house are backing up together, the problem is not in your shower at all. A blockage in the public sewer is a matter for Uisce Éireann or your local authority.\n\nA note on standing on it\n\nThe maker does not state whether this cover is made to take a person's full weight. Plastic covers in shower trays do get stepped on in normal use. Even so, it is sensible to avoid standing squarely on the waste, with this cover or any other.\n\nThe short version\n\nA shower trap cover hides the waste hole and holds back hair. When it cracks or goes missing, hair goes straight into the trap and blockages follow.\n\nThis replacement is for shower trays with a 90mm waste hole. The maker gives the cover or cap size as 115mm. It is polypropylene, listed as black with a brushed finish, and one comes in the pack. The trap is not included.\n\nMeasure your waste hole and your old cover first. Trap fittings vary, so we cannot confirm a fit for a particular make. Swap the cover by hand, clean it weekly, and call a qualified plumber if the trap itself leaks or needs replacing.",
      "llm_summary": "This is a replacement cover for a shower trap, also called a shower plughole cover or shower waste cover. The maker describes it for shower trays with a 90mm waste hole and gives the cover or cap length as 115mm. It is made of polypropylene (PP), with a PP base and PP body. The maker lists the colour as black and the finish as brushed. Small, dense holes in the cover hold back hair and debris while water drains. One cover is supplied, and the trap itself is not included. Fitting is described as removing the old cover and putting the new one in its place. Weight, full dimensions and the country of origin are not stated by the maker. Fit with a particular make of trap is not confirmed.",
      "returnable": true,
      "return_policy": "14-day right to cancel from delivery under the Consumer Rights Act 2022, buyer pays return postage; the refund may be reduced if the item has been used beyond normal handling; Consumer Rights Act 2022 rights for faulty goods. Return postage on faulty goods is ours.",
      "shipping_profile": "standard",
      "warranty": null,
      "brand": "Drains Company",
      "gtin": null,
      "mpn": null,
      "condition": "new",
      "url": "https://drains.irish/shower-trap-cover-replacement-90mm/",
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      "updated_at": "2026-10-12"
    },
    {
      "id": "tile-insert-linear-shower-drain-600mm",
      "sku": "tile-insert-linear-shower-drain-600mm",
      "title": "Tile Insert Linear Shower Drain 600mm with Rotating Trap",
      "slug": "tile-insert-linear-shower-drain-600mm",
      "price": 116.99,
      "currency": "EUR",
      "availability": "in_stock",
      "category": "shower-grates",
      "category_label": "Shower Drain Covers & Linear Drains",
      "tags": [],
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      "materials": [],
      "dimensions": null,
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      "images": [
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      ],
      "description_short": "A 600mm channel in 304 stainless steel with a reversible cover, a trap that turns through 360 degrees, adjustable feet and a lifting hook for cleaning.",
      "description": "Why people choose a linear drain\n\nWalk into a recently finished bathroom and there is a good chance the shower has no tray. The floor tiles simply carry on into the shower area, with a sheet of glass to keep the splashes in. It looks clean, it is easy to step into, and it suits anyone who finds a high tray edge awkward.\n\nThat kind of shower depends on its drain. An ordinary square drain sits in the middle of the floor, and the floor has to fall towards it from all four sides. With small mosaic tiles that works. With the large tiles most people now choose, it means cutting every tile along diagonal lines to form a shallow funnel.\n\nA linear drain avoids that. It is a long channel, usually set along one edge. The floor falls in one direction only, like a very gentle ramp. Large tiles can be laid whole, and the grout lines stay straight.\n\nHow a linear drain works\n\nThe parts are simple. There is a long, shallow body that sits in the floor. Water runs off the tiles and into the body, either through a slotted cover or around the edges of a tiled one. Inside, the base of the channel leads the water along to an outlet. Under the outlet there is a trap, which holds a water seal or a mechanical seal to keep drain smells out of the room. From the trap, a waste pipe carries the water away.\n\nEverything visible is the cover. Everything that does the work is underneath it. That is why a linear drain has to be chosen early in a bathroom project and not at the end. The floor is built around it.\n\nWhat is in this kit\n\nThis drain is 600mm long, and the maker lists its height as 7 cm. The maker states that it is made from 304 stainless steel, a grade widely used for bathroom fittings, and lists the colour as chrome.\n\nThe kit, as the maker lists it, is made up of the following: the 60 cm drain body, a set of adjustable feet, a siphon trap that rotates through 360 degrees, a removable cover, a hair strainer and a lifting hook.\n\nThe channel has what the maker calls a deep V-slope. In plain terms, the base is shaped as a V that falls towards the outlet, so water is led to the trap and not left sitting on a flat base.\n\nThe adjustable feet are there for the installer. They let the body be set level and at the right height before the screed or the floor build-up goes in around it.\n\nBrushed face or tile insert\n\nThe cover is reversible, and the choice is a matter of taste.\n\nFace up one way, it is a strip of brushed stainless steel. It reads as a deliberate metal line in the floor. Some people like that, especially where the taps and the shower fittings are also metal.\n\nTurned over, the cover is a shallow tray. Your tiler cuts a strip from the same tile as the floor and fixes it into the tray. Once the cover is dropped back in, the drain almost disappears. All you see is a narrow slot around the edge of the tile, where the water runs in.\n\nA tiled cover sits flush and has nothing to hold, which is what the lifting hook is for. It catches the edge of the cover so you can raise it for cleaning. Keep the hook somewhere you will find it again.\n\nOne caution on the tile insert. The maker does not state what thickness of tile the tray will take. Your tiler should measure the tray depth and allow for adhesive. If you have chosen a thick stone tile, check this before anything is cut.\n\nThe trap and the odour stopper\n\nTwo features under the cover are worth understanding.\n\nThe first is the rotating trap. The maker describes a siphon that turns through 360 degrees. In a new build, the waste pipe can be put wherever the drain needs it. In a renovation, the pipe is usually where it has always been. A trap that can be turned to face the pipe saves the plumber from adding extra bends, and every bend avoided is one less place for hair to catch.\n\nThe second is the odour stopper. The maker describes it as a dual-opening gravity odour stopper. It opens under the weight of water while the shower is running, and closes again once the water has gone. Its job is to stop smells from the waste pipe coming back into the bathroom. A shower that is not used for weeks at a time, in a guest room for example, can lose the water in an ordinary trap to evaporation. A stopper that closes by itself is a help in that situation.\n\nUnder the cover there is also a hair strainer. Hair is what blocks showers. A strainer you can lift out and empty keeps most of it from ever reaching the trap.\n\nFigures to check before you buy\n\nA drain is not a purchase to make on looks alone. Several figures matter to the people fitting it, and some of them are not stated by the maker.\n\nThe outlet pipe size is not stated. Your plumber will need to connect the trap to the waste pipe on site, and may need an adaptor.\n\nThe flow rate is not stated. If you are planning a large overhead shower or several outlets running at once, ask your plumber to judge whether a single 600mm drain is enough for the water going in.\n\nThe channel width is not stated, and neither is the range of the adjustable feet or the weight.\n\nWhat is stated is the length, 600mm, and the height, 7 cm. That height matters. The floor needs enough depth to take the drain body and trap, with a fall on the waste pipe beyond it. In an upstairs bathroom with timber joists, that can decide whether a level-access floor is possible at all.\n\nIf any of these figures would decide the purchase, ask us before you order. It is far easier to check now than after the drain is set in the floor.\n\nInstallation is a job for a plumber\n\nWe want to be direct about this. Fitting a shower drain is not a weekend job for a householder.\n\nIt means altering fixed pipework. It means setting the drain at exactly the right height, building the floor to fall towards it, and making the whole area watertight, including the joint between the waterproofing and the drain body. A mistake in any of those shows up later as a leak into the ceiling below or a floor that holds water.\n\nUse a qualified plumber, working with your tiler. The Irish Building Regulations apply to drainage work, and your plumber will know what they require for traps, falls and ventilation of the waste pipe.\n\nNo waterproofing membrane or tanking kit is listed among the parts. That is normal. The waterproofing system is chosen to suit the floor and is supplied by the installer.\n\nBefore work starts, lay the parts out and check them against the kit list. Then hand the drain over along with the figures from this page.\n\nCleaning and care\n\nDay to day, a linear drain asks for very little.\n\nEvery week or two, lift the cover with the hook, take out the hair strainer and empty it into the bin. Rinse the channel with warm water and wipe it with a soft cloth. Replace the strainer and the cover.\n\nStainless steel is easy to look after if you avoid a few things. Do not use wire wool or scouring powder, which scratch the brushed face. Keep bleach-based cleaners off it, as they can mark the surface. Rinse away shampoo and soap residue, and dry the visible steel now and then to prevent water spots.\n\nWe do not recommend chemical drain cleaners. If the shower drains slowly with a clean strainer, the blockage is further along the waste pipe. That is one for your plumber.\n\nThe short version\n\nA linear drain lets a tiled shower floor fall in one direction, which suits large tiles and level-access showers.\n\nThis one is 600mm long and 7 cm high by the maker's figures, in 304 stainless steel. The cover can show a brushed metal face or carry a strip of your own tile. The trap turns through 360 degrees, there is a gravity odour stopper and a hair strainer, and the kit includes adjustable feet and a lifting hook.\n\nThe outlet pipe size, flow rate, channel width and tile thickness for the insert are not stated by the maker, so check them with us or with your installer first. Have it fitted by a qualified plumber, and empty the strainer regularly once it is in.",
      "llm_summary": "The Tile Insert Linear Shower Drain 600mm is a channel drain for tiled showers and wet rooms, sold by Drains Company. It is 600 mm long and the maker lists a height of 7 cm. The maker states it is made from 304 stainless steel and lists the colour as chrome. It has a reversible cover that shows either a brushed metal face or a tile insert tray, a V-shaped channel, a siphon trap that rotates through 360 degrees, a dual-opening gravity odour stopper, a removable cover and a hair strainer. The kit includes the 60 cm drain body, adjustable feet, the trap and a lifting hook. The outlet pipe size, flow rate, channel width, tile thickness for the insert and weight are not stated by the maker. Installation is a job for a qualified plumber and the Irish Building Regulations apply to drainage work.",
      "returnable": true,
      "return_policy": "14-day right to cancel from delivery under the Consumer Rights Act 2022, buyer pays return postage; the refund may be reduced if the item has been used beyond normal handling; Consumer Rights Act 2022 rights for faulty goods. Return postage on faulty goods is ours.",
      "shipping_profile": "standard",
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      "brand": "Drains Company",
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      "url": "https://drains.irish/tile-insert-linear-shower-drain-600mm/",
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    {
      "id": "bath-pop-up-plug-69mm",
      "sku": "bath-pop-up-plug-69mm",
      "title": "69mm Chrome Click Clack Bath Pop Up Plug",
      "slug": "bath-pop-up-plug-69mm",
      "price": 15.99,
      "currency": "EUR",
      "availability": "in_stock",
      "category": "sink-and-bath-plugs",
      "category_label": "Sink & Bath Plugs",
      "tags": [],
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      "dimensions": null,
      "weight": "0.09 kg",
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      ],
      "description_short": "A chrome plated alloy cover with a solid brass sprung core and rubber seal rings, sized for standard 43mm bath waste holes and fitted by hand in a couple of minutes.",
      "description": "The slow sinking bath\n\nYou know the feeling. You run a deep bath, get in, settle down, and by the time you have read half a chapter the water is noticeably lower. You top it up with the hot tap. Ten minutes later you do it again. Eventually you give up and get out, slightly cold and slightly annoyed.\n\nThat is almost always the plug, not the plumbing. Bath plugs are consumable parts. The rubber that makes the seal goes hard, the spring in a push plug loses tension, and limescale builds on the seat where the two surfaces meet. None of it happens overnight, which is why people put up with a leaking bath for months before doing anything about it.\n\nReplacing the plug is one of the cheapest fixes in a bathroom. There is no need to drain anything, lift anything or call anyone. If your waste hole is a standard size, the whole job is a two minute swap.\n\nHow a click clack plug actually works\n\nA click clack plug, sometimes called a sprung plug or pop up plug, has two parts. There is the visible chrome cover that sits over the drain, and there is a bolt underneath that screws down into the waste hole.\n\nInside that bolt is a spring and a latch. Press the cover and the latch catches, holding the plug down against a rubber seal. Press again and the latch lets go, the spring pushes the cover back up, and the water drains around the edges.\n\nThe quality of the plug comes down to two things. First, what the sprung core is made of. On this model it is solid brass, which keeps its spring strength far better than thin pressed metal and does not corrode. Second, the sealing rings. Rubber rings sit between the plug and the waste, and they are what turns \"mostly closed\" into \"actually watertight\".\n\nThat is the whole mechanism. There is no chain, no lever, no linkage running to an overflow. Fewer moving parts means fewer things to go wrong.\n\nWho this plug suits\n\nThis is a replacement part, so the people who buy it fall into a few groups.\n\nThe most common is someone with an existing push plug that has stopped sealing or stopped latching. If yours sinks under the water and will not pop back up, or it pops up when you do not want it to, the internals have worn and a new unit sorts it.\n\nNext are people who have just moved into a place where the plug is simply missing. Previous owners take the strangest things. A screw in plug is better than a loose bung here, because it cannot wander off again.\n\nThen there are people switching from a chain and bung setup, as long as their bath has a waste hole that suits a threaded plug. The look is cleaner and nothing dangles over the edge of the bath.\n\nFinally, there are people who want a spare in the cupboard. Plugs fail at awkward times, usually when guests are due.\n\nGetting the sizes right\n\nThis is the part worth slowing down for, because it is where nearly every mistake happens.\n\nThere are two measurements, and they are not the same thing. The cover on this plug is 69mm across. That is the visible disc that sits on top of the drain. The waste hole it threads into is a standard 43mm. People sometimes measure the big one, see 69, and assume their 40 something millimetre hole is wrong. It is not, those are different parts.\n\nTo check yours, lift out the existing plug if it comes out, and measure straight across the opening in the bath where the waste fitting sits. That opening is the figure that needs to be around 43mm. Then have a look at how much flat surface there is around that opening, because the 69mm cover needs somewhere sensible to rest.\n\nBath wastes are more varied than they look, especially on older baths and imported suites. If your measurement comes back noticeably different, a 43mm plug is not going to thread in and forcing it will damage the waste. Measure once, order once.\n\nFitting it\n\nStart by cleaning the waste seat. This matters more than people think, because old soap film and limescale stop the new rubber seal from sitting flat. An old toothbrush, a bit of mild cleaner and a rinse is enough. Dry it afterwards.\n\nRemove the old plug. Most screw out anticlockwise. If it has been in a long time it may need a firm grip and a cloth for purchase. If there are broken bits of the old bolt left in the waste, pick them out before going further.\n\nDrop the new bolt into the hole and start threading it clockwise by hand. It should turn easily. If it binds straight away, stop, back it off and check you have it straight. Cross threading a waste is a bad afternoon.\n\nTighten it hand snug. You are not trying to crush anything, you are just making sure the seal ring is in solid contact. Then test it. Run a few inches of water, press the plug down and leave it for ten minutes. If the level holds, you are done. If it drops, take it out, clean the seat again and refit.\n\nKeeping it working\n\nA pop up plug lives in the one place in your house where hair and soap collect. That is not a design flaw, it is just physics, and it means a little cleaning keeps it smooth.\n\nEvery few weeks, unscrew the top of the plug. The bolt set on this one is designed to come apart, which is exactly why it is worth doing. Pull off the hair that has wrapped around the shaft, rinse everything, and put it back. The action should feel crisp again.\n\nFor the chrome itself, a damp soft cloth and a dry buff is the right approach. Avoid bleach, scouring powder and abrasive pads. They will dull the plating and, over enough time, harden the rubber seals. If you live somewhere with hard water, an occasional mild descaler on the seat makes a visible difference to how reliably the plug latches.\n\nIf the plug ever starts sticking, resist the urge to force it. Sticking almost always means debris, not failure. Clean it first.\n\nCommon problems and what they mean\n\nIf the plug will not stay down, check it is screwed fully home and the seat is clean. A loose bolt lets the whole assembly shift when you press it.\n\nIf it stays down but water still seeps away, the seal ring is either not seated flat or the waste seat itself is pitted. The first is fixable in a minute. The second is a bath problem, not a plug problem.\n\nIf the plug pops up on its own, the latch is usually fouled with hair. Take it apart.\n\nIf it rattles, the bolt has worked a little loose. Hand tighten it again.\n\nThe short version\n\nA bath that will not hold water is nearly always a worn plug, and a worn plug is a cheap part. This one is a 69mm chrome plated cover over a solid brass sprung core, with rubber seal rings doing the watertight work, sized for a standard 43mm bath waste hole.\n\nMeasure your waste hole before you order. Clean the seat before you fit it. Take it apart for a rinse every few weeks. Do those three things and you get your deep bath back, with no plumber, no chain, and no topping up the hot tap halfway through.",
      "llm_summary": "The 69mm bath pop up plug is a click clack style replacement plug for baths and basins. The cover measures 69mm in diameter, with overall item dimensions of 6.9cm wide by 6.8cm high and a weight of 0.09kg. Materials are listed as brass and rubber with a chrome plated alloy cover in silver. It uses a solid brass sprung core for the push to seal and push to drain action, with rubber seal rings to prevent leaks. It is designed to fit a standard 43mm bath waste hole and screws in by hand. The bolt set is detachable for cleaning. Each pack contains one plug with click clack bolt. Model number 78732. Country of origin is not specified by the maker.",
      "returnable": true,
      "return_policy": "14-day right to cancel from delivery under the Consumer Rights Act 2022, buyer pays return postage; the refund may be reduced if the item has been used beyond normal handling; Consumer Rights Act 2022 rights for faulty goods. Return postage on faulty goods is ours.",
      "shipping_profile": "standard",
      "warranty": null,
      "brand": "Drains Company",
      "gtin": null,
      "mpn": null,
      "condition": "new",
      "url": "https://drains.irish/bath-pop-up-plug-69mm/",
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      "json_url": "https://drains.irish/api/products/bath-pop-up-plug-69mm.json",
      "updated_at": "2026-10-12"
    },
    {
      "id": "brass-basin-plug-with-hair-basket-34-to-38mm",
      "sku": "brass-basin-plug-with-hair-basket-34-to-38mm",
      "title": "Brass Basin Plug with Hair Basket (34 to 38mm)",
      "slug": "brass-basin-plug-with-hair-basket-34-to-38mm",
      "price": 36.99,
      "currency": "EUR",
      "availability": "in_stock",
      "category": "sink-and-bath-plugs",
      "category_label": "Sink & Bath Plugs",
      "tags": [],
      "colors": [],
      "materials": [],
      "dimensions": null,
      "weight": "100 g",
      "images": [
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      ],
      "description_short": "A press-to-switch pop up core in thickened brass, sized for 34 to 38mm drain holes, with a lift-out strainer basket that traps hair and installs by hand in minutes.",
      "description": "The problem nobody notices until it is annoying\n\nBasin plugs fail slowly. The seal hardens a little each year, the spring gets lazy, and the water you ran for a shave is half gone before you pick up the razor. At the same time, hair slips past the plug a few strands at a time, settles in the bend of the pipe, and quietly gathers soap and toothpaste around itself until the basin takes a full minute to empty.\n\nBoth problems come from the same small part, and both are fixable without calling anyone. The plug core that sits in your drain opening is a self-contained unit. It lifts out, a new one drops in, and you get a fresh seal and a strainer in the same movement.\n\nA brass basin plug with hair basket handles the two jobs together. The press-action cap gives you a proper seal when you want to hold water, and the basket underneath catches the hair that would otherwise end up in the trap.\n\nHow a pop up core actually works\n\nInside the visible cap sits a spring and a locking mechanism, sometimes called a bullet core. Press the cap down and the mechanism catches, holding the plug in the sealed position. Press it again and the catch releases, the spring pushes the cap up, and water drains around the edges.\n\nThat is the whole of it. No chain, no pull rod, no lever linkage running behind your tap. The appeal is that there are very few things to go wrong, and the part that does eventually wear out is the one you can replace by hand in a couple of minutes.\n\nThe strainer version adds a basket below the cap. Water passes through the basket on its way to the pipe, and anything solid stays behind. The basket lifts out so you can clear it, which is the step that keeps your drain flowing.\n\nWhy brass instead of plastic\n\nA plug core lives a hard life. It is wet, then dry, then wet again, dozens of times a day. It gets pressed, released and pressed again, with a spring compressing each time. It sits in soapy water, toothpaste residue and whatever cleaner you last used.\n\nPlastic cores do the job for a while. They tend to crack around the spring housing or go brittle after a couple of years of hot water. Thin pressed steel rusts where the coating chips.\n\nBrass behaves better in that environment. It does not rust, it holds its shape under repeated spring pressure, and it has the weight that makes a plug seat properly rather than bob about. This core is made from thickened brass, which is the main reason it feels different in the hand from the budget plug it is replacing.\n\nGetting the size right\n\nThis is the one step worth slowing down for. The core is made for drain holes with an inner diameter of 34mm to 38mm.\n\nTo measure, pull out your existing plug and look at the metal drain opening in the basin. Measure straight across the inside of that opening, from one inner edge to the opposite inner edge. Work in millimetres and take the widest reading.\n\nIf the number lands between 34 and 38, you are fine. If it sits right at the top of that range, use the rubber ring included in the pack to build out the diameter so the core grips properly. If your measurement comes in under 34 or well over 38, this is not the right size and you should look for a core matched to your opening.\n\nDo not measure the old plug cap, measure the hole. Caps are usually wider than the opening they cover, and going by the cap is the most common way people end up with a part that will not seat.\n\nWho it suits\n\nAnyone with a slow bathroom drain is the obvious case. If you have long hair in the house, or two or three people sharing one basin, the strainer pays for itself the first time it saves you from clearing a trap.\n\nRenters find it useful because nothing is permanent. The old core goes in a drawer, the new one goes in the drain, and you can swap them back on the day you leave.\n\nIt also suits anyone who has given up on a plug that no longer holds water. If you have been shoving a folded flannel in the drain to soak something, a working push button sink plug is a small upgrade with a disproportionate effect on daily annoyance.\n\nKitchen sinks and baths can work too, as long as the hole measures in range. Kitchen wastes are often larger, so check before assuming.\n\nFitting it\n\nClear the basin and pull out the old core. Most lift straight out. If yours resists, limescale is usually the reason, so soak the area with white vinegar for twenty minutes and try again with a cloth for grip.\n\nClean the inside of the drain opening while it is empty. Old soap and hair collect on the rim, and anything left there will sit under your new seal and let water seep past.\n\nDrop the new core in and check that it sits level and flush. Press it down, run some water, and see whether the basin holds. Press again and watch it drain. If it holds and releases cleanly, you are finished.\n\nIf it feels slightly loose, take it out and fit the rubber ring, then try again. That ring exists precisely for openings at the wider end of the range.\n\nLiving with it\n\nThe maintenance routine is short. Every week or two, lift the basket, tip the hair into the bin and rinse the basket under the tap. Drop it back and carry on.\n\nWipe the visible cap with a soft cloth and mild soapy water when you clean the basin. Keep bleach, strong drain chemicals and abrasive pads away from it, since all three can dull a metal finish over time.\n\nIn a hard water area, limescale will try to build up on the cap. A soak in white vinegar lifts it, and drying the cap after you clean the basin slows it down considerably.\n\nOne habit worth building: if the basin starts draining slowly, check the basket first. Nine times out of ten that is the answer, and it takes ten seconds rather than an evening with a plunger.\n\nA few things it will not do\n\nIt is honest to be clear about limits. A hair catcher sink plug deals with hair, which is the main cause of bathroom blockages, but it does not clear a pipe that is already blocked. If your drain is slow today, clear the trap first and then fit the new core to keep it clear.\n\nIt also will not fix a leaking waste fitting. If water is escaping under the basin rather than draining slowly, the problem is further down and this part will not touch it.\n\nAnd it will not fit a drain outside its size range, no matter how determined you are. Measure first.\n\nThe short version\n\nIf your basin plug no longer holds water, or your drain keeps slowing down, this is the small part that fixes both. Brass construction means it lasts, the press action means there is nothing to pull or snap, and the internal basket catches the hair that causes most bathroom blockages.\n\nCheck your drain opening measures between 34mm and 38mm inside, lift out the old core, drop this one in, and you are done. Then empty the basket now and then and forget about it.",
      "llm_summary": "The Brass Basin Plug with Hair Basket (34 to 38mm) is a replacement pop up drain core from, model -005, made from brass. It fits basin drain holes with an inner diameter between 34mm and 38mm and includes a rubber ring to help fit wider openings. A press on the top cap switches between holding water and draining, and an internal strainer basket collects hair to reduce clogging. It installs by hand without tools by removing the old bounce core and dropping this one in. The item measures 6.2cm wide by 5cm high and weighs 100 grams, supplied as a single unit. Colour, finish and country of origin are not specified by the maker.",
      "returnable": true,
      "return_policy": "14-day right to cancel from delivery under the Consumer Rights Act 2022, buyer pays return postage; the refund may be reduced if the item has been used beyond normal handling; Consumer Rights Act 2022 rights for faulty goods. Return postage on faulty goods is ours.",
      "shipping_profile": "standard",
      "warranty": null,
      "brand": "Drains Company",
      "gtin": null,
      "mpn": null,
      "condition": "new",
      "url": "https://drains.irish/brass-basin-plug-with-hair-basket-34-to-38mm/",
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      "updated_at": "2026-10-12"
    },
    {
      "id": "click-clack-basin-plug-brass",
      "sku": "click-clack-basin-plug-brass",
      "title": "Brass Click Clack Basin Plug with Push Button Stopper",
      "slug": "click-clack-basin-plug-brass",
      "price": 17.99,
      "currency": "EUR",
      "availability": "in_stock",
      "category": "sink-and-bath-plugs",
      "category_label": "Sink & Bath Plugs",
      "tags": [],
      "colors": [],
      "materials": [],
      "dimensions": null,
      "weight": null,
      "images": [
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      ],
      "description_short": "A brass and stainless steel sprung plug with a chrome-finish lid, a slotted body for overflow basins, and a two-part design that splits apart in seconds for cleaning.",
      "description": "The small fitting that ruins a good basin\n\nNobody shops for a basin plug because they are excited about basin plugs. You end up here because something stopped working. The rubber bung went hard and stopped sealing. The chain snapped at the link nearest the plug, the way it always does. Or the pop-up stopper that came with the vanity started sticking halfway, so the basin either will not hold water or will not let it go.\n\nIt is a tiny part of the bathroom, and it has an outsized effect on how the room feels. A basin with a plug that works, sits flush and looks clean reads as a tidy bathroom. A basin with a crusty rubber plug lying on its side next to the tap reads as a job half done, even if everything else in the room is new.\n\nThat is the gap a click clack basin plug fills. Press it once and it seals. Press it again and the water goes. Nothing dangles, nothing has to be fished out of the water, and there is no linkage hidden behind the basin waiting to go out of adjustment.\n\nHow the click clack mechanism works\n\nThe name comes from the sound. Inside the plug there is a spring and a screw-thread push assembly. When you press the lid down, the spring compresses and the mechanism latches, holding the lid in the closed position where it presses against the seal face. Press again and the latch releases, the spring extends, and the lid lifts clear so water can run past it into the waste.\n\nIt is the same logic as a retractable pen, built in metal and sized for a basin. The advantage over older designs is that the moving parts are all contained in one small unit sitting inside the waste opening. There is no rod running down behind the basin, no horizontal pivot arm under the sink, and no clevis strap to adjust when the stopper starts sitting too high.\n\nThis particular plug is made from brass with stainless steel parts, finished in chrome. Brass has been the standard material for wet fittings for a very long time for one simple reason. It does not rust. Add a plated top surface and you get something that keeps looking sharp rather than going chalky after a year of hard water.\n\nSlotted or unslotted, and why it matters\n\nThis is the single most common mistake people make when buying a replacement plug, so it is worth getting straight before anything else.\n\nLook at your basin. If there is a small hole near the top of the bowl, usually opposite the tap, that is an overflow. Its job is to carry water into the waste pipe if you leave the tap running with the plug closed. For that to work, the water needs a path through the plug body into the drain.\n\nA slotted plug has openings cut into the sides of its body to provide that path. This plug is slotted, which makes it the correct choice for any basin with an overflow. If you fit an unslotted plug into an overflow basin, you have effectively disconnected the overflow, and the first person who walks away from a running tap will find out the hard way.\n\nIf your basin has no overflow hole, you want an unslotted plug, which seals the sides as well as the top. A slotted one will still physically fit, but it is not what the design intends.\n\nChecking the fit before you order\n\nTwo measurements decide this. Pull out your old plug and measure across the circular opening in the basin at its widest point, then measure across the drain fitting itself. The maker lists this plug as suiting a basin hole around 2.75 inches and a drain around 1.73 inches. The fitting bolt is 16 mm.\n\nIf your numbers land close to those figures, you are in the right territory. If they are noticeably different, the plug either will not drop in or will rattle around without sealing. Basin wastes are broadly standardised, but not perfectly, and a quick measure now saves a return later.\n\nListed item dimensions for the plug are 7 cm wide by 4.4 cm high. That height covers the full body, not just the part you see. The visible element in a fitted basin is the chrome lid sitting flush at the bottom of the bowl.\n\nFitting it yourself\n\nThis is genuinely a short job. The plug drops into the waste opening from above and tightens down with the supplied plug bolt. You are not cutting pipe, you are not under the sink on your back with a torch, and you are not touching any compression fittings.\n\nThe sequence is simple. Take the old plug out. Give the waste opening a wipe, because old soap residue sitting on the seat is a common cause of a new plug not sealing properly. Insert the new plug, then rotate and tighten with the bolt until it is snug. Run some water in and test that it holds, then press to release and check it drains freely.\n\nIf it holds water but seeps slowly, that is almost always debris on the seal face rather than a fault. Lift the lid off, wipe both surfaces and try again.\n\nKeeping it working\n\nHere is the part that matters most for how long it lasts. Every basin waste in the world collects hair, soap scum and toothpaste. That build-up is what turns a fast-draining basin into a slow one over six months, and it is what makes drains smell.\n\nThis plug separates into two parts. Lift the top section away, clear out whatever has gathered underneath, rinse both halves under warm water and click it back together. Do that every few weeks and you will rarely need a drain product at all.\n\nFor the finish, keep it simple. A soft damp cloth and a dry-off afterwards keeps the chrome bright and stops water spotting in hard water areas. Avoid abrasive pads, scouring powder and bleach-heavy cleaners, because those attack plated surfaces faster than people realise. Strong chemical drain unblockers are also best kept away from plated fittings. If you have a blockage, remove the plug and clear it by hand, which usually deals with the real cause anyway.\n\nWho this suits\n\nIt works for anyone replacing a failed plug in an existing basin, which is most buyers. It also suits people fitting out a bathroom who want a tidier look than a chain plug gives. The maker lists both bathroom basins and kitchen washbasins as applications, though kitchen sinks often use a larger waste, so the measurement check matters even more there.\n\nIt is a good choice in a family bathroom because pressing down is easier for a child than pulling a chain, and there is nothing hanging over the rim to pull on. It is also a sensible pick for a rental or a guest bathroom, where you want something that works without explanation.\n\nWhere it is less ideal is a basin with no overflow, where an unslotted plug is the better match, or a basin whose waste size falls well outside the figures above.\n\nThe short version\n\nA click clack basin plug replaces the chain, the rubber bung and the fiddly under-sink linkage with one spring and one press. This one is brass and stainless steel with a chrome finish, it is slotted for basins with an overflow, and it splits in two so you can clean it properly.\n\nMeasure your basin hole and drain first. If they are around 2.75 inches and 1.73 inches, fitting is a few minutes of work with the supplied 16 mm bolt. After that, give it a rinse every few weeks and it will quietly do its job.",
      "llm_summary": "This is a click clack basin plug from, built from brass and stainless steel with a chrome finish. It uses a spring and screw-thread push mechanism, so one press closes the plug and a second press opens it to drain. The body is slotted, which suits basins fitted with an overflow. Listed item dimensions are 7 cm wide by 4.4 cm high, with a 16 mm plug bolt. The maker states it suits a basin hole of about 2.75 inches and a drain of about 1.73 inches. It separates into two parts for cleaning and is intended for bathroom basins and kitchen washbasins. Colour is listed as chrome. Product weight, country of origin and overall packed dimensions are not specified by the maker.",
      "returnable": true,
      "return_policy": "14-day right to cancel from delivery under the Consumer Rights Act 2022, buyer pays return postage; the refund may be reduced if the item has been used beyond normal handling; Consumer Rights Act 2022 rights for faulty goods. Return postage on faulty goods is ours.",
      "shipping_profile": "standard",
      "warranty": null,
      "brand": "Drains Company",
      "gtin": null,
      "mpn": null,
      "condition": "new",
      "url": "https://drains.irish/click-clack-basin-plug-brass/",
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    },
    {
      "id": "silicone-press-drain-plug-2-pack",
      "sku": "silicone-press-drain-plug-2-pack",
      "title": "Silicone Press Drain Plug 2 Pack",
      "slug": "silicone-press-drain-plug-2-pack",
      "price": 28.99,
      "currency": "EUR",
      "availability": "in_stock",
      "category": "sink-and-bath-plugs",
      "category_label": "Sink & Bath Plugs",
      "tags": [],
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      "dimensions": null,
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      ],
      "description_short": "A soft silicone disc seals flat against ceramic or stainless steel to hold water, then pops up into a hair strainer so debris stays out of your pipes.",
      "description": "The small annoyance nobody fixes\n\nPlugs are the kind of thing you only think about when they stop working. The chain rusts through and the rubber disc sinks to the bottom of the bowl. The pop-up waste that came with the basin jams half open, so you can fill the sink but you can never quite empty it on the first try. Or the original stopper simply disappeared sometime around the last house move and you have been using a folded facecloth ever since.\n\nThen there is the hair. Anyone who washes long hair over a basin knows the slow decline. Water drains a bit slower each week until one morning you are standing in two inches of grey water wondering who to call. Most of that is hair bound up with soap scum, caught in the trap just below the plughole. It is completely preventable, and the thing that prevents it costs less than a takeaway.\n\nA silicone press drain plug deals with both problems using one piece of soft rubbery plastic. It seals when you want water, it strains when you want drainage, and it lifts out when you want to clean it. That is the whole idea.\n\nHow a press plug works\n\nThink of it as a suction cup with a trapdoor in the middle. The main body is a flat disc of silicone, about 11.2 cm across and under 2 cm tall. You lay it over your drain opening and press down. That pushes the air out from under the disc, and the pressure difference plus the grip of soft silicone against a smooth surface holds it in place. Fill the basin and the weight of the water pressing down actually helps it stay sealed.\n\nWhen you want the water gone, you press the centre. The strainer section pops upward, breaking the seal around the rim and opening a channel for water to escape. The raised part is a grid, so water slips through the gaps while hair, vegetable peelings and anything else larger than the openings stay on top where you can pick them off.\n\nThere is no mechanism in the usual sense. No springs, no hinges, no metal rod running down behind the tap. That matters because mechanisms are what fail. The silicone either seals or it does not, and if it stops sealing it is because something is dirty or the surface is wrong, both of which you can see and fix in a minute.\n\nWho this suits\n\nRenters get the most obvious benefit. Nothing is installed, nothing is screwed in, and you can take it with you when you leave. If your landlord's basin has a tired pop-up waste that you are not allowed to touch, a press plug sits on top and works around it.\n\nShared houses are another good fit. The best universal basin plug in a house share is the one that needs no explanation. Press to seal, press to drain. Nobody has to be taught, and nobody can break it by pressing too hard.\n\nFamilies with long hair in the house will care more about the strainer than the seal. Catching hair at the surface is far easier than fishing it out of a trap later, and it is the single cheapest thing you can do to avoid a slow drain.\n\nKitchens are worth considering too. A best sink drain strainer in the kitchen catches the rice grains and coffee grounds that rinse off plates and quietly build up in the waste pipe. The same plug seals the bowl when you want to fill it for washing up.\n\nGetting the size right\n\nThis is where most plug purchases go wrong, so take two minutes with a tape measure.\n\nMeasure the diameter of your drain opening, the actual hole. Then measure the flat, smooth area of basin surrounding it. For this plug to seal, the disc needs to cover the hole with a decent overlap onto flat surface all the way around. At 11.2 cm it fits the great majority of household basins, baths and kitchen sinks, but oversized laundry or commercial drains can defeat it.\n\nThe surface matters as much as the size. Glazed ceramic and stainless steel are ideal because they are smooth and non-porous. A best plug for ceramic basin job is exactly what silicone is designed for. Rough stone, heavily textured composite, or a basin with chips and cracks around the waste will leak, because air keeps finding a way under the edge.\n\nWatch out for raised fittings too. If your waste has a cross bar standing proud of the basin floor, or a grille that sits above the surrounding surface, the disc cannot lie flat and the seal will be poor. Recessed wastes are fine. Proud ones are not.\n\nGetting a good seal every time\n\nA few habits make the difference between a plug that holds and one that slowly lets go.\n\nWipe the area around the drain before you press the plug down. Grit, soap residue and stray hair caught under the rim are the usual culprits when a plug leaks. The underside of the plug should be clean too.\n\nPress from the centre outward. Lay it flat first, then push down in the middle so air escapes from the edges rather than being trapped in a pocket.\n\nA slightly damp surface seals better than a bone dry one. You do not need to wet it deliberately, but if you have just dried the basin with a towel, a quick splash helps.\n\nIf it still will not hold, check whether your waste is fully closed underneath. A press plug seals the top of the opening, but if your pop-up is partly open and the water has somewhere else to go, you will see the level creeping down.\n\nLooking after it\n\nSilicone is easy to live with. Lift the plug out after use and rinse both sides under warm water. Once a week, or whenever it feels greasy, wash it with a drop of dish soap on a soft cloth and rinse properly. Let it dry or pat it with a towel before putting it back.\n\nDo not attack it with a scouring pad or a wire brush. Scratches in the sealing face are what eventually cause leaks, and silicone scratches more easily than it looks. Harsh solvents and bleach-heavy cleaners are also worth avoiding, since they can make the material stiff over time.\n\nClear the strainer grid whenever you see it collecting hair or food. Letting it build up slows drainage and defeats the point. It takes a few seconds with a piece of tissue.\n\nTwo plugs in a pack also means you can rotate them. Pull one out for a proper clean and drop the other in while it dries.\n\nWhat it will not do\n\nBeing straight about limits saves disappointment. This is a cover that seals by suction, not a fitted waste. It will not create an airtight barrier against drain gas, so it is not a replacement for a correctly fitted trap. If you have a persistent smell coming from a drain, the trap is the thing to look at, possibly dry or possibly blocked.\n\nIt also will not rescue a drain that is already clogged. A best press down drain plug stops new hair from going down. It cannot remove what went down last year. Clear the existing blockage first, then use the strainer to keep it clear.\n\nAnd it needs a sensible surface. No amount of pressing will seal silicone against a deeply pitted or cracked basin. If your bowl is in that condition, the plug is not the part that needs replacing.\n\nThe short version\n\nTwo grey silicone discs, 11.2 cm across. Lay one over your drain and press to hold water. Press the middle and the strainer pops up to let water out while catching hair and scraps. Lift it out to rinse. Nothing is installed, nothing can rust, and nothing can jam.\n\nCheck your drain opening is under 11.2 cm, check the surround is smooth and flat, and you have a plug that solves two household irritations at once. Keep one in the bathroom, one in the kitchen, and get on with your day.",
      "llm_summary": "Each plug measures 11.2 cm wide by 1.8 cm high and is supplied in grey. It works as a flat disc that seals the drain by suction to hold water, and converts to a pop-up strainer when the centre is pressed, catching hair and debris while water drains. The silicone body has no chain, metal parts or fitted mechanism, so it rests over an existing drain rather than being installed. Weight, country of origin and detailed dimensions are not specified by the maker.",
      "returnable": true,
      "return_policy": "14-day right to cancel from delivery under the Consumer Rights Act 2022, buyer pays return postage; the refund may be reduced if the item has been used beyond normal handling; Consumer Rights Act 2022 rights for faulty goods. Return postage on faulty goods is ours.",
      "shipping_profile": "standard",
      "warranty": null,
      "brand": "Drains Company",
      "gtin": null,
      "mpn": null,
      "condition": "new",
      "url": "https://drains.irish/silicone-press-drain-plug-2-pack/",
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      "json_url": "https://drains.irish/api/products/silicone-press-drain-plug-2-pack.json",
      "updated_at": "2026-10-12"
    },
    {
      "id": "stainless-steel-basin-pop-up-plug-34-to-40mm",
      "sku": "stainless-steel-basin-pop-up-plug-34-to-40mm",
      "title": "Stainless Steel Basin Pop Up Plug with Filter Basket (34 to 40mm)",
      "slug": "stainless-steel-basin-pop-up-plug-34-to-40mm",
      "price": 34.99,
      "currency": "EUR",
      "availability": "in_stock",
      "category": "sink-and-bath-plugs",
      "category_label": "Sink & Bath Plugs",
      "tags": [],
      "colors": [],
      "materials": [],
      "dimensions": null,
      "weight": null,
      "images": [
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      ],
      "description_short": "A push type sink plug with a removable filter basket, brass bounce mechanism and two spare silicone O-rings, sized to fit drain holes from 34 to 40mm with no tools needed.",
      "description": "The small part that causes the biggest annoyance\n\nA basin plug is one of those things nobody thinks about until it fails. Then it becomes the most irritating object in the house. The water drains away while you are shaving. The chain snaps and you are left poking a rubber disc with a fingertip. Or the pop up lever behind the tap loses its grip on the linkage underneath and the stopper sits permanently half open, holding neither water nor your patience.\n\nUnderneath that, a second problem builds quietly. Hair and soap scum slide past the loose stopper and start lining the pipe. Weeks later the basin drains like treacle, and the fix involves a bucket, a towel and unscrewing the trap.\n\nA push type sink plug with a built-in strainer deals with both problems at once. It gives you a clean, reliable seal when you want the basin full, and it puts a basket in the way of everything that would otherwise go down the pipe.\n\nHow a bounce plug works\n\nThe mechanism has been around for years and it is refreshingly simple. Inside the body sits a spring and a cam, usually made of brass because brass does not corrode and holds its shape in constant moisture. Press the top cover and the cam locks the cover down. Press it again and the cam releases, the spring pushes the cover up a few millimetres, and water runs away around the raised rim.\n\nThere is nothing on the outside of the basin. No chain, no knob behind the tap, no rod and linkage hidden under the sink waiting to seize. That matters because the hidden linkage is the usual failure point on an old pop up waste. When it goes, most people end up replacing the entire waste assembly, which means disconnecting the trap and resealing the basin. A drop-in core avoids all of it.\n\nThis particular unit adds a stainless steel filter basket under the cover. So you get two modes from one press. Cover down holds water. Cover up drains water through the basket, which keeps hair and debris out of the pipework.\n\nGetting the size right\n\nThis is the only part worth slowing down for. Drain holes vary, and a plug that is close but not quite right will either sit proud or fail to seal.\n\nThis plug fits drain holes between 34mm and 40mm in diameter. The strainer itself has an inner diameter of 33.5mm, and the unit measures 34mm wide by 50mm high.\n\nTo measure, take the old plug or drainer core out first. A lot of people measure with the old part still in place and get a reading that is a few millimetres off. With the opening clear, lay a ruler or tape across the inside at the widest point and read the number. If it lands anywhere from 34 to 40, you are fine.\n\nAlso glance at the depth. The unit is 50mm tall, so there needs to be that much clear space in the waste below the basin surface. In the vast majority of standard basins there is plenty.\n\nOne more thing. Kitchen sinks often use a much larger waste opening, commonly around 90mm. If you are hoping to use this as a kitchen sink pop up plug, measure first rather than assume.\n\nWho this suits\n\nRenters get a lot out of a drop-in plug. You are not altering the plumbing, you are not drilling anything, and when you move out you can lift it back out and take it with you. Nothing to explain to a landlord.\n\nPeople with long hair in the house are the other obvious group. If you have ever pulled a matted grey rope out of a trap, you know why a basket at the top of the drain is worth having. Catching debris where you can see it beats dealing with it where you cannot.\n\nIt also suits anyone doing a cheap bathroom refresh. New taps and a new plug can lift a tired basin for very little outlay, and a brushed silver cover looks a great deal better than a yellowed rubber stopper on a kinked chain.\n\nWhat to look for in materials\n\nPlenty of cheap stoppers are plastic with a thin chrome coating. They look fine on day one. Six months in, the coating flakes at the edge, the plastic goes chalky, and the seal hardens.\n\nThe things worth checking on any basin waste plug are the mechanism metal, the cover metal and the seal material. Brass for the bounce device is what you want, because it takes the repeated spring load without corroding. Stainless steel for the cover and basket means no rust streaks and a surface that cleans with a cloth. Silicone or good rubber for the seal keeps water where it belongs.\n\nThis plug uses pure brass for the bounce device and stainless steel for the cover and basket, with silicone sealing parts. An anti-slip rubber pad and a rubber ring provide the double seal against the waste. A spare O-ring comes in the box, which is a sensible touch because the seal is always the first component to age.\n\nFitting it\n\nClear the old core out of the waste. Depending on your basin it will either lift straight out or unscrew. Wipe around the inside of the waste with a cloth to lift off any old grease, limescale or sealant residue, because grit under the seal is the single most common cause of a slow seep.\n\nDrop the new plug in and press it down until it seats. Run the tap, fill the basin a little, and watch the water line for a minute. If it holds, you are done. If you see a slow drop, pull the plug, clean both surfaces again and refit. If it still seeps, swap in the spare O-ring.\n\nThe whole job is usually finished in under five minutes.\n\nKeeping it working\n\nThe maintenance routine is short. Lift the basket out every week or two, tip it into the bin and rinse it under the tap. That single habit is what keeps the drain flowing and the plug sealing.\n\nClean the cover with warm soapy water and a soft cloth, then dry it so you do not get water spots. Leave the bleach, scouring powder and steel wool for other jobs, as all three will mark the finish over time.\n\nAvoid pouring strong chemical drain unblockers through it. They attack seals and dull metal. If you are consistently emptying the basket, you should not need them anyway.\n\nIf, after a year or two, the plug starts holding water less reliably, it is almost always the O-ring rather than the mechanism. Pull the plug, fit the spare, and it is back to new.\n\nThe short version\n\nA basin plug does two jobs. It holds water when you want it, and it keeps rubbish out of your pipes. Most old stoppers do the first badly and the second not at all.\n\nA push type plug with a brass bounce device, a stainless steel cover and a removable filter basket handles both. It drops into an existing waste with no tools, which means no plumber and no plumbing work.\n\nMeasure your drain opening first. If it reads between 34mm and 40mm, this one fits. Everything after that is a two-minute swap and a basket you rinse now and then.",
      "llm_summary": "The stainless steel basin pop up plug is a push type sink stopper designed to replace an existing drainer core in basins, kitchen sinks and bath or shower wastes. It fits drain holes from 34mm to 40mm in diameter, with a strainer inner diameter of 33.5mm, and measures 34mm wide by 50mm high. The bounce device is pure brass, the top cover and removable anti-clog filter basket are stainless steel, and silicone is used for sealing. Pressing the top cover switches between holding water and draining. Installation needs no tools. Each pack contains one plug, one replacement O-ring and one protective cover. Colour is silver. Weight, country of origin and overall packaged dimensions are not specified by the maker.",
      "returnable": true,
      "return_policy": "14-day right to cancel from delivery under the Consumer Rights Act 2022, buyer pays return postage; the refund may be reduced if the item has been used beyond normal handling; Consumer Rights Act 2022 rights for faulty goods. Return postage on faulty goods is ours.",
      "shipping_profile": "standard",
      "warranty": null,
      "brand": "Drains Company",
      "gtin": null,
      "mpn": null,
      "condition": "new",
      "url": "https://drains.irish/stainless-steel-basin-pop-up-plug-34-to-40mm/",
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      "updated_at": "2026-10-12"
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}