Before resorting to chemical drain cleaners, you could try a homemade solution (for example, of of dish soap, baking soda, and vinegar) to help flush the drain. However, if the cleaning task appears tougher, you may need to bring in some tools. Paul Abrams, the public relations director at Roto-Rooter, suggests “plunging the drain with a shallow red cup sink plunger (not the deep black cup designed for toilets). A plunger will push the hair clog through the narrow drain line and into the larger-diameter main sewer pipe, where it will be washed away.” However, it is important to seal the overflow drain first. The best way to seal an overflow opening is to cover it with duct tape. Another option is a manual drain snake, but Abrams notes that “they are only effective for clearing clogs from the first 10 to 12 inches of the drainpipe. A sink plunger is effective for the next several feet of drain line, but after that, a professional-grade drain-cleaning snake is the tool of choice for the job.”