Hair combined with soap scum is the most common cause. Hair catches on the drain cover or inside the pipe, and soap residue builds up around it, gradually narrowing the opening until water starts backing up.
A pair of gloves, a flashlight, a drain stick or bent wire hanger for hair removal, and optionally a mixture of baking soda and vinegar for a natural follow-up clean. You likely already have most of this on hand.
Remove the drain cover, then use the drain stick or hanger to pull out visible hair and debris, this alone resolves many clogs. Follow with baking soda down the drain, then white vinegar, let it sit for 15 to 20 minutes, and flush with hot water. Replace the cover once finished.
A mesh drain cover designed to catch hair before it enters the pipe is the simplest way to cut down on how often this happens. Clearing it out every week or two, rather than waiting for a full clog, keeps the maintenance quick.
If the drain is still slow after clearing visible debris, or multiple drains in the house are affected at once, the blockage may be further down the line than a drain stick can reach. That is a reasonable point to request a connection with a local provider rather than repeatedly treating the surface symptom.
Still dealing with this issue? You can request a connection with an independent local plumbing provider — there is no fee to submit a request.
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PlumbRoute is a referral service, not a plumbing contractor.