Mira online calculator aims to solve a hair-raising problem

Mira Showers has revealed that in a typical 24 hours the nation’s shower drains are blocked with an average of 700kg of hair – equivalent to the weight of nine people, three grizzly bears or 172 cats.

Mira conducted a survey that monitored the shower drains of 11 households over a two-week period. In total, around 3.2g of hair was collected in just two weeks.

To help solve this hairy dilemma, shower specialist Mira worked with a leading hair expert to draw up an online calculator that people can use to determine just how much hair may be clogging their drains.

By entering the number of people in the household and their length of hair, the calculator then estimates the level of drain clogging over a month, year, decade or lifetime (based on an average UK lifespan of 81 years). The site then offers advice on how often the shower drain should be cleaned out.

It suggests that an average household of four people with different lengths of hair would generate 1.2g of hair after one month, 14.3g in a year and 143g in a decade. Mira recommends that under such usage conditions drains should be cleared out every two weeks.

Mira also highlighted some hair-raising statistics that came to light during its research.

It showed that those with red or bleached hair shed the most, while natural blondes shed the least. Those with fine hair are twice as likely to shed hair than those with medium coarse hair.

Commenting on the results, Matt Herbert, senior market analyst at Mira Showers, said: “We were astounded to find out just how much hair could be clogging up the UK’s shower drains, but it’s clear that exactly how much depends on so many individual circumstances. Soap scum can exacerbate blockages, too. “How often you should clean out your shower drains depends on how frequently you use it – the new calculator on our website can give you a clue as to how regularly you should get the plunger out.”

Highlighting how Mira tackles the issue, Roland Boal, its lead industrial designer, said: “At Mira Showers, the unique design of our Flight Level shower tray has integrated custom waste, making cleaning and maintenance faster and easier. A hair catcher retains long hairs, which can often be the cause of blockages.”

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