Home Economics 101

I have old pipes, so don't want to use chemical cleaner, and don't want to have to get the drain snaked every few months. I got a really fine mesh drain strainer (like this, but bathtub size) at Ace Hardware, and it catches everything, even dust. I need to swipe the hair out of it daily. If the mesh gets filled with fine gunk, like wet dust, I swipe it with an old toothbrush.