Does this thing really work? Yes!
How long is the Zip-It? It is 20 inches long with 18 inches of barbed length.
Is that long enough to get into the trap? Yes. Most clogs start at the stopper mechanism. Your water will start to drain slowly before there is anything in the trap.
Will it work on deep clogs? No. But, the Zip-It can prevent them. Use the Zip-It as soon as your drain begins to slow. You will yank out the clog before it has a chance to wash further down into the drain.
What does the Zip-It cost? Cheaper than chemical drain cleaners.
Is the Zip-It reusable? If you really want to clean off all that gunk, sure, you can get 3 or 4 uses out of it. But, at the price, why bother.
How long does it take to clean a drain with the Zip-It? If it takes longer than 30 seconds, you’re doing something wrong.
Who invented the Zip-It? Gene Luoma of Duluth, Minnesota.
Is it patented? Yep.
How did he think of it? One day Gene had a clogged drain and he didn’t want to deal with plunging or snaking it, or, worse, pouring harsh chemicals into his septic system. He thought there had to be an easier way. Then he noticed his daughter’s old, thin, plastic sled. It had a tear down the center of it that was rather jagged. Gene thought, “that’ll work”. So, he cut a long strip of plastic from the sled and cut some barbs into it. He pushed it into the drain, pulled it back out and the Zip-It was born.
Why didn’t I think of that? That’s what we all say.
Does he have any other ideas? Gene has loads of them.
Where can I get one? Ask for it at fine stores everywhere.
What if I have a question? Scroll down.
Shannon Backstrom
LOVE, LOVE, LOVE it!!!!! I haven’t found anything that worked as quick and easily as the Zip-It. In less than 5 minutes my tub drain was clean and flowing again. I have been taking showers with my ankles covered in water and nothing worked.
Great product! Inexpensive! Quick! Simple!!
5 Stars!!!!!!!!!!!!
Wendy
My sister mass emailed the family raving about this product. We are a medium sized family but have all females and every drain in all our homes are clogged. We have tried every method known to man including my dad’s idea to use a reverse plunger to move the hair ball. End result-no success.
Love this product!!
admin
Ah, yes. A house full of women is the perfect place for a Zip-It. Tell your sister “thank you”. And tell your dad, “you’re welcome”.
Trevor
Is this available in Canada?? I need one!
admin
This product can be found at most Canadian Tire and Wal-Mart locations. It is merchandised down the plumbing aisle and the product part number is PS6066.
Cindy Morrison
I just used Zip It it unclog my vacumn cleaner hose. It worked great because the clog was within a few inches of the end of the hose. Everyone who has a vacumn has tried a wire coat hanger…so did I. Did nothing. Please make a longer zip it just ofr vacumn cleaners. Saves a lot of frustration. PS when you make them I’ll gladly take one as payment for the idea. ;)) Thanks.
r
Doesn’t work! I tried it on my tub and it won’t get all the way in. I live in a basement and really wanted to have my own zip-it success story. Any recommendations?
admin
I’m sorry you weren’t able to pull out your very own drain-yeti. If you can’t even get the Zip-It down there you may have yourself a very large clog that would require heavier-duty equipment. I would suggest a Cobra Drain Snake. If THAT doesn’t work, I’m sorry to say but you might need to call in a plumber (a professional drain-yeti hunter).
bl
My children dropped a nearly full tube of toothpaste down a full toilet and flushed. Of course, it was lodged in the “S-curve” on the way down. I panicked and started thinking about the inevitable, expensive plumber visit and bill! Luckily, I remembered the Zip-It that has kept our family’s sinks and tubs draining cleanly. I stuck it in there and twisted it around several times. The first attempt gave me a wad of paper. I tried one more time and out came the toothpaste tube!!! Thanks Zip-It!!!
Craig
would like to see one a little longer. works great. would like one long enough to get to that first elbow in the wall.
Lindsey
Will it work on a clog that has caused standing water in my tub?
It will not drain AT ALL
admin
Depends on the clog really. Zip-It is designed to pull out the hair that catches on the stopper mechanism on most drains. This type of clog makes up a good 90% of all clogs. So, if your clog is like most clogs, yes Zip-It will work.
If your particular clog has broken free of the stopper mechanism and has moved further down the pipes, Zip-It won’t work. But, for just a couple of bucks, it may be worth a shot before trying more expensive alternatives.
CB
Worked well. Much better than any liquid drain cleaner.
Please come out with one about twice the length. I’d definitely pay extra to get that deep down hair clogs.
PW
Honestly, I haven’t used this product yet. But I just want to give the Admins who update this blog a big thumbs up for giving the blog real character. Not sure I’ll check this regularly, but every post, video and photo tells me the Zip it works, and backs that up with real consumers’ experiences. Plus, the writing has personality that brings a sense of fun to a normally mundane hardware store product. Good job folks. I don’t just need the Zip it, but I genuinely like it. You generate tons of goodwill with this.
1 thing: Customize this theme and add some Zip-it brand flavor (but not too much!), so customers know they’re in the right place.
admin
Thanks. I really appreciate that.
Avrohom
I have to admit that this is the first review I have ever left for a product.
I began my search to fix my bathtub drain with Google. I typed in “bathtub drain clogged” and just kept searching and clicking until I found out about this thing called zip it. The videos looked amazing and the price was perfect, so I went down to my local lowes and picked one up. With my 2 sons in tow to watch the action, I inserted the zip it into the drain and began pulling out the most gross piles of hair and other assorted nasty stuff. My kids were having a blast and I was struggling to hold my breath. After I had pulled all the gunk out, I put the stopper in the drain and let the tub fill up about a quarter of the way. Low and behold, as soon as I pulled out the stopper, the water began draining so fast,we simply could not believe our eyes. It was so amazing and so simple. A thousand thanks to the people at zip it for making this product. I give it 5 stars and recommend it to anyone who might have this problem.
admin
Thank you for the comment. We are glad Zip-It was able to entertain your kids!
Leslie
I could not get it all the way down my drain!
D.
Does the Zip-It also work on kitchen sinks?
admin
The answer is “no”, but kind of “yes”. Zip-It is designed to grab hair caught on the stopper mechanism. Clogs in kitchen sinks are different than clogs in bathroom sinks and showers. Kitchen clogs tend to be a build-up of grease and/or food stuff – not hair. Kitchen sinks don’t have stopper mechanisms. That being said, there have been some success stories of people using Zip-It on a kitchen sink to break up what is jammed in the drain to unstop a clog. But that’s not really what it is designed for.
If you have a Zip-It lying around, go for it. It can’t hurt. If you buy one and it doesn’t work, wait awhile. Eventually your sink will get clogged :)