TubShroom is part of an innovative line of hair catchers for drains of all kinds. It was invented by Serge and Elena Karnegie, along with a team of friends and close colleagues in Glen Cove, NY.
The team launched their first Kickstarter campaign for TubShroom in September 2015 and raised $59,267 from over 2,000 backers. They did it again a year later with SinkShroom, a hair catcher for the sink. That campaign raised another $67,159 from just as many backers.
Both TubShroom and SinkShroom are currently available through Amazon Launchpad, their website, Walmart, and Bed Bath & Beyond.
“From day one, we set out to revolutionize drain protection and that hasn’t changed. Our goal is to eliminate the need for harmful chemicals to clean out clogged drains and to make peoples’ lives easier along the way,” the team stated on their About Us page.
“Not only have we raised over $200,000 in pre-orders through crowdfunding, we have established our brands as the go-to drain protectors on the market. Slowly but surely, we are finding ways to protect every drain in your bathroom so you can avoid hassles and expensive plumbing bills.”
This is one of the things that I love about crowdfunding. Yes, there are startups raising money for some pretty complex and expensive projects out there. Drones and VR technology are a couple of examples. But there are also projects like these that raise money for small, practical, everyday items.
These innovative crowdfunded items are starting to become more mainstream. Some, like TubShroom and its counterparts, even sell in national and international retail locations.
I think it’s great that companies who launch crowdfunding campaigns are breaking through and becoming well-known more often, even to people who don’t know the first thing about crowdfunding and aren’t aware of these products’ humble beginnings.
Because that’s what crowdfunding is all about – helping increase access to funding for small businesses and help bring needed products like TubShroom and SinkShroom to life.
TubShroom and SinkShroom Breakdown
Both minimalist hair catcher/strainers are the best solution to the inconvenient problem of clogged sink and tub drains. They not only block human and animal hair, but they are also specially designed to drain better than other solutions to this problem.
That’s because of their special mushroom shape and the holes that are placed strategically around the top, cylinder, and bottom.
TubShroom and SinkShroom can catch weeks’ worth of hair before they need to be cleaned. Cleaning these products only takes a second and is much less disgusting than the alternative of having to reach into the drain and dig out everything that is causing the blockage.
Other hair catchers are placed over the drain, show the hair building while you shower, and are much harder to clean out. With Tub and SinkShrooms, all you need to do is grab a tissue and you can wipe off the hair in seconds.
These products are durable and universal, meaning they fit any standard drain. They come in a variety of colors too: white, blue, gray, green, orange, and clear. TubShroom and SinkShroom are a safe and completely BPA-free solution that means you won’t need to use harmful chemicals to clean out your drains. This in turn helps customers save on expensive plumbing bills.
Even the packaging of these items is clever! the company spells out the definition of convenience right on the package:
“The state of being able to proceed with something with little, or no effort or difficulty.”
They’re right – TubShroom and SinkShroom are convenient solutions to an issue that has affected us all at one point or another!
Benefits and Drawbacks
Pros of TubShroom and SinkShroom
- Easy to use
- Sink and tub still drain when they are in
- Conceals trapped hair
- Fast and simple clean-up
- BPA-free
- Durable
- Work for all types of hair: long, short, thick, curly, and even pet hair
Cons of TubShroom and SinkShroom
- Doesn’t work so well for very short hair, like stubble from shaving
- Can still get slimy from toothpaste and stuff building up around it in the sink (use a tissue to clean)
- Water sometimes drains a little slower, especially if you turn it on at full blast
Conclusion
TubShroom and SinkShroom are great solutions to a common problem that many of us have. As someone with long hair that tends to clog my bathtub drain fast, I did notice that after cleaning out my drain and putting TubShroom in, my tub has been consistently draining better.
Since I don’t have the same problem with my sink drain I found the SinkShroom version less useful, but it is still a cool concept that might be more useful for other people and families.
Currently, the team is back on Kickstarter with their third project. Now they raising money for ShowerShroom, specifically designed for larger, 2” stand-up shower stall drains. So far, the Karnegie’s newest campaign has raised $16,700 on Kickstarter with less than two weeks left to go.
Feel free to leave any questions or comments below!
