Best ways to deal with slow drains at home?

You nailed it about air blasters—they’re just not the cure-all some folks hope for. I’ve seen more than one tenant try them and end up with a mess or, worse, a leak in older pipes. Your point about physically removing the clog is spot on, even if it’s not pleasant. In my experience, regular maintenance like hot water flushes and those little mesh drain catchers go a long way to prevent the worst of it. Still, nothing beats getting your hands dirty when you have to. It’s not glamorous work, but it saves a lot of headaches down the line.