of the invention will become apparent from a consideration of the following detailed description and the accompanying drawings referring to the figures it can be understood that the present invention is embodied in a flexible drain element 10 drain element 10 can be used in connection with a sink a bathtub a toilet or the like element 10 includes a hollow tubular one piece body 12 which can be formed of rubber or other suitably flexible material that will not be damaged by chemicals commonly used in the plumbing system associated with element 10 body 12 of element 10 is hollow and has a central bore 14 a distal end 16 a proximal end 18 and a central axis 20 which extends between the distal end 16 and the proximal end 18 body 12 has a first stiffness adjacent to the distal end 16 and a second stiffness adjacent to the proximal end 18 the stiffness of the body 12 adjacent to either end 16 18 can be the same or different as suitable one piece body 12 includes a section 24 which has a first end 26 located near and spaced apart from the distal end 16 and a second end 28 that is located near and spaced apart from the proximal end 18 of the body 12 section 24 is formed to be flexible and to have a stiffness that is less than either the stiffness of the body 12 adjacent to distal end 16 or the stiffness of the body 12 adjacent to proximal end 18 in one form of the element 10 section 24 is formed to be stiffer adjacent to the distal end 16.