To make the messy clogging job easy, it’s important to know the right technique. Read on to learn how to use a plunger like a pro here.
Do you often face the problems of a clogged toilet or sink at home?
One of the most common toilet tools at every home is the plunger. Even when you don’t expect to face clogged drains, you need to keep a plunger available at all times. They’re essential to have during the times you need them most yet expect to use them the least.
Yet, it’s no use to have a plunger at home if you don’t know how to use it. In this guide, we’ll show you how to use a plunger the proper way and on the many places where you can use one in. Keep reading until the end to find out what you can do when your plunger fails.
- What Is a Plunger?
Taking care of your home includes taking care of your home’s drain lines. This means you don’t flush anything down the toilet that isn’t coming out from your body. That includes food, tissues, and more.
For example, your flushable wipes must go to the trash can. Studies show that none of the wipes labeled as flushable by manufacturers functioned as advertised. None of the wipes broke down into the wastewater industry’s specifications for drain line clearance.
When you fail to take care of your home’s drainage system, you’ll end up with clogged drains. The most common problem shows when water doesn’t go down into a drain like it’s meant to. That or dirty water comes back after you try to flush it in a toilet.
A very common solution to fixing a clogged drain is to use a plunger. Often, you see a plunger behind the toilet tank. It looks like a rubber cap stuck to the end of a long stick or handle.
While the plunger has a very simple design, it’s very a powerful and useful tool to have around. The science behind the plunger is simple, too. If you try pressing down the plunger over a clog, it forces air into the drain.
This increases the pressure in it and forces the clog to move along. Once you pull the plunger up, it creates a vacuum. This pushes anything inside the pipe upward and out.
- Plunger Types and Choosing the Right One
The typical plunger is enough to fix a typical clogged drain. However, you might fight that other types of clogs need different types of plungers too. Below, we talk about the various plunger types and where to use them best.
Let’s begin with the standard plunger, which you most likely have at home already. This plunger has a wooden handle and an orange rubber cup. They often come in a variety of surfaces and can fix a variety of clogs.
The best types of surfaces for the standard plunger are flat ones. That includes sink drains in the shower area or the bathtub, for example.
Next, we have the toilet plungers, which other people also call a flange plunger. This plunger often has a long handle and a black rubber cap. In a flange plunger, the flap folds out from the inside of the cup.
It fits the toilet drain opening better than the standard plunger. This way, it seals the opening better and is more effective in applying more pressure during plunging. You can also use this on sinks and tubs.
Finally, we have the accordion plunger. The cup has an accordion design and is a hard plastic rather than rubber. It’s a more forceful plunger, but it isn’t as versatile as the standard plungers.
- How to Use a Plunger on the Tub and Sink
If your bathroom sink gets clogged, use a plunger before chemical drain cleaners. Take a standard plunger type, which is a type with no flanges or funnels. Cover the opening of the overflow drain if you have one.
You can try it with a wet rag around the opening. When you cover the overflow drain, you create a stronger suction. Next, use a plunger to create a tight seal around the drain.
Make sure the cup covers the entire opening. Use firm and even pressure as you push and pull. Do this for around 20 seconds at least.
- Plunging the Toilet
Whenever you have a clogged toilet, make sure the flapper valve in the toilet tank is down. Wait for around ten minutes before you turn off the water supply hose on the toilet. If the water still looks like it’s going to overflow, remove some water until it’s halfway up the brim.
If the water level is too low, add more water so the toilet bowl gets filled halfway. Having enough water in the toilet makes plunging the toilet is more effective. The correct water level is one that can cover the cup of your rubber plunger when you place it in.
When the water level is at the halfway point, take your toilet plunger. Now, you learn how to use a plunger on the toilet. Make sure you insert the flange into the opening of the toilet bowl to make the seal while you plunge.
Before you plunge, make sure the flange is out from the inside of the cup. While keeping it vertical, push the plunger into the drain opening in the bowl for around 20 seconds. Don’t break the “seal” or vacuum the plunger created.
- What to Do When Your Plunger Fails
If the plunger isn’t enough to do the job, try other remedies. As we said earlier, you should try using a plunger on your sink first before you use harsh chemicals. This is to prevent splashing around the toxic chemicals that can cause harm to you.
When you do handle these chemicals, do it with care. Remember that they’re made to disintegrate organic matter. If you don’t want to handle chemical drain cleaners, try using a clogged sink remedy like soda.
If all your efforts fail still, it’s the time to call a professional.
Start Plunging Like a Pro
Plungers are easy solutions to clogged drains and toilets. It’s a good thing they’re also easy to take care of. If your plunger starts showing cracks, change the damaged plunger right away.
This sums up how to use a plunger correctly.
We hope you learned a lot from this plunging guide. If you want to see more content about taking care of your home, check out our other guides.