Toilet plungers are something you’ve come to love and know. They have saved many a bathroom floor from disaster. Although most people are familiar with how to use a toilet plunger or can learn quickly under pressure, it is less well-known that there are many types of plungers.
This is the definitive guide to all types of plungers you may find. These plungers can be lifesavers or not. You have to see them all to believe.
1. Cup Plunger
This plunger is the simplest. The plunger consists of a long handle, made of metal, plastic, or wood, that is attached to one end of a flexible cup. The cup’s interior is completely empty and has no other attachments or flanges.
Although cup plungers can be used to plunge the toilet, this is not their intended use. They don’t seal toilet drains well and can get stuck inside the toilet and then fling dirty water back at their users.
A cup plunger should be used to unclog bathtub drains or sinks that cannot be cleaned with pliers. The plunger can be used to plug the drain hole. After that, you can run water over the cup to submerge it. Check for drainage after ten to fifteen strokes.
2. Flange Plunger
When shopping for a plunger, the term « flange » is something you’ll often hear. The rubber plug that is found inside the cup keeps the plunger inverted.
Flange plungers are designed for toilets and are not like cup plungers. The flange, which is the first part to reach the toilet, seals the pipe better than the cup. Flange plungers are often equipped with drip platforms so that you can dry them and prevent any water from splashing on the floor.
3.
Beehive Plunger
The versatility of beehive plungers is what they are made for. Instead of a cup they have a strong rubber attachment that looks like a beehive. This tapers to a smaller flange at its bottom. You can push the toilet drainpipe until it seals.
The best beehive plungers are capable of sealing pipes up to 6 inches in diameter. For added leverage and fighting blockages, some beehive plungers have t-shaped handles.
4. Tiered Plunger
Tiered plungers operate on the same principle that beehive plungers but have several flat tiers rather than a round edge. You can’t go wrong either with a tiered plunger or beehive plunger if you aren’t certain a plunger will fit in your toilet.
We strongly recommend purchasing a plunger with a plastic or metal handle. Although wooden handles are beautiful and comfortable, they can easily collect dirt, grime and bacteria. When they are too damp, wooden handles can also rot.
5. Bellows Plunger
Cup plungers work well in showers and sinks. Toilets can be fitted with tiered, beehive and flanged plungers. The bellows plunger is the most controversial item on the list.
You can buy bellows plungers for sinks and toilets. They have a corrugated bowl, which compresses like an accordion. The collapse makes the plunge stronger and flushes out blockages faster. It is not always easy to control all this power in practice.
You can make the problems worse by trying to fix them.
Bellows plunger crevices are a natural place for dirt and feces. They can also become unsanitary quickly because they are difficult to clean.
6. Power Plunger
This is where things get weird. The power plungers replace the rubber handle and cup design with a gun-shaped pump. It pulls in toilet water and shoots it back at the blockage.
Although it is a unique way to mimic the action of a traditional plunger we aren’t seeing any that would tempt us to change over. Especially since the risk of the power plunger flinging toilet water in your face rather than moving the blockage,
7. Touchless Plunger
The new touchless toilet plungers claim to revolutionize sanitation. They can remove any blockage or contaminate the water supply. The touchless plunger is a large bellows you place between the toilet seat and bowl. After that, pump by moving it up and down.
8. Disposable Plunger
Surprisingly, we did not find touchless plungers to be the worst idea while researching this article. The Disposable Plunger (also known as the Pong Tu), is the winner. It’s a large sticker that you stick over your entire bowl. You can then flush your bowl again to purposely flood it with water after sealing the lid.
You can then press down with your hands on the sticker until it bulges outward. This is the Heimlich maneuver.
We don’t have to explain why it is such a horrible idea, hopefully.
Which Kind Of Product Should You Buy?
One day, someone will improve the toilet plunger design. We will be the first to know if that happens. A toilet plunger is a long handle that has a cup or bowl at the end. This is what you should purchase.
A cup plunger, without a flange, is the best way to unclog a bathtub, sink, or shower drain. A flanged, beehive, or tiered toilet plunger is available. Do not forget to get a metal or plastic handle as wood can harbor bacteria.
Also, a drip holder is a fantastic idea.
Make sure you clean your plunger every day. This can be done in your toilet. Pour a few drops of bleach into the bowl. Leave the plunger there for approximately 15 minutes. Then flush the toilet several times to get rid of all the bleach.
