4 Types of Drain Plungers and How to Choose One

By
Aaron Stickley
Aaron Stickley

Aaron Stickley is a licensed plumber with 15 years of experience in commercial, new residential plumbing, and residential service and repair. He started his own residential service and repair plumbing business. Aaron's articles about plumbing on The Spruce span four years.

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Updated on 09/16/24
Reviewed by
Richard Epstein
Richard Epstein
Reviewed by Richard Epstein
Richard Epstein is a licensed master plumber with over 40 years experience in residential and commercial plumbing. He specializes in estimating as well as design and engineering for plumbing systems, and he works for one of New York's largest union plumbing construction companies.
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Black toilet plunger angled above toilet bowl
Credit:

The Spruce / Adrienne Legault

Plungers are basic household tools designed to unclog drains. Since drain clogs are common plumbing problems, plungers offer an extremely effective, inexpensive, and easy way solution.

A plunger works its magic with simple suction and pressure. When the plunger's rubber cup is sealed down over the drain opening and the handle is moved up and down, the pressure of water forced up and down will dislodge most clogs and allow them to continue through the drain pipes. There are various types of plungers, each designed to be used on different types of drains.

Below, we'll discuss the types of plungers and the factors you should consider when choosing the one that is best for you and your needs.

  • 01 of 04

    Standard Plunger

    Clay-colored sink/standard plunger on bathroom floor
    Credit:

    The Spruce / Adrienne Legault

    Best for: Sinks

    Most people think of this very basic plunger when talking about plungers. A standard plunger has a rubber cup at the end of a straight handle, usually made of wood. Sometimes, the handle of the cup is a different size, but the basic structure stays the same.

    A sink plunger works well only on a flat surface, like a sink. The cup can lay flat over the drain, creating the vacuum to plunge and dislodge the sink clog properly.

    In a pinch, this plunger can potentially be used to clear clogs in other fixtures, such as a toilet, but it can be challenging to position the cup in a way that creates enough suction. It's much better to have a plunger designed for toilets. 

  • 02 of 04

    Toilet Plunger With Flap

    Black toilet plunger on bathroom floor
    Credit:

    The Spruce / Adrienne Legault

    Best for: General use

    A toilet plunger has a cup like a sink plunger and a soft rubber flap that folds out from inside the cup. This type of plunger is also called a flange plunger. The fold-out flap fits nicely into the toilet drain opening, making it easy to form the suction to clear a toilet clog.

    With the flap folded inside the cup, this plunger can also create a seal on a sink or tub drain. A toilet plunger is perhaps the best option for all-around home use because the fold-out flap provides flexibility to fit just about any drain.

  • 03 of 04

    Accordion Plunger

    Black accordion plunger on bathroom floor
    Credit:

    The Spruce / Adrienne Legault

    Best for: Toilets

    This interesting-looking plunger's design is even better suited for clearing toilet clogs because it has a smaller cup. However, it is not very well suited for use on other drains. It can produce a lot of force, but it is not very easy to use. The plastic is quite hard, so creating a vacuum seal over the drain is challenging. This plunger is powerful but not very versatile.

  • 04 of 04

    Taze Plunger

    Taze plunger disc on bathroom floor
    Credit:

    The Spruce / Adrienne Legault

    Best for: Large pipes

    A taze plunger is used for clearing large pipes, not the typical household drain clog. It consists of a disc sized to fit a particular pipe size and a long steel rod that pushes the disc into the pipe.

    Since this type of plunger is not meant for use on a typical household drain, homeowners aren’t allowed to use it. Professionals usually use this specialty tool. 

How to Choose the Best Plunger

Plungers come in a range of quality levels. When selecting a new plunger, consider its quality and how and where it will be used.

They are inexpensive tools; plan to have more than one on hand. For instance, have a sink plunger and a toilet plunger. Keep their uses separate.

Plunger Maintenance Tips

  • Clean the plunger: Since the tool can harbor germs, soak it in a bleach-water solution with hot water or vinegar. Never mix bleach and vinegar. Clean it after every use.
  • Keep it in a dry location: Allow it to air dry. Once dried, bag the head until its subsequent use or keep it in a ventilated utility closet.
  • Inspect it regularly. Plungers are used vigorously, and the rubber is prone to tears or cracking over time. Check that it's in proper working condition before you store it. You don't want to be stuck in a predicament needing it only to find out it's broken.

Tip

Try a natural drain cleaner if your plunger fails to work and you don't have a drain snake around. Start by pouring hot water down the drain. Boiling water is not recommended since it can melt PVC pipes or adversely affect some seals. Next, pour 1/2 cup of baking soda down the drain. Chase that with 1/2 cup of vinegar. Let it sit for 10 minutes. Pour hot water down the drain again.

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