Two primary types of sink plungers—toilet and sink—stand out to homeowners.
They’re the easiest and most affordable ways to unclog your toilet or drains. However, there are some differences between the two.
Which is the best type of sink plunger for your unique needs? Sink plungers are useful for unclogging drains, especially those with stubborn clogs.
However, there are different types of sink plungers. For example, there are sink plungers with long handles and sink plungers with shorter handles.
Depending on the sink plunger you choose, you may need to use more force to get the drain unclogged. Furthermore, sink plungers are either rigid or flexible.
Rigid sink plungers use a rigid metal rod to unclog the drain. Flexible sink plungers use a flexible plastic rod.
Rigid sink plungers are generally more effective because they don’t bend when force is applied. However, rigid sink plungers are more difficult to use than flexible sink plungers because you need strong hands to push down the rigid metal rod and hold it there while waiting for the clog to clear.
Overall, choosing the best type of sink plunger for your unique needs is crucial if you want your sink to remain unclogged for a long time.
Contents
Comparing Sink Plunger Vs Toilet Plunger
Durability
It’s time to look closer at some of the differences between a kitchen sink and a bathroom sink.
When used correctly, a toilet is a durable fixture that can last for years.
Sink plungers are particularly inexpensive compared to toilets that are made out of porcelain or cast iron material.
This implies that if you use it occasionally, a kitchen sink can easily last you for years.
However, you will realize how durable a toilet is if you compare it with a bathroom sink that uses plastic as its main material instead.
This is optimal in homes that do not have kids because it won’t be easily broken or scratched as compared to other materials that are typically used in sinks.
The toilet plunger, when used in the correct way, is more effective than other types of products you can use to get rid of a clogged drain in your kitchen sink at home.
Design
The distinction is noticeable because of the materials they are made of.
A soft flap at the tip of the handle of a toilet can easily close off a hole that is clogged in the pipe.
This flap is not for sanitary purposes but to prevent water from draining down the toilet after it is used.
The flap is inserted into the toilet’s trap so that the water will not go down the drains.
A similar flap would easily close any clogged hole in a kitchen sink pipe rather than keeping it open as in toilets.
Because of this, a sink requires more effort in order to remove clogs as compared to toilets.
This works nicely for the sink, though, because you can manually remove the clog without too much hassle, unlike with the toilet, where it will automatically flush the water down the drain after a blockage occurs.
Usability
When comparing a toilet plunger to a kitchen sink, the design facilitates usability.
Both have a function but are used differently in your home.
For example, if you have a sink plunger at home, you will need to insert it fully into the pipe before pumping the handle up and down in order to break up the clog and clear it out completely.
The drain is particularly constructed to manage clogs, so the flange will remain attached to the basin after the water has been drained out.
The same plunger, however, will completely submerge in water when used on a toilet because of the design that allows the water to naturally flow out of the bowl.
You’ll need the soft flap at the tip of the handle to keep the water from flowing down the pipes after it has been flushed out.
This is what will distinguish the two from each other when it comes to usability because they are used differently in your home and function differently as well.
Speed
The last consideration is whether a blocked drain is in your kitchen or your toilet.
With a good tool, you can unclog a sink in just a few minutes without using chemicals or other products that could be harmful to your health if you accidentally ate them.
Most blocked sink drains may be freed with this piece of equipment alone if you insert the plunger the right way and pump the handle up and down vigorously enough to break the clog up without harming the pipe or the surrounding areas.
The same is the case when it comes to clearing out a clogged toilet drain with a toilet plunger because the design keeps the water inside the bowl while it is being pumped.
A toilet plunger is designed to work with much less force than a standard sink plunger because it must be able to keep water inside when used in a toilet.
This emphasizes the necessity of positioning the plunger correctly when you begin using it, or else you may damage the fixture or the surrounding areas.
Can You Use a Toilet Plunger for a Sink?
By flipping the flange into the cup, you can use a kitchen sink plunger in a toilet and vice versa, but the results may not be ideal since the two fixtures have different purposes in the home.
But it’s better to use the right tool for the type of blockage you have so you don’t damage your fixture or the pipe around it.
What Does a Sink Plunger Look Like?
A sink plunger has a rubber cup attached to a plastic stem that fits into the drain.
It’s also known to have a wooden or plastic handle at the top that allows you to grip it easily while pumping to dislodge the clog and flush it out with water.
It’s generally an unpleasant task to clean a clogged kitchen sink, especially when you need to clean up the dishes after preparing a meal for the family, but it’s relatively easy to remove a clog in the fixture with the right equipment.
The suction cup bottom will adhere itself to the bowl of the sink when it is fully submerged in water, allowing you to pump it up and down without spilling any over the sides.
What Is the Fastest Way to Unclog a Sink?
Pour one cup of fresh baking soda down the drain, followed by a cup of white vinegar, and then allow the solution to sit for 15 minutes.
Cover the drain opening with a plastic bag, such as a Ziploc bag, and let it sit for another 15 minutes, then rinse it off with hot water.
Allow the vinegar and baking soda to unclog your drain for two to three days, and then flush it down with hot water again.
Also Read: How to Remove Drain Bladder Broke Off In Pipe
Final Words
When comparing a sink plunger with a toilet plunger, you will find that both products work in the same manner by forcing the water out of the blocked area and into the sewer pipe, but each is made for a specific purpose.
A sink plunger has a rounded front edge that allows it to suction to the bowl of the sink, while a toilet bowl has no ledge to rest on and instead has a flat rim all the way around.
A toilet drain, on the other hand, has a much smaller opening than a kitchen basin and requires much more force to dislodge clogs and blockages.
This helps make and keep up a strong suction pressure, which is needed to keep water flowing through the fixture and the pipes that lead to your home’s waste system.
As you can see, it all boils down once again to using the right tool for the job because the wrong one can end up causing more harm than good to your plumbing fixtures and the surrounding piping.
If you want to unclog a bathroom sink or kitchen sink fast without spending any money on professional plumbing services, then we recommend purchasing a high-quality kitchen or bathroom sink plunger to do the job for you.
It will work well, especially if you combine it with one of the above methods to help break up any blockages that are keeping water from getting to your plumbing system.
The same holds true for a toilet plunger, which can also be used to quickly remove clogs from a toilet drain.
Simply use the sink plunger on your toilet by removing the rubber cup from its base and replacing it with the toilet plunger cup instead.
