I used sink plungers in toilets pretty much my whole life until i scrolled across a similar diagram one day and discovered the truth.

  • Psythik@lemmy.world
    link
    fedilink
    arrow-up
    10
    arrow-down
    2
    ·
    edit-2
    3 months ago

    Which brings up a good point; why would anyone need a plunger for a sink? If it gets clogged, nothing will help you short of a drain snake. And if your kitchen sink is getting clogged, it’s time to invest in a garbage disposal.

    • Soggy@lemmy.world
      link
      fedilink
      English
      arrow-up
      16
      ·
      3 months ago

      Plungers certainly do help with sinks. Loosens up a partial clog easily in my experience.

        • Hagdos@lemmy.world
          link
          fedilink
          arrow-up
          5
          ·
          3 months ago

          Soda and vinegar is an odd combination. Soda is a base, making water alkali. Vinegar is an acid, making water acidic. Together, they make water neutral again, with a lot of pretty bubbles.

          Either one can work really well depending on the stuff you need to get rid of. But adding one to the other just weakens it.

          • NormalPerson@lemmy.world
            link
            fedilink
            arrow-up
            7
            ·
            3 months ago

            I do this for a living. If you really wanna save yourself some money, depending on your plumbing(usually PVC, older houses might have cast iron), just put a bit of a cleaning agent and run hot water into your drain for 10-20 minutes weekly. The hot water alone every week will do more for your pipes in the long run.

            If you’re doing this regularly you won’t have to run the water as long, maybe 5 minutes weekly. This helps to dissolve build up from stuff like grease and soap scum which catches other food debris and leads to clogs. Preventive maintenance is best, spend a little time and money now to save a lot of time and money later.

          • Pinklink@lemm.ee
            link
            fedilink
            arrow-up
            4
            ·
            3 months ago

            Mixing them together causes an exothermic reaction that releases a lot of CO2. Both the heat and the releasing of gas bubbles can also help to break up things. Also it’s unlikely that all will mix with all, so you get some pockets of basic and some pockets of alkaline, who knows what you’re trying to break up but some of either might help. The method they learned is kind of throwing everything at it cus something will work. You aren’t wrong, both methods have validity

            • Hagdos@lemmy.world
              link
              fedilink
              arrow-up
              1
              ·
              3 months ago

              Hmm, it seems to me most of those bubbles will happen not where you need them. Maybe if you throw in the base first and the acid later (or the other way around)

          • monogram@feddit.nl
            link
            fedilink
            English
            arrow-up
            2
            ·
            3 months ago

            Especially when it regurgitates back up in your other sink mixed with hair and grime

      • AA5B@lemmy.world
        link
        fedilink
        arrow-up
        1
        ·
        edit-2
        3 months ago

        So weird. It always seems to pump air through the overflow and do no good. By the time you figure out how to plug the overflow, you might as well have taken off the trap and emptied it in the trash …… especially with PVC traps where it all just comes apart without tools

        • Soggy@lemmy.world
          link
          fedilink
          English
          arrow-up
          2
          ·
          3 months ago

          I just put my hand over the hole, takes two seconds. And I don’t have to clear out under the sink and get a bucket. (And it’s only very rarely necessary)

    • gnu
      link
      fedilink
      arrow-up
      4
      ·
      edit-2
      3 months ago

      I’ve found a plunger useful for a sink occasionally, a bit of back and forth plunging can loosen up a hairball or break a layer of fat/soap scum. On the other hand I’ve never needed to use a plunger on a toilet - I don’t know how much of this is exaggeration on the internet but Australian toilets don’t seem to have anywhere near the amount of issues the American designs do.