PlungeMe: Expat Edition
July 11, 2024 5:41 AM Subscribe
I need a plunger. You know, for toilet reasons. I live in the United Kingdom. I have never seen a toilet plunger in a store here. Two questions: What gives? And, more importantly: Where do I buy a plunger?
I tried buying one online but was tricked by the lack of banana for scale and ended up with a sink plunger. (Which are readily available in stores.) I am tired of using a sink plunger to plunge my toilet, because it is Too Small and the situation gets real gross real fast.
(Completely irrelevant side note, every toilet I've used here since moving from Canada has been seemingly impervious to blockages, *except* the one in the actual house I actually now live in. Mysterious.)
When I go online to look for a plunger I am baffled by the options. If you have a plunger that works well on your low-flow UK toilet I would be positively thrilled for the recommendation.
(I would also love to understand why the plungers they sell at, like, B&Q or Dunelm or Argos or whatever are so small they are only good for sinks!)
My toilet will thank you.
I tried buying one online but was tricked by the lack of banana for scale and ended up with a sink plunger. (Which are readily available in stores.) I am tired of using a sink plunger to plunge my toilet, because it is Too Small and the situation gets real gross real fast.
(Completely irrelevant side note, every toilet I've used here since moving from Canada has been seemingly impervious to blockages, *except* the one in the actual house I actually now live in. Mysterious.)
When I go online to look for a plunger I am baffled by the options. If you have a plunger that works well on your low-flow UK toilet I would be positively thrilled for the recommendation.
(I would also love to understand why the plungers they sell at, like, B&Q or Dunelm or Argos or whatever are so small they are only good for sinks!)
My toilet will thank you.
Best answer: Screwfix definitely sell toilet plungers. I would recommend the 'master plunger' concertina style plunger over the kind that are just a stick and a seal; I've found they work a lot better.
posted by terretu at 6:04 AM on July 11, 2024 [3 favorites]
posted by terretu at 6:04 AM on July 11, 2024 [3 favorites]
Best answer: Was just typing up about Screwfix, for pretty much anything DIY. But yes, of the 5 plungers they sell, only the master plunger is designed for toilets.
And yes, our toilets basically don't block. I've only experienced it once, and that was from a foreign object.
posted by ambrosen at 6:08 AM on July 11, 2024
And yes, our toilets basically don't block. I've only experienced it once, and that was from a foreign object.
posted by ambrosen at 6:08 AM on July 11, 2024
Best answer: You can also just order one from Amazon. If in doubt, check the reviews for people saying they used it on a toilet. I bought this one and it worked perfectly first time, although you may need sunglasses to operate it.
posted by quacks like a duck at 6:36 AM on July 11, 2024
posted by quacks like a duck at 6:36 AM on July 11, 2024
(I would also love to understand why the plungers they sell at, like, B&Q or Dunelm or Argos or whatever are so small they are only good for sinks!)
Our toilets very seldom block, but the same can't be said for our sinks. (I've certainly usually got at least one slow-draining sink in the house, and that's despite being pretty careful about what gets washed down them.) I'd guess that in the majority of cases, someone after a plunger is looking to unblock a sink.
posted by ManyLeggedCreature at 6:53 AM on July 11, 2024 [1 favorite]
Our toilets very seldom block, but the same can't be said for our sinks. (I've certainly usually got at least one slow-draining sink in the house, and that's despite being pretty careful about what gets washed down them.) I'd guess that in the majority of cases, someone after a plunger is looking to unblock a sink.
posted by ManyLeggedCreature at 6:53 AM on July 11, 2024 [1 favorite]
Only at your house, eh? Don't forget, you're supposed to remove the toilet from the base.
posted by donpardo at 9:12 AM on July 11, 2024 [4 favorites]
posted by donpardo at 9:12 AM on July 11, 2024 [4 favorites]
If you need to use a plunger often check to see if there's something in the pipes that doesn't belong there- like the fork that someone flushed down my toilet. It might be worth calling in a plumber.
posted by mareli at 10:13 AM on July 11, 2024
posted by mareli at 10:13 AM on July 11, 2024
Yes, when a toilet constantly plugs often there is something lodged in there. One time we found a whole wire hanger that had somehow made its way around a bend or two.
It's not always something so large, but something just large enough to make its way partway through the toilet, but then get stuck there, just out of sight.
posted by flug at 1:23 PM on July 11, 2024
It's not always something so large, but something just large enough to make its way partway through the toilet, but then get stuck there, just out of sight.
posted by flug at 1:23 PM on July 11, 2024
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Look in the Household aisle in a supermarket or the plumbing aisle of a DIY/home improvement store like B&Q.
posted by k3ninho at 5:58 AM on July 11, 2024 [1 favorite]