A plunger (or a force cup) helps plumbers clear blockages in pipes as well as in drains. The cup, attached to a shaft, is usually made of plastic or wood. It has a rubber suction cup. Plungers came into the picture around the end of the 19th century. Thanks to John Hawley, the plungers were finally born. At the time, they called plungers as vent clearer. They marketed these as force cups. The plungers that we see these days are easy to use. Push down the cup against the opening of the drain. You can press hard into the drain or force the air inside. Push down until you see the rubber cup flattened. Then, try to pull out. It should create a vacuum that pulls whatever is blocking the drain up. This method usually works by dislodging waste material from the clogged drain. While easy to use, plungers can sometimes cause damages to the toilet. Sometimes, it can be slippery to injure the user. Be careful there.