He decided to call in the reinforcements - his wife, Sarah, who was a seasoned DIY expert. Sarah took one look at the toilet and shook her head. "Not going to work, honey," she said, eyeing the plunger skeptically. "We need to try something else."

When a plunger fails to clear a clogged toilet, it is usually because the obstruction is too solid, too deep in the trap, or composed of non-flushable materials. While a plunger relies on air pressure and suction, more stubborn clogs require mechanical intervention or chemical reactions to break down the mass.