When plunging fails, trust me this works and saves you $300 minimum plumber bill. Read and follow instructions, I am a smart, short older woman, and I was able to use this without a problem. I used a pen to push the button in to release additional 3 feet of cable, so the three -foot one would have been too short. The right tool for the job. Clean the end off and let dry before putting it away for future use. See YouTube for many videos. Patience, and you will be rewarded. FYI - if you plunge too vigorously you may disrupt wax seal and flood 1st floor ceiling from 2nd floor bathroom. Who wants to risk that? Buy one of these, learn a new skill, skip the plumber, and above all, derive satisfaction from doing it yourself.