While you're at Lowe's be sure to pick up a pint of plunger oil, which will help keep the plunger lubricated and prevent the plastic from degrading like this. It's not expensive and it's not hard to use. All you have to do is lick the plunger clean after each use, allow it to air dry, then apply a small dab of the oil, and rub that in with a soft natural fiber cloth. A plunger can last you a life time with proper care.
Fans often ask celebrities to autograph weird things. Even so Alex Borstein was pretty startled when someone approached her at a recent event brandishing a plunger. “I was like, ‘That doesn’t look new, and I’m not going to sign that!’” Borstein told me with a raspy laugh, sounding a lot like her Marvelous Mrs. Maisel character, Susie Myerson.