Rubbermaid takes the plunge in home category

As new product launches go, Rubbermaid’s Clean & Dry plunger was overshadowed this week by the unveiling of the iPhone 5, depite the innovation it brings to the bathroom cleaning category.

In addition to the Clean & Dry plunger whose key attributes are evident in the name, Rubbermaid also launched the Rubbermaid Bathroom Scrubbers line of cleaning tools. Both products are designed to make bathroom cleaning easier, quicker and more hygienic.

"Our research tells us again and again that when consumers use Rubbermaid solutions in their homes, they feel free to live their lives and focus on what really matters," said Steve Pawl, Rubbermaid’s VP of marketing. "This insight naturally extends to the bathroom, where consumers are constantly seeking simpler and more effective solutions. Our line of new Rubbermaid Bathroom Scrubbers and the Clean & Dry Plunger join the Reveal Microfiber Spray Mop to extend the ways Rubbermaid is helping consumers achieve a clean and organized home quickly and effectively."

According to the company, 70% of consumers clean their bathroom at least once per week, despite an aversion to the task. Existing tools like sponges and disposable wipes make it difficult to clean hard-to-reach places. As a result, consumers desire tools that can be customized to their specific frustration, cleaning method and bathroom.

Rubbermaid’s new Bathroom Scrubbers provide four tools including the Spray Scrubber, Extendable Scrubber, Flexible Scrub Brush and a 2-in-1 Scrubber. A variety of switchable pads are available – including scour, sponge, bristle and disposable pads – so no matter the mess or surface, cleaning can be tailored to fit the consumers’ preferred method of cleaning, according to the company.

As for the plunger, an implement every home needs but no one ever wants to use, Rubbermaid’s Clean & Dry product addresses the most objectionable aspects of unclogging a toilet. The product features a NeverWet nanotech coating which forms a shield that repels water much like water beads up and runs off a freshly waxed car. That’s a good thing because Rubbermaid’s research shows that after just one use, traditional plungers are coated with up to 3.2 million harmful bacteria that reside in toilets. That contaminated water can end up dripping onto floors, cabinets or even an iPhone.