Cement that has thickened or gone lumpy in the tin — it is past its life and the joint will leak Joining ABS to PVC with either cement; use a proper transition coupling Using solvent cement in poor ventilation; the solvents are volatile and the vapour is heavier than air

Which glue works on PVC pipe?

PVC solvent cement with its matching primer — and PVC, CPVC and ABS cements are not interchangeable.

Solvent cement does not glue; it welds. The solvent softens the surface of both pipe and fitting, the two soft layers are pushed together and intermingle, and as the solvent evaporates a single continuous piece of PVC is left — which is why the cement also contains dissolved PVC resin to fill the clearance. Primer is not optional in most codes: it removes the glazed skin and starts the softening, and the purple dye exists so an inspector can see from across the room that it was used. Cure time matters more than most people allow: handling strength arrives in minutes, but the pressure rating is only reached after hours, and longer in cold weather or on large diameters, so pressurising early splits joints.

The options, ranked

Ranked best-first for the stated job. The third column is why the others exist.
Option	Good at	Bad at
PVC solvent cement with primer	Chemically welds the pipe and fitting into one piece; a correct joint is as strong as the pipe.	Instant and irreversible — there is no repositioning and no taking it apart.
CPVC cement	Formulated for the higher-temperature chlorinated material used for hot water in North America.	Not a substitute for PVC cement and vice versa, despite the similar names.
ABS cement	The correct product for black ABS waste pipe, and it needs no separate primer.	Will not make a code-compliant joint between ABS and PVC; that transition needs a mechanical coupling.
Push-fit or compression fitting	Demountable, forgiving and the right answer when the joint may need to come apart.	Bulkier, more expensive per joint, and relies on an O-ring that ages.

Technique that changes the outcome

Cut square with a pipe cutter or fine saw and deburr the inside and outside edges
Dry-fit: the pipe should stop about a third to two-thirds into the socket, not bottom out loosely
Prime both surfaces, then cement both, working quickly before the solvent flashes off
Push fully home with a quarter turn and hold for 30 seconds — a joint pushed short creeps back out
Wipe the excess bead and leave for the full cure time on the tin before any pressure

What goes wrong

Cement that has thickened or gone lumpy in the tin — it is past its life and the joint will leak
Joining ABS to PVC with either cement; use a proper transition coupling
Using solvent cement in poor ventilation; the solvents are volatile and the vapour is heavier than air

Compiled practical guidance rather than a published standard. Product formulations vary by brand and market, so read the label — and where the work is structural, electrical or gas, the regulations that apply where you are govern rather than anything here.

Other glue and adhesive questions

For	Use
Plastic	It depends entirely on which plastic — identify it first, because solvent cement is unbeatable on some and useless on others.
Polypropylene and polyethylene	Ordinary adhesives cannot wet these plastics at all. Use a polyolefin primer with cyanoacrylate, an MMA structural adhesive, or weld the plastic.
Wood	PVA wood glue for anything indoors; a water-resistant grade (Type I / D4) or polyurethane for anything that gets wet.
Metal	Two-part epoxy for anything structural, cyanoacrylate for small dry parts, and MMA where the surface cannot be properly prepared.
Ceramic and pottery	Two-part epoxy for anything that will be handled or loaded, cyanoacrylate for a clean break on a display piece — and neither is dishwasher-proof.
Shoes	A flexible shoe repair adhesive — polyurethane or a neoprene contact cement — never superglue, which cracks within a day of walking.
Fabric	A washable fabric adhesive or a fusible bonding web — and never superglue, which reacts with cotton violently enough to burn.
Glass	UV-cure glass adhesive for an invisible joint, clear epoxy where it must hold load, and neutral-cure silicone where it must stay flexible or wet.
Tiles	A cement-based thin-set in almost every case; ready-mixed tub adhesive only on small dry walls, never on floors or in showers.
Phone screens	A pre-cut adhesive gasket, or a flexible B-7000-type adhesive around the frame — superglue destroys screens and is the classic mistake.
Rubber	Contact cement for large flexible areas and rubber-toughened cyanoacrylate for small ones — but silicone and EPDM need a primer or they will not bond at all.
Outdoor and waterproof joints	Polyurethane or epoxy for rigid joints, MS polymer where the joint has to move — and check the water-resistance class rather than the word "waterproof".
Acrylic (Perspex, Plexiglas)	A solvent cement run into the joint by capillary action — not a tube adhesive, which will always look like a repair.
Concrete	Epoxy or a construction adhesive for bonding to it, and a chemical anchor resin — not glue — for anything that carries load.
Leather	Contact cement for a permanent flexible bond, or a leather-craft PVA to hold pieces while you stitch them.
Silicone	Effectively only more silicone, and even that needs a primer — and any silicone residue left on a surface stops everything else sticking too.
Paper	A glue stick or PVA for everyday work; wheat starch paste or methylcellulose for anything you want to survive — and never tape.
Foam	A foam-safe water-based adhesive or low-temperature hot melt — solvent adhesives dissolve polystyrene on contact.
Polycarbonate	A urethane or silicone adhesive is safest; solvent cements work but polycarbonate is unusually prone to stress cracking days later.

Common questions

Which glue works on PVC pipe?: PVC solvent cement with its matching primer — and PVC, CPVC and ABS cements are not interchangeable.
What should I avoid?: Cement that has thickened or gone lumpy in the tin — it is past its life and the joint will leak Joining ABS to PVC with either cement; use a proper transition coupling Using solvent cement in poor ventilation; the solvents are volatile and the vapour is heavier than air

Which glue works on plastic? It depends entirely on which plastic — identify it first, because solvent cement is unbeatable on some and useless on others.
Which glue works on polypropylene and polyethylene? Ordinary adhesives cannot wet these plastics at all. Use a polyolefin primer with cyanoacrylate, an MMA structural adhesive, or weld the plastic.
Which glue works on wood? PVA wood glue for anything indoors; a water-resistant grade (Type I / D4) or polyurethane for anything that gets wet.
Which glue works on metal? Two-part epoxy for anything structural, cyanoacrylate for small dry parts, and MMA where the surface cannot be properly prepared.
Which glue works on ceramic? Two-part epoxy for anything that will be handled or loaded, cyanoacrylate for a clean break on a display piece — and neither is dishwasher-proof.
Which glue works on shoes? A flexible shoe repair adhesive — polyurethane or a neoprene contact cement — never superglue, which cracks within a day of walking.
Which glue works on fabric? A washable fabric adhesive or a fusible bonding web — and never superglue, which reacts with cotton violently enough to burn.
Which glue works on glass? UV-cure glass adhesive for an invisible joint, clear epoxy where it must hold load, and neutral-cure silicone where it must stay flexible or wet.
Which adhesive should I use for tiles? A cement-based thin-set in almost every case; ready-mixed tub adhesive only on small dry walls, never on floors or in showers.
Which glue works on a phone screen? A pre-cut adhesive gasket, or a flexible B-7000-type adhesive around the frame — superglue destroys screens and is the classic mistake.

Sources

Official vendor product documentation — At One Place

How these figures are compiled and checked