Your day seems to be going smoothly until your child turns suspiciously quiet. And now, there’s a toy stuck in the toilet.
But don’t worry because that is what this article is all about; we are going to teach you how to remove an object from toilet trap. We included all the ways you can perform together with the tools you have to use, before calling for the help of a professional plumber.
Table of Contents
Ways to Get Something Out of the Toilet
In this section, we are going to see the different methods to take out something stuck in the toilet, either a toy, plastic, or any foreign object.
But first, here are the things that we will need:
- cleaning gloves (preferably elbow-length)
- toilet flange plunger
- toilet auger
- toilet snake
- 1 cup of baking soda
- 1 cup of white vinegar
- wet-dry vacuum
- grabber tool
We will also tell you to wear protective clothing so you won’t get wet and goggles too because you never know what might splash.
The first attempt to get a foreign object out of the toilet should be by your hands. This works especially if the object is not too far down the trap.
- Turn off the water shut-off valve and drain the bowl using a cup.
- While wearing your elbow-length cleaning gloves (without holes!), proceed to insert your hand into the opening of the trap. With care, see if you can pull the foreign object stuck in the toilet.
- Once done, turn on the water shut-off valve and try flushing the toilet. If you’re able to successfully take the object out, it should flush without problems.
Grabber tools with claws are made for tight places that are hard to reach, just like the toilet. If the object is not too far stuck in the trap’s opening, this tool may work.
- Start by draining the bowl of water and turning off the shut-off valve.
- Insert the grabber tool until it bumps into the foreign object.
- Press the grip to claw the object. Grabbers usually have magnetic tips, so if the thing that was stuck is made of metal, this is an advantage.
- If successful, turn on the water shut-off valve and flush.
If you don’t have a grabber tool, you can improvise by using a hanger or a wire. However, it won’t have the grip mechanism of a grabber.
If you got a plastic object stuck in the toilet and you think that it is already in the toilet pipe, the best thing to do is to try and melt it.
White vinegar and baking soda mixture is the ultimate go-to when we need to unclog a toilet by melting the culprit.
- Always start by turning off the shut-off valve and draining the bowl, but not too much; leave a cup or two of water behind.
- Put a cup of baking soda into the bowl, then follow with a cup of white vinegar.
- This will create a reaction so wait for at least 30 minutes until the fizzing recedes.
- After waiting, pour a kettle of hot water into the bowl.
- You may repeat the steps if necessary.
We are confident that this method will dissolve plastic in the toilet bowl and the clog will disappear after it has been flushed.
If you accidentally flushed plastic down the toilet, you may use the vinegar and baking soda mixture to melt it. But if you don’t feel like doing chemistry at the moment, we can also use a flange plunger.
- After turning off the water supply and removing the excess amount of water in the bowl (if any), stick the plunger in the toilet, particularly on the trap’s opening.
- While the cup has suctioned to the opening, proceed to push and pull vertically with enough force for at least 20 seconds.
- If it is working, you will notice that the water will drain more quickly. If it doesn’t, then push and pull with added force.
If this doesn’t work, you may try the other methods that we listed or you may call for a licensed plumber to solve the problem for you.
A toilet snake or auger are common solutions if you unintentionally flushed your things in the toilet.
Before we begin, let us see the difference between the two. The snake is for pulling out the cause of the clog while the auger is to break the clog and force it down the drain. However, the usage of both is almost similar.
For the toilet snake:
- Remove excess water from the bowl and turn off the shut-off valve.
- Insert the snake into the drain and ensure that the cable is inside.
- If it gets harder to insert, this is where you turn the crank clockwise. Also try to jostle it to help loosen up the entry.
- After you feel the clog, rotate the crank counterclockwise to bring out the clog.
- Repeat the process until the flow of water in the drain becomes smoother.
- Try flushing the toilet after the process.
For the toilet auger:
- The starting process is the same with the toilet snake, except that you have to crank the handle until the clog has been pushed down the drain.
Remember, the auger is made for this purpose. You may turn the crank clockwise or counterclockwise to loosen up the clog, but don’t be too forceful.
- Flush the toilet once done. If there is still a clog, you might want to try our other methods.
Surprised? We feel you! But your wet-dry or shop vacuum can actually help remove objects from the toilet trap. The process is pretty simple but it is better if you can get help from another person.
- Turn off the toilet’s water shut-off valve and drain the bowl. You can even use the vacuum for this part.
- Insert the hose and nozzle into the drain by a few inches. After this, cover the opening with towels to create a seal around the hose.
- Proceed to turning on the vacuum to remove the clog. Remember to hold the towel-seal tight.
- After a few moments, you will hear and feel something from the toilet with the vacuum sucking the object.
An important precaution here is to never use a regular vacuum as this method will destroy it.
When you have tried all six methods but nothing worked, know when to call a professional and licensed plumber to solve the problem of an object being trapped in the toilet drain.
We don’t recommend doing anything further than the steps we mentioned, such as removing the toilet. Let a plumber handle the job since it will give you assurance that they will not damage the toilet.
Tips to Prevent Objects From Getting Stuck in the Toilet Trap
First things first, do not flush objects in your toilet. If it is not toilet paper, water, or human waste, then don’t press the flush.
Another tip is to keep the toilet lid closed when you’re not using it, so you won’t accidentally drop anything into the bowl.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
Can You Retrieve Something That Was Flushed Down the Toilet?
Depending on how far the object was flushed down the toilet, we may or may not be able to retrieve it anymore.
For example, a toy that was flushed and found itself near the drain’s opening can be retrieved by hand (with gloves, of course) or a grabber. If it’s a little too far from the opening, we may use a toilet snake or a wet-dry vacuum.
But if the object is way too far in the toilet trap, it may now be impossible for us to recover.
How Do I Clean Something That Fell in the Toilet?
The best way to clean something that fell into the toilet—considering that it is not electronic—is to submerge it in warm to hot water for about 10 to 20 minutes. This will depend on the material since we don’t want too much heat to deform it.
After this, rinse and sanitize the object with a disinfectant or alcohol to ensure optimum cleanliness.
Conclusion
If you accidentally dropped something in your toilet and worried about how to remove an object from toilet trap, the possible methods are the following:
- Removing the object by hands with gloves;
- Using a grabber and toilet snake or auger;
- Utilizing vinegar and baking soda mixture and;
- Using a wet-dry or shop vacuum.
These ways can be used depending on the availability of the tools and materials and which one will work best. But in any case that none of them work, then it is time to ask for a professional plumber’s assistance.
Related: S Trap vs P Trap Toilet: What’s the Difference?
I’m Paulk Webb, and I work as a writer for Saveourwaterrebates. I’m happy to put in the time and effort to conduct market research to identify the most pressing issues faced by households concerning their plumbing. Feel free to check out our guides to get the most informed recommendations for how to solve your problems.