Objects becoming trapped in the toilet trap is pretty uncommon. Children enjoy tossing objects down the toilet and flushing them to see what happens.
Many of us have had the unpleasant experience of having to unclog a toilet. While we may unwittingly produce a clogged toilet, our young children’s imaginations can also contribute to the problem.
It’s remarkable what they flushed, and why they did so remains a mystery. We’ve created a few tiny, straightforward measures you can take to unclog just about anything from your toilet, even children’s toys, in order to repair the harm done to it.
Sometimes you’ll be fortunate enough to notice the trapped object, but other times you won’t.
Accidentally flushing anything down the toilet is a frustrating, worrying, and all-too-common occurrence.
Fortunately, most toilet drains are designed to only allow water to travel through, thus things are more likely to become stuck in the drain or at the bottom of the toilet.
You can attempt pulling the object out of the toilet bowl or drain with your hands, a wire clothing hanger, or a drain snake to retrieve the flushed item.
Follow these simple instructions if you’re wondering how to remove an object from a toilet trap. To begin, drain the toilet bowl of all water.
Dislodge whatever is causing the clog by pulling it out with your hand or by attaching a thread to it with a slip knot and tugging it.
Tips for Retrieving Items Flushed Down the Toilet:
1. Using Gloves, Grab the Object
If the thing is visible, the first option for removing items from the toilet trap is to try to grasp it with your hand.
Put on a pair of gloves, preferably elbow-length rubber gloves, to safeguard your safety. Then, using a disposable container, scoop all of the water into a convenient location.
Grab the thing, hold it in place, and then take it out. After this procedure, be sure to properly wash your hands.
2. Using a De-Clogger
A clog might occur if the item gets clogged with toilet paper or other waste, preventing the water from flowing. It is possible to remove the clog and liberate the object by utilizing a de-clogger.
It’s also possible that the object will slip through the drain pipe and end up in the sewer. Other ways for dissolving material, such as toilet paper in the septic system, are available if this occurs.
If you don’t have a de-clogger on hand, you might attempt drain opening using vinegar and baking soda if your drain or toilet is clogged.
Also Read: Best Toilet Unclogger Liquid
3. Dish Soap is Also a Viable Option.
Fill the toilet bowl halfway with water and let it rest for 30 minutes. The soap will dissolve in the drain and act as a lubricant, allowing the blockage to be dislodged. After that, fill the bowl with roughly a gallon of hot but not boiling water and flush it.
4. Using a Vacuum
To use this procedure, first, remove the vacuum’s collection tank top, then the filter and the dry dust bag to keep the filter from mildewing, and then replace the collection tank top.
Turn on the vacuum, then grab the hose and push it as far as you can into the drain until you feel or hear your object move.
Start sucking the water with the vacuum until the item goes through the hose, then point the item with the hose open.
5. Use Chemical De-cloggers
Chemical de-cloggers are generally not suggested. They’re useful on occasion, but they might cause problems with your plumbing system.
To unclog drains, de-cloggers employ sodium hydroxide and sodium chloride. When they combine, they produce a chemical process that releases heat.
Organic debris and grease will be dissolved by the heat. Hair and soap scum will be removed with bleach. Peroxide is used in certain de-cloggers to coat pipes and remove residue.
De-clogger liquids clear blockages by eliminating residue from around an object. It may appear that the blockage has been removed; nevertheless, the problem may resurface as a result of wastewater build-up, and standing water may still accumulate, or a plumbing fixture or wax ring may be blocking the pipe.
If this happens, you may require the services of a plumber. Furthermore, if they are used regularly, they might degrade the pipes and cause long-term harm. Instead, call a plumber if you have recurring clogs. It will be completed accurately and at a lower cost.
6. Use a Hook or a Hanger
Using a hook or a bent hanger to retrieve things from the toilet trap is another option. Untwist the metal hanger’s neck until it’s as straight as possible, then bend one end into a hook-like form to fit your toilet drain.
Check to see whether it can bend into the drain pipe. To prevent pushing the item farther down the toilet drain, try carefully grabbing and removing it.
To prevent pushing the hook end deeper down the drain, trace the top of the drain pipe gently with your finger.
Then, when the hook is as far down as it will go, carefully draw the hook back up while softly tracing the bottom of the drain pipe. On its way out, the hook should hopefully capture the object.
You may need to bend the hanger to allow it to curve into the drain pipe, depending on the shape of your toilet drain.
If the object is made of common metal, try forcing it down the toilet drain and through the toilet trap with a flexible magnetic retriever. This will not work on solid gold or silver, though.
7. Using a Toilet Plunger
Use a plunger if you can’t find the source if it’s truly stuck in there. The thing should be removed with a few strong thrusts.
If the blockage is caused by toilet paper, the power given to the plunger may be sufficient to dislodge it and force it down the drain. To maintain the plunger in top shape, clean it well after each use.
8. Remove the Toilet
By removing the toilet, you may remove objects from your toilets. All you have to do is switch off the water supply by rotating your toilet’s valve anticlockwise multiple times until you can no longer turn it.
You can also switch off the water supply from the main. To make it easier to access your toilet’s water tank, remove it. To minimize water splashing and overflowing, make sure there is no water left in the toilet bowl.
Then, by turning the large plastic bolt with ridges clockwise, separate the water supply line from the tank of your toilet, and then remove your toilet. Using your, reach for the object that was flushed and collect it via the waste hole.
Remove your toilet (one-piece toilet or two-piece toilet) from the floor by unscrewing all the screws and bolts from the bottom
FAQs
If none of these DIY alternatives work, you’ll need to seek professional assistance. The next stage would need removing the toilet itself, as well as specialized plumbing gear, and far more time and work than you’re likely willing to devote to learning how to do it all.
You can retrieve the object if it hasn’t been flushed all the way down into your drainage plumbing pipes.
The letter S is shaped like a toilet trap. The trap’s form aids in keeping water in the bowl and scents out of your bathroom.
The S-trap, on the other hand, captures things that fall into it, resulting in a clogged toilet. The only item that can readily pass through it is toilet paper.
Wrapping Up
Most items in your toilet trap may be removed by following these easy instructions. If you are unable to do so, or if the job is more complex than anticipated, please seek expert assistance. It will save you time as well as money.
Always make sure you get your goods out of the toilet as soon as possible. To avoid causing damage, especially those that are seldom recoverable, such as phones.
After that, switch it off, remove the battery, and dry them in a dish of dry rice. Any of these techniques will allow you to obtain your items.
Object blockages in toilets demand a different strategy than other types of clogs. The first tool that comes to mind is a plunger. When it comes to unclogging pipes using acid, it’s always best to leave it to the specialists.
However, if you’re careful and utilise personal protective equipment, you may attempt it yourself.
Additionally, keeping your toilet traps and drains in good working order will help you avoid a slew of issues.
You’ll get rid of the sewage gas and rotten egg stench in the house, as well as avoid a possibly deadly gas build-up.
A little forethought goes a long way!
