Have you ever found yourself wondering how to remove something stuck in your toilet? It can be a real headache, especially with kids around who love testing the limits of what can go down the loo!
Whether by accident or design, objects falling into the toilet often end up stuck in the trap. Flushing won’t help for larger items—they need to be manually removed. Check out these techniques for freeing the blockage.
But here’s the thing: removing items from a toilet trap isn’t always easy. We’ve put together a range of methods to help you clear your drain. If your toilet’s running slow and you’re keen to avoid a plumber’s bill, our guide’s got you covered!
How To Remove Objects from Toilet Trap
1. Identify The Cause
You understand that removing an object stuck in a toilet, whether due to a displaced wax ring or even a displaced wax ring, is the first step towards effectively unclogging your toilet. Before you start, it’s essential to look for a sign of the cause behind the blockage, for example, if a certain fish or other object was accidentally flushed down the toilet.
Certain items are easily removed by hand. Others require tools like an auger or plunger. Check out our guide for handy tips and tools to tackle tougher jobs.
To do that, you can check the bathroom to spot any missing items. Or inquire with your family if the item found in the toilet trap might have been mistakenly or playfully thrown in.
2. Empty The Toilet Bowl
If you were lucky enough to identify the item stuck in the toilet trap, that’s good. But even if you weren’t, it’s not a problem, as the next step you can continue with you either way. And that’s draining the water from the toilet bowl before plunging.
A disposable cup or any other convenient repository can replace the water and extract excess water from the toilet bowl. However, remember not to completely drain all the remaining running water, as you will need some water to avoid an overflowing toilet during the plunging process.
Furthermore, be sure to drain the toilet tank and seal the flapper to prevent excess water and sewer gas inflow. Close the shut-off valve behind the toilet to cut off the water supply and prevent excess water from entering the bowl. Once this is complete, you might be able to try various ways to dislodge items from the toilet trap.
3. Dislodge The Object Manually With Hands Or a Wire Hook
Sometimes, you can reach items clogging your toilet by hand and dislodge them, but that’s generally with large items like big toys. So, if you can spot the item clogging the toilet, remove it while wearing elbow-size protective gloves.
An excellent long metal coat hanger can make things easier if you can’t reach the object. By bending a wire hanger into a slip knot or hook-like shape, you can manoeuvre it within the drain to dislodge and retrieve the blocking object. To do that, Carefully advance the hook through the pipes by guiding it into the toilet and use the hook to bring out the item from the toilet drain.
If these techniques don’t work, don’t worry! We’ve got more solutions lined up for you below.
4. Use A Toilet Plunger
A toilet plunger, like a flange plunger or a cup plunger, can be used to remove toilet clogs and items from the toilet trap. Rhythmic thrusts with a toilet plunger can successfully remove the clogged item if you can’t spot the object stuck in the drain.
Plunging can get messy, so it’s wise to wear some old clothes and protective gear. Lay towels or newspapers on the floor around the toilet to keep things tidy. And don’t skip the rubber gloves—they’re a must for hygiene!
Once you’ve done the needful, place the plunger in the drain, follow the correct plunging technique, create enough suction, and then push and compress the plunger with rhythmic thrusts for a few minutes or until the object gets vacuumed out. Remember not to forcefully thrust the plunger as it can damage the septic tank.
You can fix the issue and remove an object smoothly from your toilet trap with a plunger. However, if it doesn’t work, we have a few more tips you can try.
5. Use A Toilet Auger Or Drain Snake
A toilet auger can also remove objects from the toilet if a plunger isn’t successful at the job. If you don’t have a toilet snake, your neighbours might have one, so don’t hesitate to exercise your neighbourly rights and ask for assistance when needed.
Once you have arranged a drain auger, wear rubber gloves and get ready to twist its way into the drain pipe to retrieve the stuck object. You can successfully dislodge any stuck item in the toilet trap by placing the auger into the drain opening and twisting it along the way.
A toilet auger is the most commonly used tool by plumbers to unclog toilets with items stuck in them. So, with this approach, your toilet should undoubtedly be unclogged, even with something stuck in the toilet pipe. However, if this way fails to work by any chance, you can try the next method!
6. Use A Wet Vacuum
A shop vac, or wet vacuum, is handy for clearing toilet clogs. While simple, this method requires precision. Having an extra pair of hands can make the job easier and more effective.
Before putting the hose into the drainage, remove the dry dust bag if you have a 2-in-1 vacuum. Also, try not to shove the hose deep down the drain pipe, as it can be damaging. Once you note these essential factors, put the vacuum hose into the drainage and advance it forward till it reaches the object.
When the vacuum touches the object or feels its presence, please turn it on to a medium setting. After that, slowly pull out the hose; by the end, you should be able to spot the stuck object. If not, try again with a slight increase in the vacuum setting.
7. Use A Toilet De-Clogger
In most toilets, a common issue arises when a foreign object, combined with toilet paper, becomes lodged within the trap, making it even more challenging to unblock. So you need to clear off anything stuck in the S-trap.
This problem can be solved using chemical de-cloggers, which aren’t recommended as they can damage the toilet. However, if your case calls for resorting to extreme measures like these, we recommend using mild ones. You can also try natural methods such as baking soda or hot water; however, if the object is solid, this will not work.
8. Remove The Toilet Bowl
If all else fails, it’s better to remove the toilet base to remove any stuck objects. While DIY tutorials are available if you’re figuring out how to get something out of the toilet, calling a professional plumber is safer and more efficient.
Getting Items Stuck In The Toilet
Are you ready to remove that stubborn blockage from your toilet?
As you have learnt in our guide, if you don’t grab a set of keys or any item that has fallen into the toilet immediately, it could cause a series of plumbing issues. To prevent objects from entering the drain trap, we recommend closing the toilet seat cover all the time except when in use, a practice we hope to share with the community.
Adopting this habit can greatly reduce the chances of other objects unintentionally ending up in the toilet bowl. Also, talk to your kids about the importance of not throwing items in the toilet bowl. If you need a plumber, speak to our team on-site at Big Blue Plumbing. You can count on our expert plumbers for swift toilet repairs and blocked drain solutions!
That was our guide to removing stuck items in the toilet trap. We hope people will read this guide and learn and will try to avoid any such scenario from recurring.
