What happens when you accidentally flush something down the toilet?

Tips for Retrieving Items Flushed Down the Toilet

• Step 1
• Step 2
• Step 3
• Step 4
• Step 5
• Step 6
• Step 7
• Toilet Plumbers in Sydney Available To Help

If your toilet appears to be draining slowly or the toilet bowl is overflowing upon flushing, then it’s a sure sign that it’s clogged.

Toilets may get clogged when excessive amount of paper gets stuck in the drain trap. A cellphone, washcloth, or toy can also clog the toilet.

Instead of calling your local plumber only to incur expensive repair costs, there are certain things you can do to unclog the toilet drain yourself. You might need a helping hand for the job.

Step 1

First, shutoff your toilet’s water supply before working on your toilet. You can find the shutoff valve behind your toilet or on the wall.

Turn it clockwise until it’s tight enough to close it. Use a small container to empty the toilet bowl and the toilet tank.

Step 2

Wear a pair and gloves and try to access the trap from within the bowl. If the object clogging the drain is lodged at the trap opening, then you might get lucky to remove it. If not, then go on to the step below.

Step 3

Take a drain/closet auger and insert it into the drain opening within the toilet bowl. Push it in firmly against the clog in the trap while rotating the auger handle clockwise.

As the auger spins, its hooks will get hold of the clogged object. In case you find it difficult to rotate the auger handle, then try rotating it counterclockwise a little bit. Once it turns, rotate it clockwise again.

In case you feel that the auger has reached the clogged object, rotate it counterclockwise to remove the object. In case the object is still stuck, then proceed to the step below.

Step 4

At this stage, you’ll need to remove the bowl. To do this, use a putty knife or a flat screwdriver to pop out the plastic caps that cover the bolts securing the toilet bowl onto the floor.

Unscrew the bolts using an adjustable wrench. Lift the toilet bowl and lean it on a wall. Inspect the drain trap for any obstructive object. If you’re still unable to remove the object, proceed to the step below.

Step 5

With the toilet bowl set aside, inspect the drain pipe going through the floor. Take a drain auger and insert it through the drain pipe.

Rotate the auger’s handle as soon as you feel that you’ve hit the object. In case you’re lucky to dislodge the object, proceed to the step below.

Step 6

Get a rag and stuff it into the drainpipe to block sewer odors from backing up into your bathroom. Next, locate your home’s sewer line cleanout plug.

It should be somewhere in the crawlspace or basement. Take a bucket and place it below the cleanout plug. The bucket will catch any wastewater.

Start loosening the plug slowly by turning it counterclockwise with a wrench. Allow wastewater to drain into the already set bucket as you continue loosening the plug.

Once the bucket fills up, empty it somewhere outside. Repeat the procedure until all the wastewater has seeped through the cleanout.

Step 7

You can now remove the sewer cleanout completely. Next, insert the auger through the sewer pipe. Continue feeding the auger into the sewer pipe.

Once you feel some resistance, rotate the auger handle clockwise. Remove the auger to check whether the object has been dislodged.

Toilet Plumbers in Sydney Available To Help

Need help in retrieving items from the toilet? You can book a consultation or get a free quote from our toilet plumbing experts in Sydney.

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