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Unintentional Toilet Disposal: A Guide to Recovering Lost Items

Toilet mishaps and when to call a specialist: Dealing with an unwanted item in your toilet can be bothersome, anxiety-inducing, and unexpectedly common. Typically, the object will become stuck in the drain or at the bottom of the pipe, but here's advice to help retrieve it, or when to seek...

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Dealing with Stubborn Items in the Drain: Guidelines from Professionals and When to Seek Assistance
Dealing with Stubborn Items in the Drain: Guidelines from Professionals and When to Seek Assistance

Unintentional Toilet Disposal: A Guide to Recovering Lost Items

Accidentally flushing items down the toilet is a common incident that can lead to frustration and worry, but not always despair. This guide offers steps to retrieve those misplaced items, as well as instances when you should consult a professional for assistance.

Fishing the Item Out

  1. Stop flushing: Dave Jones, a master plumber at Roto-Rooter Plumbing & Water Cleanup, advises against flushing the toilet again as it risks pushing the item further into the drainage system. Avoid running water in any sinks, bathtubs, or showers in the same bathroom to prevent pushing the item towards the main sewer.
    • If the item is jewelry or another valuable, avoid running water elsewhere in the house, as the water flow might push the item to the main sewer.
  2. Hand retrieval: If the item is still visible in the toilet bowl, grab it using a pair of gloves to protect yourself from bacteria and other contaminants. If the bowl is filled with water, use a disposable cup or container to scoop out some of the water to make reaching the item easier.
    • Don't forget to wash your hands and the item thoroughly after retrieval.
  3. Suction method: Use a plunger to create suction and try to dislodge the item. Place the plunger into the toilet and push out all the air before pulling up sharply (be careful not to splash yourself with toilet water). Repeat as necessary until the object comes loose.
  4. Bent hanger: Straighten out a wire hanger and bend one end into a small hook shape. Carefully push the hook end down the toilet drain and try to snag the object.
    • When pushing the hook end down the drain, keep it pressed against the top of the drain pipe to avoid pushing the item further down the pipe.
  5. Magnetic retriever: If the item is a common metal, you can try pushing a flexible magnetic retriever into the toilet drain and through the toilet trap to pull it back.
    • Keep in mind that magnets won't work on solid gold or silver.
  6. Toilet auger: If the item is far down the toilet drain, try a toilet auger to reach it. Insert the end of the drain snake down into the toilet drain until you feel it hit the object, then try to grab it by pushing slightly past the object and pulling it back as you withdraw the auger. If possible, use an auger with a hook or grabber on the end to prevent pushing the item further into the pipe.

Using a Wet/Dry Vacuum

  1. Direct the wet vacuum hose into the toilet: Plug in the vacuum and turn it on. Push the end of the hose as far down the drain as possible. If the item moves, direct the end of the hose towards it.
    • Remove the dry dust bag and filter if your vacuum has a dry option.
  2. Suck up the water: Turn the vacuum on and start sucking up the toilet water. Continue until you hear the object pass through the hose or the collection tank is full.
  3. Retrieve the item: Once you've heard or seen the object go through the vacuum's hose (or when the collection tank is full), turn off the vacuum. Remove the top of the collection tank and look for the item. Retrieve it with your hands, a shovel, or any item with a scoop or hook on the end.
    • Repeat the process if the item wasn't sucked up, or if the collection tank emptied before you found the item.
    • If the vacuum sucks up all the water and you can't locate the item, you may need to remove the toilet to get it out.
  4. Refill the toilet: After retrieving the item, flush the toilet once or twice to refill the bowl and ensure it functions properly.
    • Do not refill the bowl before removing the toilet for assessment or retrieval.

Removing the Toilet

  1. Turn off the water supply: Locate the shut-off valve behind the toilet and turn it clockwise to stop water flow.
    • If you can't find the valve or if it's stuck, shut off the water to your house altogether.
  2. Remove the toilet lid: Carefully lift the lid off the back of the toilet tank, placing it in a safe location.
  3. Remove water: Strain as much water as possible from the tank using a cloth. Flush the toilet repeatedly until the most water is out of the tank.
    • You can also use a wet vacuum or small bowl to remove the water after soaking it up with a cloth.
  4. Detach the water supply line: Find the bolt that attaches the water supply line to the back of the toilet tank and unscrew it counterclockwise using an adjustable wrench.
    • The bolt will typically have ridges to make it easier to grip and unscrew.
  5. Unscrew the bolts from the bottom: Locate the bolts or screws at the base of the toilet and remove the bolt covers to reveal the nuts and bolts. Loosen the nuts and completely remove the nuts, washers, and bolts.
  6. Lift and lay the toilet: Grasp the front of the bowl and the back of the tank. Keep your back straight, and push with your legs to lift the toilet straight up. Carefully lay it down on its side.
    • Make sure you lift with your legs, not your back. You may want to have someone help you lift the toilet and lay it down safely.
    • Consider placing a towel or blanket beneath the toilet to protect it while laying it down.
  7. Check inside the toilet: Look inside the toilet to see if the item is lodged in the toilet's trap or stuck in the wax ring. Try pushing the object through the toilet's trapway with a coat hanger, even attaching a bottle brush to the hook can help dislodge the item.
  8. Replace the wax ring and reinstall the toilet: Replace the old wax ring and lower the toilet back onto the wax ring. Connect the bolts and the water line, then turn the water back on before flushing the toilet once or twice to refill the tank and bowl.

When to Call a Professional

If you're unable to retrieve the object or don't feel comfortable removing your toilet, it's time to call a professional plumber. Choose a plumber with a video camera snake to better assess the issue and retrieve the item if possible. Unfortunately, if the item has gone into the municipal sewer, it is probably unrecoverable.

  • If the item is small and valuable, strive to keep water usage minimal in the entire house to minimize the possibility of the item flowing into the main sewer.
  • When the item has been lodged deep in the toilet drain or is too large to retrieve with household tools, or if you feel uncomfortable removing your toilet, it is advisable to call a professional plumber with a video camera snake to assess and potentially retrieve the item.

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