Q&A for How to Retrieve an Item That Was Flushed Down a Toilet

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How do you get something back that has been flushed down the toilet?

Dave Jones
Master Plumber, Roto-Rooter Plumbing & Water Cleanup
Dave Jones is a Professional Plumber and the Midwest Regional Vice President at Roto-Rooter Plumbing & Water Cleanup. In 1992, Jones joined Roto-Rooter as a drain service technician at the age of 18. Since then, he has risen through the ranks into positions of increasing authority. Dave served as general manager of Roto-Rooter’s Charlotte, North Carolina, and Atlanta, Georgia branches before being promoted to Contractor Area Manager and later to Regional Vice President. Dave holds Master Plumber Licenses in Pennsylvania, North Carolina, and Georgia.

Dave Jones

Master Plumber, Roto-Rooter Plumbing & Water Cleanup

Expert Answer

If you're unable to retrieve the item by yourself, call a plumber who has a video camera snake. Camera snakes allow the operator to push the camera snake through the pipe while watching a video monitor that displays everything in the drainage system in real time.

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Question

What do you do when you flushed something down the toilet?

Dave Jones
Master Plumber, Roto-Rooter Plumbing & Water Cleanup
Dave Jones is a Professional Plumber and the Midwest Regional Vice President at Roto-Rooter Plumbing & Water Cleanup. In 1992, Jones joined Roto-Rooter as a drain service technician at the age of 18. Since then, he has risen through the ranks into positions of increasing authority. Dave served as general manager of Roto-Rooter’s Charlotte, North Carolina, and Atlanta, Georgia branches before being promoted to Contractor Area Manager and later to Regional Vice President. Dave holds Master Plumber Licenses in Pennsylvania, North Carolina, and Georgia.

Dave Jones

Master Plumber, Roto-Rooter Plumbing & Water Cleanup

Expert Answer

Once the item has gone into the municipal sewer, you probably won’t be able to get it back. If your home is equipped with a septic tank, call a septic tank pumping service and see if they can pump the tank clean and help locate your ring. It’s a longshot, but it’s worth asking.

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Question

How do I get my money back after it was flushed down the toilet?

Community Answer

There is no way to get your money back if you were unable to pull it out of the toilet before it was flushed.

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Question

How can I get a small lotion bottle out of the P-trap in the toilet?

Community Answer

Shut off the water and flush. Unscrew the pipe from the tank. Unscrew the bolts from the toilet and turn the toilet upside down. You should now see the lotion bottle. If you can't quite reach it use a pair of pliers. This can be quite messy, so drss and protect your room accordingly.

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Question

Can a pair of pliers be flushed down a toilet?

Community Answer

It depends on the size and how heavy they are, but I would think not.

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Question

How can I know for sure that my keys were flushed down the toilet?

Community Answer

Only if or when you find them in the drain pipe. This could be costly if you have to hire a plumber.

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Question

I flushed 2 small sticks along with some hair down my toilet two days ago, and now it's clogged. What should I do?

Community Answer

You could try using a snake to get the clog out, or just call a plumber.

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Question

How do I get a stick of deodorant out of my toilet? It's just out of reach, wedged right in the first bend.

Community Answer

Unscrew the toilet, and stick three flexible straws up through the bottom. Then grab the deodorant with your hand through the bowl.

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Question

I accidentally flushed a ring 2 days ago. Can I still get it back?

Community Answer

This may be difficult to do. If flushed, it is possible that it's now in the drain system and on its way down the storm drain system, or you may have to fish it out of your septic system.

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Question

How can I get a flip phone out of the toilet?

Community Answer

Cover your hand with plastic or a bag, then reach in and pull it out.

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Question

I accidentally flushed an article of clothing but it did not clog. How do I proceed?

Community Answer

Most articles of clothing, when wet, ball up like they do in a washing machine. If it went down the loo, and there's no clog, it's probably made its way along the pipe far enough to not be a problem.

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Question

What do I do if I can't find the item I flushed down the toilet?

Community Answer

Is your toilet clogged? If not, it may have progressed into the sewage line and is therefore unretrievable. If it is clogged, the item may be stuck further in your pipes and will need to be professionally removed. Worst case scenario, your toilet and pipes will have to be replaced. The sooner you resolve the problem the better.

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Question

I accidentally flushed a small Ziploc back down the toilet. It isn't clogged right now. Do you think it will be OK?

Community Answer

It may cause problems in the future, so it would be best to get it checked out by a plumber.

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Question

My necklace charm fell in my toilet a month ago. Do you think it's still there?

Leah’s Vids

Community Answer

If your toilet is clogged then it could still possibly be in your pipes. If not, it's probably long gone.

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Question

How do I retrieve jewelry that was flushed down my toilet if there is no sign of it in the drainpipe?

Aasim

Top Answerer

If you cannot find the item in the toilet's drainpipe, then the item has probably progressed too far to be retrieved.

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Question

A toothpaste container fell into my toilet. How can I retrieve it?

Community Answer

Try using a 6.5 HP Shop vac to suck the bottle out in seconds!

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