How to Retrieve a Blocked Toy from Your Toilet

If you have young ones toddling around the home, you know that they can get into trouble faster than the blink of an eye. You have to deal with a plumbing emergency right now, as one of their favourite toys has miraculously found its way down into the toilet. What can you do about this drama, or do you need to call in a professional to help?

Fascination

Some children have a fascination with the toilet or, specifically, the swirling water. They may explore when you are otherwise engaged and send one of their toys down into the water as a test. On occasion, the particular toy will simply wind its way through the S-bend and will never be seen again. Sometimes, however, it will become lodged out of sight and may cause the toilet to overflow.

Hooking

You may be able to remedy the situation if you have a plunger or a coathanger on hand. You can disassemble the coathanger so that you have a flexible wire to work with and if you're careful, you can feed this wire down into the depths. Be careful as you do so, however, so that you do not cause any damage to the porcelain, but if you're lucky, you may be able to "hook" a piece of the toy as you do. Carefully withdraw, and you may be able to retrieve the toy, even if it may look a little soggy.

Plunging

If that does not work, try to plunge the problem instead. This may be difficult if the blockage is serious and the water has backed up to the top of the bowl. However, if you do have space to work then gently try to apply suction to see if that will shift the obstacle. In this case, you may have to say goodbye to the actual toy itself if the weight of the water carries it down into the sewer instead.

Getting Professional Help

All is not lost if you cannot solve the issue by yourself. You can call in your neighbourhood plumber to help you as they will certainly have the right tools for the job. They will make sure that the water is drained sufficiently and, if necessary, will remove the S-bend piping. They will then be able to retrieve the toy, reassemble and make sure that everything is in full working order before they leave.

To learn more about blocked toilets, feel free to contact plumbers for more information.


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