How To Remove A Water Toy From Your Sink Drain
It is inevitable that one of the many trips to your bathroom sink to refill a squirt toy or water balloon will result in small fingers losing their grip and dropping a toy or accessory down into the sink drain.
However, there's no need to panic, because it may be lodged in the sink trap that is located directly below the drain. All you need to do is remove and clean out the trap to retrieve the lost item.
What is a sink trap?
A sink trap is a drain fitting that is shaped like the letter "J," and its unique shape allows it to serve a dual purpose. Because it is curved, water is collected at the bottom of the trap. This standing water acts as a buffer to slow the progress of any clogging agent that may have fallen into the drain.
While it cannot hold an item indefinitely, it can impede its descent into the more inaccessible parts of the drain line until the trap can be removed and the item extracted.
The standing water also acts to block sewer gases from entering the home through the drain pipes, so it provides protection in both directions.
What do you need to remove, clean, and reinstall a sink trap?
- Adjustable wrench
- Roll of Teflon tape
- Bucket or pail
- Bottle brush or similarly shaped cleaning tool
How do you remove the sink trap?
Before you begin to remove the trap, you should place a pail or bucket beneath it to avoid a smelly mess if the contents of the trap are spilled. The inner surface of the trap will likely be coated with a thick sludge. This material, combined with the standing water, has a vile smell and texture.
You will first loosen the compression nut at the top end of the trap, then, while holding the trap as vertical as possible, loosen and remove the threaded nut at the bottom of the trap. You can then place the trap into the bucket or pail.
How do you clean the sink trap?
While you are looking for the lost toy, you should clean the trap thoroughly to remove the accumulated sludge. Although a bottle brush would be ideal for navigating the small curved space inside the trap, you can also use a garden hose with a pressure nozzle for a relatively complete cleaning. You must be careful that the missing toy isn't blown out and lost again in your yard if you choose the hose option.
How do you replace the sink trap?
Before replacing the trap, wrap a few layers of Teflon tape in a clockwise direction around the threads of the bottom male connection. After the tape is applied, slide the top end of the trap over the drain pipe that descends from your sink, then lower the compression nut over the top of the trap.
Align the bottom connection of the trap with the drain pipe that leads to the main drain line, and tighten the nut onto the threaded connection. You can then tighten the compression nut at the top of the trap.
How do you prevent the issue from happening again?
Buy a drain cover for the sink drain to keep toys and other objects from falling down the drain. They cost only a few dollars but are worth their weight in gold as small hands return to the sink with water toys again and again during the long hot summer.
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