How to Get Flushed Keys Out of the Toilet

Heavy items flushed down the toilet stand a better chance of being recovered.

Keys and other small objects can easily be flushed down the toilet by accident or by children. This can lead to a panic as you try to find your spare keys while you worry the old set will result in a clogged toilet. The U-bend is the only real safeguard against items being flushed as there is no outside grate to collect debris. It is possible to retrieve your keys from a flushed toilet, but the job may not be especially pleasant.

Things You'll Need

• Wire coat hanger
• Wrench
• Bucket
• Towel

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Instructions

1. Fashion a hook out of a wire coat hanger. Feed it into the toilet and sweep around the U-bend until you locate the keys. Hook the keyring with the end of the coat hanger and pull the keys from the toilet.

2. Place a bucket underneath the U-bend connecting the plumbing to the toilet bowl.

3. Wrap a towel around the plastic connectors. Unscrew the connectors slightly until water starts to flow out of the system. Loosen the connectors with a wrench, if necessary.

4. Let the U-bend drop into the bucket. Inspect the U-bend for the lost keys.

5. Drain the water from the toilet into the bucket. Check the bucket for the flushed keys, if you did not find them in the U-bend.

Tips & Warnings

• If you still cannot find the keys, call a professional.

• Do not flush the toilet again as this increases the likelihood of the keys entering the sewer system.

• Attempting to snag the keys with a coat hanger may result in a scratched toilet bowl.

References

• Simplify DIY: Clearing Blocked Pipes and Drains