It Might Be a Toy

Going into the drain to unearth their fallen toy things isn’t all that hard. Just follow these steps to get something out of the drain:

Ready to play the plumber?

1. Grab adjustable pliers, a bucket and a garden hose.
2. Turn off the water shutoff valves — unless you feel like getting poured on.
3. Loosen the nut holding the P-trap (the pipe that looks like a “P”) to the sink tailpiece (the pipe coming from the sink).
4. Unscrew the nut holding the trap to the drainpipe.
5. Pull the P-trap opening down and away from the tailpiece, then pull it away from the drain and out from under the sink.
6. Ready for it? Empty the trap into a bucket and grab the toy (and anything else that might be in there).
7. After the P-trap is emptied, reassemble the fixture to the tailpiece and drain pipe. Test the connection by filling the sink and letting it drain.

Not a Drain-It-Yourself job? Here’s when you should call a real plumber:

• Toy is lodged in the drain
• A non-organic solid object is stuck
• Tree root has entered the drain

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