If someone has accidentally flushed a nappy down your toilet, then there is a chance that the nappy will get stuck. If you're lucky, the nappy won't have gone too far, and you'll be able to get your hand far enough into the bowl to pull it out. However, sometimes nappies go further down the bowl, leaving them out of reach. The nappy might block your toilet completely if this happens.
Nappies won't degrade, so the problem won't sort itself out; chemical cleaners won't help either. If you don't have any plumbing tools at home, you may not know what to do next. You may, however, get help from a simple household item — a wire coat hanger. How can a coat hanger repair the problem?
Turn the Coat Hanger Into a Plumbing Tool
Your aim is to transform the coat hanger into a DIY plumbing tool. This works like a plumber's snake by giving you a long piece of wire that might clear the blockage. To get going, follow these steps:
- Unwind the coiled wire around the coat hanger's hook to open it up. You may need a pair of pliers to do this. Alternatively, cut the hanger open on one side at the neck with some wire cutters.
- Pull the coat hanger wire out as straight as you can. You should end up with a long strip of wire with the hook at one end.
Once you've dismantled the hanger, you need to decide which end to put down the toilet to deal with the nappy.
Prepare the End of the Hanger
If you know that the nappy is close to your toilet bowl, but it's just out of reach for your hand, then you may be able to pull it out with the hanger's hook. Wrap some tape around the hook, taking care to cover the sharp end so that you don't scratch the bowl. You can then gently insert the wire down the toilet to try and catch the nappy on the hook. All being well, you may be able to pull the nappy out.
If you think the nappy is too far down to be pulled up, try the other end of the hanger. Wrap an old dish rag around the end of the hanger without the hook and secure it with tape or string. Push the hanger gently down the toilet until it hits the nappy. Give the nappy a firm push or two. Hopefully, this will push it far enough down the system for it to flush away. If you don't have wire coat hangers at home or if this method doesn't repair the problem, call out a blocked toilet repair professional. They can get the nappy out of the toilet or through the system to unblock your toilet again.