Can You Believe What I Found In The Drain
You can probably remember at least one moment when you accidentally dropped something down the drain! Whether it was a valuable piece of jewelry or a favorite toy, it can be a little embarrassing to have to admit to a plumber that you made a mistake.
Not to worry! You’re not alone. Every plumber has a different story about the strangest items they have found in toilet traps and drains. In fact, we’ve even compiled some of the worst stories into a book, Chilling Tales from the Porcelain Seat.
Live animals- While it is typical to find flushed goldfish in the drains, some plumbers have reported finding live kittens, snakes, turtles, badgers, and other small animals in the toilet and drains
Dentures- While these can fall into the toilet, it is best to keep your dentures or false teeth as far from the toilet as possible when you are cleaning them to ensure that they cannot cause a drain clog.
Personal Electronics- These have ranged from items as small as watches and batteries to as large as cell phones. (So far, no tablets!) If it can be flushed, chances are someone has tried to fit it down the drain.
Mop Heads- These have actually been found more than once in drains and they can cause severe damage. For best practice on all unwanted items, dump them, and don’t flush them, even if it’s already wet!
Toys and Children’s Items- Whether they’re trying to get rid of an unwanted toy or give a loved toy a swimming lesson, flushing items down the toilet is a favorite pastime for children of all ages. Plumbers have found everything from dolls to toy cars in the drain, so do what you can to keep the toilet closed and encourage your child to only flush when necessary.
Gold- Scientists have calculated that nearly 2 million dollars of gold, and the same amount of silver, pass through Switzerland’s sewers each year. Much of this may be in the form of flakes of metal lost in the jewelry and watchmaking businesses. In places with many gold workers, it may be worth sorting through a lot of poop to find something that glistens.
Illegal Drugs- Illegal drugs clog drains in residential homes. We assume this occurs when one resident tries to hide evidence from another housemate or even the police. We also see this a lot in commercial plumbing services, especially in airports. Many criminals try to move drugs from country to country; some may be afraid to carry their substances, and attempt to flush them in the restrooms. Depending on how they’ve packaged them and how big they are, their illicit shipments can quickly clog the toilets.
Jewelry- We’re all heard of people losing their engagement rings down the drain, but other jewelry pieces can also end up in the drain. Earrings, necklaces, and bracelets can fall off and become lodged in drains.
Along with being surprised by the things they find, many plumbers are shocked at how some large items even fit down the drains. Make sure to keep strange items out of your toilets and drains. This will help to prevent a frustrating, costly problem from developing in your drains and pipes.
If you have dropped an item down the drain, don’t hesitate to call VETERAN PLUMBING to help you remove all those annoying and sometimes embarrassing problems. We won’t be surprised by anything you may have flushed or dropped down the toilet. We see this issue all the time, especially when there are small children in the home.