Flushed a Toothbrush Down Toilet: How to Retrieve It

Why a Toothbrush Is Especially Dangerous in a Toilet

The First 5 Minutes: What You Must Do Right Now

What Tools Do You Need to Retrieve a Toothbrush from a Toilet?

Step-by-Step: How to Retrieve a Toothbrush Using a Closet Auger

Follow these steps in order:

1. Stop water flow. Turn the toilet shut-off valve clockwise until it stops. Confirm no water runs into the tank.
2. Put on rubber gloves. Thick household gloves, not thin latex, give you grip and protection.
3. Check bowl visibility. Use a flashlight to look directly down the bowl throat. If you can see the toothbrush handle, try needle-nose pliers or channel-lock pliers wrapped in tape first -- a two-second pull beats a 10-minute auger session.
4. Set up your auger. Extend the auger cable fully before inserting. Hold the handle at the top, slide the bowl guard into the bowl angled toward the rear drain opening.
5. Insert and rotate slowly. Push the cable while rotating the handle clockwise. Use moderate pressure -- forcing causes the cable to kink inside the trap rather than advance.
6. Feel for resistance. Soft resistance means organic clog; hard stop with slight give means object. When you hit the toothbrush, stop pushing and rotate to hook it.
7. Retract with rotation. Pull the cable back while rotating clockwise. Do not yank -- smooth steady withdrawal brings the toothbrush with the cable.
8. Inspect the bowl. The toothbrush should emerge into the bowl. Remove it with gloved hands and dispose of it in a trash bag.
9. Run a flush test. Restore water flow, let the tank fill, then flush twice to confirm full drainage.

What If the Closet Auger Cannot Retrieve the Toothbrush?

How to Remove the Toilet to Clear a Deep Obstruction

Toilet removal is an intermediate DIY task. Plan for 45 to 90 minutes and gather these supplies before starting:

• Adjustable wrench and channel-lock pliers
• Putty knife or plastic scraper
• New wax ring (you must replace it on reinstallation)
• Bucket and sponge to remove tank and bowl water
• Old towels or newspaper to protect the floor
• Plumber's tape for reinstalling supply line connections

1. Turn off the shut-off valve and flush. Bail any remaining water from the bowl and tank with a sponge.
2. Disconnect the supply line where it enters the tank bottom (left side). Have a towel ready for residual drips.
3. On two-piece toilets, remove the tank bolts (typically two) securing the tank to the bowl. Lift the tank straight up and set it aside.
4. Pry off the plastic caps at the base of the toilet. Loosen and remove the two flange bolts (also called Johnny bolts) with an adjustable wrench.
5. Rock the toilet gently side to side to break the wax ring seal. Lift the bowl straight up -- toile bowls weigh 50 to 100 lbs, so have a second person help if needed.
6. Lay the toilet on its side on old towels. Look into the toilet's internal trap from the bottom -- the toothbrush is often right there. Remove it by hand.
7. Check the floor drain opening with a flashlight. If the toothbrush is visible, remove it with long needle-nose pliers or your hand.
8. Stuff a rag into the floor drain temporarily to block sewer gas while you reinstall.
9. Install a new wax ring (never reuse the old one), set the toilet onto the flange, press down firmly, reinstall the bolts, tank, and supply line. Restore water and test.

When Should You Call a Plumber Instead of DIY?

Signs the Toothbrush Has Passed the Toilet Trap

If you observe any of these after the toothbrush went down, the object has likely traveled beyond the toilet's internal trap:

• The toilet drains normally (no restriction felt) but clogs appear days later
• Gurgling sounds in nearby sinks or shower drain when the toilet flushes
• A closet auger meets no resistance through its full extension
• Multiple toilets or drains are backing up simultaneously

What Happens If You Just Leave It?

Leaving a toothbrush in the drain is almost always a mistake. Even if flushes seem normal for days or weeks, the object creates a narrowed passage that accumulates debris. Common outcomes include:

• Gradual slowing of toilet flush performance, eventually presenting as a complete blockage
• Backup into the tub, shower, or floor drain as the partial clog becomes a full clog
• In pressure-assist toilets (such as Flushmate-equipped models), the higher flush pressure may push the toothbrush deeper into the drain, requiring camera retrieval
• Damage to the toilet bowl's trap surface if chemical drain openers are used -- most manufacturers including TOTO and Kohler advise against caustic drain chemicals in toilets with ceramic glazes

Can Chemical Drain Openers Remove a Toothbrush?

No. Liquid drain openers such as Drano or Liquid-Plumr are formulated to dissolve organic matter -- hair, grease, soap scum. They have no effect on a plastic toothbrush handle and may damage the toilet's internal rubber components including the flapper, fill valve seal, and wax ring if they sit in standing water for extended periods. TOTO and American Standard both explicitly warn against using caustic drain openers in their toilet bowls.

Preventing Toothbrushes and Other Objects from Falling Into the Toilet

The problem is far more common than most people expect. Toothbrushes, razors, soap dispensers, phone cases, and hair accessories are among the most frequently retrieved non-flushable objects, based on data from plumbing service reports and consumer forums.

Practical prevention steps:

• Keep toilet lid closed. The single most effective prevention, especially in bathrooms where small children may also access the space. TOTO, Kohler, and American Standard all offer soft-close seat and lid assemblies that make lid-closing a near-effortless habit.
• Use wall-mounted toothbrush holders. Holders mounted on the wall above the sink, not the counter beside the toilet, eliminate the most common drop pathway.
• Childproof bathroom storage. Children between ages 2 and 5 account for a significant share of accidentally flushed objects. A toilet seat lock is an inexpensive safeguard during these years.
• Never balance items on the toilet tank lid. Phone chargers, phones, toiletry bottles, and toothbrush cups placed on the tank lid are vibrated loose by every flush. This is the cause of most adult-flushed toothbrushes.

Does Toilet Trapway Size Affect Whether the Toothbrush Passes or Gets Stuck?

Yes, but not in the way most people assume. A larger trapway makes it easier for the toothbrush to pass the toilet's internal trap entirely -- which means it travels deeper into the drain line where retrieval is more difficult. A tighter 2-inch trapway (common on older or budget toilets) tends to catch the toothbrush earlier, often in a more accessible position just inside the bowl-to-trap entry point.

Modern high-performance toilets that earn strong best flushing toilets ratings generally have fully glazed 2-1/8 to 2-3/8 inch trapways. Examples:

• TOTO Drake (CST744E): 2-1/8 inch fully glazed trapway
• TOTO Drake II (CST454CEFG): 2-3/16 inch trapway, siphon jet flush
• TOTO UltraMax II (MS604114CEFG): 2-3/16 inch, one-piece siphon
• Kohler Highline (K-3999): 2-1/8 inch fully glazed trapway
• Kohler Cimarron (K-3609): 2-3/8 inch Class Five trapway
• American Standard Champion 4 (2034.014): 4-inch flush valve, 2-3/8 inch trapway
• American Standard Cadet 3 (2403.128): 2-3/8 inch EverClean surface trapway
• Woodbridge T-0001: 2-inch trapway, dual-flush design

For related guidance see our articles on toilet clogged deep in the drain, how to snake a toilet correctly, and what not to flush down a toilet.

MaP Testing and What It Tells You About Solid-Object Flushing

MaP (Maximum Performance) testing, conducted independently by map-testing.com, measures a toilet's ability to flush solid waste in grams. A 1,000-gram MaP score is the highest rating and indicates exceptional flushing performance. However, MaP testing uses soybean paste formed into specific shapes -- it does not test rigid plastic objects. A MaP 1,000 toilet still cannot flush a toothbrush safely; the rigid plastic simply does not behave like the test media.

The EPA WaterSense program certifies toilets using 1.28 GPF (gallons per flush) or less that still pass MaP performance benchmarks. WaterSense-certified models from TOTO, Kohler, American Standard, Gerber, Swiss Madison, and Woodbridge all perform well on organic waste but offer no advantage over non-certified toilets when it comes to flushing or clearing rigid objects.

For reference, the TOTO Aquia IV (dual-flush, 1.0/0.8 GPF) carries both EPA WaterSense certification and a 1,000-gram MaP score. The Gerber Ultra Flush carries a 1,000-gram MaP score at 1.28 GPF. Neither of these ratings changes the physics of a plastic toothbrush in the trap.

Auger Buying Guide: What to Look For

If you do not own a closet auger and need to purchase one, look for these features:

• Bowl guard / sleeve: Rubber or vinyl sleeve that sits inside the bowl and prevents metal cable contact with the porcelain. Essential.
• Cable length: 3 feet reaches the toilet's internal trap in virtually all residential toilets. 6 feet extends into the drain stub-out below the floor flange.
• Bulb-head tip: A retrieving bulb-head on the cable end hooks and pulls rigid objects back; a cutting head is for drain clogs, not object retrieval. Confirm which type the auger includes.
• Handle ergonomics: T-handle or D-handle designs provide better torque than stick-handle models, reducing hand fatigue on stubborn obstructions.

For more about drain clearing options, see our guide on best drain snakes for toilets.