We previously had a plumber recommend an aluminum lint trap be installed over the end of the clothes washer discharge hose, before the hose discharges the soapy water into the pvc tube that leads to the sewer.

Only after finding that the aluminum lint trap had come off the discharge hose did I realize it is intended to be used only on a discharge hose that drains into a washtub, and not directly into the pvc pipe.

Is there any way to retrieve the lint trap now that it is somewhere down the pipe? I tried to cut off the pipe and use a retrieval tool to fish around in the trap, but had no luck. I can only asusme that the trap is further down the pipe.

So now, I need to put in a pvc coupling and re-attach the pvc drain tube, but how to clear the lint trap from where ever it is?

Will snaking the pipe be the best answer or will this push the lint trap further into the abyss?

Lint trap was actually larger than the diameter of the PVC pipe? Interesting...
If you cannot reach it than you will have to snake your drain. Use snake tip that looks like cork screw. You have fifty/fifty chance you will fish it out. If not, you probably want to push it all the way to the 4" sewer main where it will slowly travel to the City sewer.

My personal opinion: Use old sock for lint trap. It does great job. Lot better than anything else on market today...