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Suzanne68 · Aug 10, 2010, 02:50 AM

My son took the protective metal plate off the drain and took the cap of his shampoo bottle. So the cap went down the drain and is now stuck.We have tried a plunger but it can't suck vacuum as the hole is square. How can we dislodge this cap from the u-bend in the drain ?

KBC · Aug 10, 2010, 03:15 AM

So you can't see the actual cap?

hkstroud · Aug 10, 2010, 07:04 AM

Stick vacuum hose in drain, stuff wet wash cloth in drain around vacuum hose. Depending on how well you worked the plunger, you may have sent the cap on down the drain.

speedball1 · Aug 10, 2010, 04:53 PM

The first I'd want to know is what possessed the kid to remove th strainer? I really want a reason. Because I've racked my brain and can't come up with one.
As for the plastic cap. Try Harolds advice and if that doesn't work click back and tell me more about the cap, its size, how thick or thim? Its position? Is it in the raiser or down in the trap? Is it laying flat or side ways. In short I need more details.
Good luck, Tom

afaroo · Aug 10, 2010, 05:55 PM

Tom,

Some times you act very funny, if he/she knew the location of the cap would have told us, I am sure it is not visible, and also I am curios why would you know the reason of the strainer removal, OP needs our help to remove the cap, if you have a good idea beside harold please say it, Thanks.

John

speedball1 · Aug 11, 2010, 12:19 PM

John,

if he/she knew the location of the cap would have told us

My point exactly. We haven't been told anything. I want details. If it's caught in the raiser perhaps it can be fished out with a coathanger. If it can be seen I want to know it.

I am sure it is not visible,

And you know this because? You're making assumptions and that's something I never do unless I preface it with, "I assume". You just made a statement of fact without any evidence.

I am curios why would you know the reason of the strainer removal,

Because it was a really dumb thing to do and I wan ted to point that out.

OP needs our help to remove the cap, if you have a good idea beside harold please say it,

Gee! Thanks for reminding me why we're here. I've only been on these Q & A sites for over 10 years.
I ask questions, that's my style. When I get the answers to my questions and have all the details I need then I attempt to offer a solution. ie: hook it out with a coathanger. If it's in there crossways go in with a sharp auger tip and drill through it a drag it back, etc.
But I can't suggest any of that because the OP hasn't posted back with any details.
Does that satisfy your curiosity?
Regards, Tom

afaroo · Aug 11, 2010, 12:24 PM

Hi Tom,

Very well explained now I understand, Thanks.

John

Kimmw · May 26, 2011, 06:54 PM

I have a very similar problem. Im assuming it's a cap. The water will drain within a 24 hr period until a couple of days ago, now not draining at all. I cannot see what is blocking it. My shower does not have a way to screw down the cover to the shower drain so sometimes it pops up. My 5 yr old thought it was neat that the shower was filling up like the bathtub!
Ive tried a wire and if feels like a cap that is probably stuck in the area where the pipe gets smaller (its probably about the size of a quarter) on the part of the pipe after it curves torwards the bathtub. Ive tried the snake and someone suggested trying to snake from the bathtub but that also didn't work. Because the shower is on the second floor I have no way of getting to the pipe unless I cut a whole in my ceiling. My pipes are that plastic stuff so Im afraid if I use the acid it might eat threw them. There is also no

massplumber2008 · May 27, 2011, 02:18 PM

Hi Kimmw...

First thing to do is to use a plunger here. Fill the shower with water and then set the plunger inmto the shower drain making sure to get a good seal around the edges and then gently push down on the plunger... now, PULL BACK up on the pluger and see if that dislodges the cap/debris... pull back is more important here... pushing down will only lodge the thing deeper. Do this a bunch of times and see if that helps.

If that doesn't work then see if you can borrow a WET/DRY VACUUM and again, fill the shower with say an inch of water and then try sucking the cap/debris out of the drain. If the hose won't fit into the drain take some duct tape and tape a smaller diameter pipe onto the vacuum hose and then try this again...

If none of this works then it may be time to get in professional help... ;)

Good luck and let me know how you make out, OK?

Mark

Kimmw · May 27, 2011, 03:25 PM

Thanks! We have already tried the plunging thing. I just got back from the store with the wet/dry vac and some duct tape. I will let you know how it goes! Cross your fingers for me! Thanks for the help!

Kimmw · May 29, 2011, 04:27 PM

Well we got the wet/dry vac and tried the plunger thing and it didn't work. So today my husband went to Lowe's. He got this tool that hooks up to a garden hose and it. It took him about five minutes to hook it all up and have the hose go from outside to the second floor. I stood outside and had to turn the water on and off a few times and it worked like a charm! The guy at Lowe's told him that it probably wasn't a shampoo cap that was in there because it wouldn't of been able to get past the spot where it curves off. He said we would have been able to see it if there was one there. And what I was actually hitting was the top of the pipe on the curve.
But got my shower back hurray!

massplumber2008 · May 29, 2011, 07:24 PM

Hey! I'm glad to hear you are back up and running again... always good news!

Thanks for the update!

Mark

socalsrfr32 · Oct 30, 2013, 04:32 PM

Originally Posted by massplumber2008

Hi Kimmw...

First thing to do is to use a plunger here. Fill the shower with water and then set the plunger inmto the shower drain making sure to get a good seal around the edges and then gently push down on the plunger...now, PULL BACK up on the pluger and see if that dislodges the cap/debris...pull back is more important here...pushing down will only lodge the thing deeper. Do this a bunch of times and see if that helps.

If that doesn't work then see if you can borrow a WET/DRY VACUUM and again, fill the shower with say an inch of water and then try sucking the cap/debris out of the drain. If the hose won't fit into the drain take some duct tape and tape a smaller diameter pipe onto the vacuum hose and then try this again...

If none of this works then it may be time to get in professional help...;)

Good luck and let me know how you make out, OK?

Mark

Just wanted to thank you for the great advice. I was cleaning my sink drain of hair when I dropped the top of a shampoo cap down the drain. Tried a snake to no avail. The wetvac worked like a charm though. My next move would have been to call a plumber. You definitely saved me some cash! Thanks for your help!