How to get a stuck screw out of a pipe
A screw and washer stuck inside an outdoor spigot pipe cannot be dislodged with standard tools like a shop vac or mechanical grabbers. This leaves people unable to clear the blockage without cutting the pipe itself.
What people tried
Every workaround mentioned in the threads below. We haven’t tested any of them — and nobody here is claiming they worked.
- 1using a shop vac
- 2using mechanical grabbers
- 3using water pressure to push it out
- 4using a coat hanger or hose pick
- 5using a long drill bit
- 6using pick tools or a bent paper clip
- 7Trying to reach it with a toothpick
- 8Swirling water around inside
- 9Leaving water in it overnight to soften it
In their words
Unedited, grouped by where they were said, most upvoted first within each place, each linked to the thread it came from.
“You can barely see in the photo but a piece of rice is stuck in my tea kettle under the grate + tucked down in that outer ring. I can't reach it with a toothpick at all and swirling water around inside doesn't dislodge it.”source ↗
“what can I do if that doesn't work?”source ↗
“Was trying to fix a leaky outdoor spigot but when I pulled out the internals the screw was stuck inside. Have tried shop vac, mechanical grabber, etc. still can’t get it out.”source ↗
“Tried the shop vac and using water pressure. Hasn’t come out yet.”source ↗
“I would have to cut the pipe to get to it from inside.”source ↗