HELP! How can I get this mussel out?

[JDM625]

Ok, this is the most ridiculous thing! I was scrubbing mussels for dinner lastnight, and one slippery fsucker flew out of my hand and went down the overflow pipe!

I've tried chopsticks, tongs, a knife, bottle brush but due to the angle, nothing is working. I can unscrew the S bend/trap underneath, but the hole within the overflow isn't wide enough to push the mussel through. Maybe I could push it up though?

Any other ideas to get it out before it stinks?

Or Mr Mussel?

Any update? I haven't seen anything on BBC news yet

Bugger, I was too slow!

Is there a kickstarter or GoFundMe yet? Is Bono doing a charity single?

#PrayForMussel

Tom Cruise is quite tiny, maybe he could help?

Mussel Impossible?

We've asked for it to be considered for Classics.

In case anybody doesn't understand my sense of humour, I've been searching high and low for vaguely aquatic toy animals to make up my tableau.

Turns out that we didn't have many. Certainly didn't have a mussel. Then I thought, "I bet that flipping Jellycat makes a plushy mussel."

Sure enough they do. Or rather did. Marcus the Mussel is unavailable at the moment. Rather like our own poor dear Maurice. Here's an Amazon link - although it's French so I hope it works

amzn.eu/d/fhLEZld

This has got to be the most first world problem that I've seen on Mumsnet 😂😂😂

I’m loving them 😂

Sorry for the very late reply!
Maurice remains insitu 😬

On removing more of the trap, the overflow joins the main pipework via a grill, so not a wide pipe we can shove things up. We tried with the giant pipe cleaner DH bought from B&Q, but it won't pass through the grill.

He then tried adding a cap to the bottom of the trap- but it didn't fit. DH had the brilliant idea of closing off the pipe outside- which did actually fit and filling the sink with water.

This worked and with great anticipation we watched the sink fill up and waited to see Maurice float out- but sadly no. No sign of him. Does that mean he is dead, and no longer sealed in his shell with air pocket inside? RIP. 😭

I can still see a mussel shaped shadow down there in the gloom and I know he did escape my hand and fall in the overflow. I have questioned myself a few times!

Next steps- I'm reading up about the various acidic options you have suggested along with tiny pincher devices and borrowing an octopus.

Thank you for the update!

How about the ol’ Mentos and load of coke into a stop-tapped overflow? Let the foamy eruption lift Mr Mussel to the firmament?

Might blow a hole in the ceiling!

@ErrolTheDragon - and is Mr Mussel’s liberty not worth a bit of falling plaster?!

Not if it falls back down the overflow.

Thanks for the update OP, I'm losing hope of Maurice getting out alive.

Sad times.

Thank you for the update on and photos @JDM625 how about a either a long thin balloon or a condom pushed up from underneath and inflated ( perhaps with a bike pump ).

I like @HiddenInCubeOfCheese mentos and coke idea , that could work. ( I love the user name )

@RedheadedstepchildIi applaud your efforts to find a toy mussle but i think he looks more like a fried egg 😄

I can believe how invested I am in this thread !

@Boiledbeetle you are AMAZING !

Channelling Booble Plate and the Rescue Hamster lowered down on a rope. I like it. Please tell me you understand this reference.

I don't, I'm quite new here but I'll look them up. I've read a bit of booble plate but I am unfamiliar with the hamster

@JDM625 Obviously I still hold out hope that Maurice will be rescued, but you may have to admit defeat and buy a new sink.

I once had to buy a new oven after the cat brought a rat home and it died wedged under the gas oven. The stench by the time I could get the gas man to come out and disconnect the oven was something I never want to smell again!

I reckon it never fell down in the first place. Surely if you can’t actually poke it with a chop stick it isn’t there???

A cat, small octopus & 9 month old baby is what you need, remembering the things that my cat & baby DD1 got up to together.
Remembering them somehow managing to unplant a mini yucca tree from its pot, cat sitting in said plant pot & both eating the soil - quite relieved that I didn't have a pet octopus too.

If you don't have the above things to hand then there's always the volcano trick. Pour lots of vinegar down the overflow & throw in some bicarbonate of soda & then run.
Though you may end up with the entire contents of your drains in the kitchen.

Oh! How about a plunger around the overflow hole? Fill the sink with water, then pull the plug as you plunge the overflow....

Poor Maurice. He probably thinks this is it for him now…..