Blutak in a plug socket - what do I do?

[OM2]

One of the kids has stuck blutak inside of a socket.
Grrr!

What should I do...?
Turn off mains and poke out as much as possible with a coktail stick?

Thanks.

 

[JohnW2]

One of the kids has stuck blutak inside of a socket. Grrr! What should I do...? Turn off mains and poke out as much as possible with a coktail stick?

If they didn't play with the earth pin receptacle, the shutters over the other two should have remained shut, in which case the stuff ought to be very superficial, and probably quite easy to remove ... but, as you say, turn off all the power before you even try.

If they've pushed the stuff into the 'earth hole', that could be more difficult.

Kind Regards, John

 

[DetlefSchmitz]

Unless it's the earth it shouldn't reach anything conductive, because of the shutters. So your plan sounds fine. I would make up a hooked wire myself as it will grab the blutak more easily. Probably best to turn off the circuit breaker for the sockets first though.

Edit: Consider my contribution confirmation as John seems to have been faster.

 

[Iamchamps]

If you have no luck getting it out then now is a good time to replace with them chrome/silver sockets you always wanted

 

[OM2]

thanks for the replies guys

if u look at it face on, it's the bottom left hole.
wasn't sure which the earth one was.

@lamchamps... the problem is there's a million things to do everyday
would love chrome or silver
it's just finding time to do it. lol
not being an electrician... the 2 minute job might take me 15 min

 

[Tigercubrider]

Turn off the power and use a massive chunk of bluetac to pull the bits out with a dabbing action

 

[chivers67]

If you look at it face on, it's the bottom left hole.
wasn't sure which the earth one was.

The Earth is the central pin.

please ignore the rest of this post

 

[OM2]

@chivers67 at this moment in time it's still a blob of bluetak.
It happened last night. I meant to do in the day - take out bluetak - but then forgot.
Dont want to mess around turning off just the plugs - not sure which switch to flick - I thought it would be easier to simply flick everything off and then go poking to get out blutak.

I think I might just replace the socket anyway. It's an old socket.
Any tips for doing this before I head to youtube?
Thanks

 

[Risteard]

The bottom left hole is the Live (sic) - so the most dangerous to "fiddle with"

The bottom right is the neutral - can you see any metallic contacts or does it look like white plastic inside?

You sure about that?

 

[JohnW2]

You sure about that?

Are you trying to confuse the OP, or what?

He/she has said that nothing will be done without the electrical installation totally switched off.

Kind Regards, John

 

[DetlefSchmitz]

Just to assist the OP, as there seems to be some doubt in some people's minds.

Top (middle) is earth
Bottom Left is Neutral
Bottom Right is Live

 

[JohnW2]

Just to assist the OP, as there seems to be some doubt in some people's minds. ... Top (middle) is earth ... Bottom Left is Neutral ... Bottom Right is Live

No doubt in my mind, but, since the OP intends to completely kill the power before doing anything, I didn't think there was an need to trouble him with the matter of which was Neutral and which was 'Live'.

However, I agree that what you have written is correct (hence what chivers wrote was incorrect).

Kind Regards, John

 

[securespark]

No matter, the confusion needed to be cleared up for future visitors to this thread.

 

[JohnW2]

No matter, the confusion needed to be cleared up for future visitors to this thread.

Fair enough.

Kind Regards, John

 

[winston1]

I think I might just replace the socket anyway. It's an old socket.
Any tips for doing this before I head to youtube?
Thanks

Seeing as you know so little about it I suggest you don't DIY.