Wedding rings are one of the most prized jewelry possessions, yet they also often get lost. In fact, 4 out of 10 men will lose their wedding rings at least once.
Wedding rings aren’t the only things that both men and women lose. In fact, the average adult American spends 2.5 days looking for lost items every year, generating over 2 billion in replacement costs.
A lot of the time, when someone loses a valuable personal item like jewelry, it’s still somewhere in the home. One of the most daunting feelings is when you drop that prized possession into the sink, and it falls down the bathroom sink trap.
If it does happen, don’t fret. It hasn’t gone anywhere that you can’t retrieve it. And you can even do it yourself.
Keep reading to learn all about how to get your jewelry out of the drain.
Before You Take the Drain Apart
There are a couple of options you can try in order to get your jewelry out of the drain drop BEFORE you take it apart.
It’s possible that your jewelry hasn’t gone as far down as you think it may have. If that’s the case, all you may need is a magnet to get it out.
Attach a magnet to a string or something flexible and lower it down into the drain. Once you’ve let it go down as far as you can, pull it back up slowly so as not to drop your item again.
Try it a few times before you give up. If nothing comes up, move on to the next method.
If your drain is big enough, you can try using a 4-pronged tool to retrieve your lost metal. There should be plenty of options at your local hardware store. If you use a flashlight in conjunction with the 4-pronged tool, you may be able to see your item and grab it at the same time.
If neither one of those options works, it’s probably time to take the drain apart.
What You’ll Need to Take the Drain Apart
Before you begin to take your drain apart, you’ll need the following items:
- A pair of gloves
- A wrench
- A bucket
- Soapy water and a rough sponge
- A mask or goggles
The mask or goggles are optional. It just depends on how much you want to make sure you don’t get any of that sludge on your face or in your eyes, should it splash.
The soapy water and sponge are also optional. They’ll help you scrub or clean off any sludge that needs it, but you don’t have to do this. If all you want to do is get your jewelry and be done with it, then you won’t need those items either.
A bucket will catch any of the hair, sludge, and water that comes out. You’ll need a wrench to turn off the water supply. And gloves will ensure that you don’t get anything gross on your hands.
How to Take the Drain Apart and Get Your Jewels
First and foremost, put on your gloves and place the bucket underneath the pipes, which are underneath the sink.
Turn off the water. You can do this by turning off the main supply or by turning it off for that particular sink.
Next, locate the P-trap. The P-trap is made up of 2 90-degree joints. The pipes may be made of steel or PVC. One pipe connects to the bottom of the base of the sink, and the other connects to the sewer line.
If you can see your item at the bottom of the drain, you’ll have to remove the sink plug BEFORE you drain the pipes. Pull the train up and put something under it so that it can’t close. Then look under the sink for a horizontal pivot arm that’s attached to the plug.
Remember how it all fits together and then loosen it. Now that you have the drain plug and the plunger separated from the arm, go back underneath your sink bowl and pull it out.
Once the drain plug is removed, YOU MAY BE ABLE TO STOP HERE and retrieve your ring, necklace, bracelet, or whatever piece you dropped down the drain. Stick your gloved hand down and see if you can’t see it and get it out.
If you’re able to get it, all you have to do is replace your plug, and you’re done. Otherwise, keep reading.
If You Can’t Get It By Removing the Drain Plug
If you have a mask or any protective face gear, now would be the time to put it on.
Loosen the slip nuts that connect the overflow pipe at both ends. Make sure that your bucket is still there and ready to catch anything that falls out.
Use your hands if you can. If not, use the pliers gently until you’ve loosened the nuts enough to take over with your hands. You won’t want to damage them with the pliers.
Turn the overflow pipe over and dump all of the contents into the bucket. Your jewelry should be waiting in there for you amongst all the sludge! If it’s not, it may still be stuck in the pipe so now would be a good time to clean it out.
Look carefully as it may be stuck inside a clump of wet hair and grime.
When you find your jewelry, take a moment to give yourself a pat on the back (though maybe not with your gloved hand) for all your hard work.
Then put everything back together the same way that you took it all apart!
The Bathroom Sink Trap Isn’t the Worst Place to Lose Your Jewels
While you might experience a moment of panic the second you realize a valuable piece of jewelry has fallen down the bathroom sink trap, it’s not the end of the world.
In just a few simple steps, you can easily retrieve it yourself. And if you don’t want to be bothered by grime and sludge, you can hire someone to do it for you!
Give us a call, and we’ll be there as soon as we can!
