Whether it’s a wedding, engagement, friendship, or heirloom piece, rings are precious. Suppose you are at the kitchen or bathroom sink, and your ring slips off your finger into the drain. The first thing you might do, which most people do, is panic! However, you can retrieve your valuable ring from the drain in several steps. But if the ring retrieval methods listed below don’t work, Sarkinen Plumbing offers plumbing services in Portland, Oregon, they will help you out and you will see a huge difference in how fast you recover your ring.
But before you pick up that phone to call in a plumber service, here’s everything you can do to retrieve the ring from the drain.
Immediately Turn off The Water
The first thing to do is remain calm and immediately turn off the water. Shutting the tap prevents the ring from washing further down the drain. Hopefully, the ring lies trapped in the P-trap, making retrieval easier. The P-trap is the P-shaped pipe section underneath the sink, and the part that looks like a J is called the J-bend. If the ring washes further into the plumbing, retrieving it becomes more challenging.
Prepare for the Job
Get an old towel, t-shirt, or newspaper to soak up any water spillage. Next, get a bucket or any container to catch water. Place it under the sink and grab a pair of rubber gloves. Most times, you will find the ring lodged in the P-trap. Place the container under the sink and prepare to retrieve your ring.
P-traps have different ways of removal. If you have a drain or access plug, pull it out, and any stagnated water will pour out with your ring. You might have a pipe connector at either one or both ends of the pipe.
In this case, you must unscrew the connectors and pull. Hopefully, your ring and the water in there will pour out. You may or may not need a wrench to unscrew the fastener, so get one because you might need it. Ensure you hold the J-bend as it will fall off.
Use a Hanger
Your ring might have gone beyond the P-trap if it does not come out with the P-trap water. However, it might not have gotten as far as the J-bend. Don’t re-assemble the pipe yet. Take any long, thin item, like a wire coat hanger. Push the hanger down via the drain inside the sink. Your ring should fall out.
Another idea you can use before you remove the P trap is to straighten the hanger to make it look like a long wire. Make the hooked part small enough to fit into the drain. Shine a torch down the drain and attempt to hook the ring with the hanger.
Assemble the Pipes
Re-assembling the sink is as easy as dismantling it. Put the drain plug back in or the P-trap as it was before. Screw back the connectors and tighten them. To ensure you did the job correctly, run the water to rule out leaks. If the sink leaks, then tighten the fasteners. If it still does not work, you might have to call a plumber to finish the job.
Use Your Vacuum
If these options still do not work, take a wet and dry vacuum. To avoid electrocution, set the vacuum to wet use. Place the vacuum cleaner at the mouth of the drain and put it on. The vacuum should pull the ring into the vacuum.
Clean the Pipes
The water from the P-trap is dirty and a mix of hair, soap, etc. You might find your ring amidst this gunk. Use your gloves and clean the pipe with hot water and disinfectant before you replace it. If your ring was in there, soak the ring in warm water and soap. Scrub off any gunk on it with a small brush and disinfect it thoroughly.
Use a Magnet
Use a magnet if your ring consists of magnetic metals such as iron, cobalt, steel, or nickel. Get a long string and tie a magnet to it. Lower the magnet into the drain; if the ring is in there, it will attach to the magnet, and you can pull it out.
Call in the Experts
If you are unsuccessful or do not envision yourself doing all this work, call a plumber immediately. If the ring goes further down the drain, a plumber is well-equipped to fish out the ring. The professionals have all types of tools that will enable them to retrieve the ring. If you turn off the water immediately, the ring is likely nearby and retrievable.
Rings have different symbolism for everyone and losing one can be utterly heartbreaking. Rather than settle for the idea that your ring’s gone, why not try the above retrieval methods to get it back? If you don’t succeed, make sure you call in the experts.