How and what to use to get a ring, bracelet or earring out of the drain under the sink?

What should you do if a piece of jewelry accidentally falls into the sink or toilet? In the event of such trouble, the first thing you need to do is pull yourself together and try to get the fallen object yourself. The article will provide step-by-step instructions on how to do this.

Advice

If an earring or other object falls into the drain, under no circumstances allow a new portion of water to drain. The decoration may not fall into the sump, but it will catch on the rough edges of the pipe. In this case, a new stream of water will wash it away, and you will no longer be able to get the jewelry out.

Is it always possible to retrieve a dropped object?

It is never possible to say with certainty that a ring or earring is in the pipes of the apartment and did not float freely into the city sewer. But there are several factors that increase the chances of a happy outcome:

an object fell into a bathtub or washbasin, under which there is a siphon;
the lower part of the siphon is not clogged with dirt;
a corrugated hose goes to the common drain pipe;
after the decoration hit the sink, there was no strong drainage of water;
A large object, such as a bracelet, fell into the bathtub or toilet.

But even if there is a straight pipe without an elbow going from the washbasin to the sewer (and this also happens), the outcome can be favorable - the shackle can get caught on lime deposits on the pipe, and it can be removed. Here we can only say: “if you don’t see, you won’t recognize, if you don’t try, you won’t understand.”So let's move on to ways to retrieve fallen jewelry. There are several of them. The first three are only suitable for washbasins, bathtubs and shower stalls. But there are also tricks that will help you retrieve jewelry that has fallen into the toilet.

Method No. 1

This method is only suitable if the mesh fastening is on top. If you have just such a washbasin design, then this will greatly simplify the task. To remove the mesh, depending on the type of screw, you may need a flathead (slotted) or Phillips screwdriver of the appropriate size. Typically the connecting screw is 6-8mm in diameter.

In addition to a screwdriver, you will need a piece of wire. It needs to be bent in such a way that it forms a hook at the bottom, and along its length it reaches the bottom of the siphon. All that remains is to unscrew the connecting screw. If it is made of low-quality material, has oxidized and “stuck”, then it needs to be sprayed with WD-40 spray or well moistened with kerosene. After the mesh is removed, you can shine a flashlight into the drain (provided that the pipe is placed perpendicular to the sink) - perhaps the decoration is stuck very close to the hole.

Advice

The bent end of the hook should not be sharp if the search is carried out in plastic pipes.

If it is not visible, there is no need to be upset either - perhaps it fell under a layer of lighter debris. In this case, all that remains is to methodically “inspect” the pipe and siphon with a hook, simultaneously pulling out the debris that has accumulated there. In most cases, at this stage the ring or earring returns to its owner and all that remains is to put the grille in place by tightening the connecting screw. In this case, you need to make sure that the sealing rubber lies in its place and does not move while tightening, otherwise the washbasin will leak.Sometimes it is necessary to replace the seal and additional sealing with sealant.

Method No. 2

This method is also not suitable for everyone, since it requires the presence of a washing vacuum cleaner. But if there is such a unit in the house, you can start squeezing out the object that has fallen.

To do this you need to perform a number of steps.

Remove the nozzle from the pipe.
Place a piece of gauze or a nylon sock (a piece of tights) on the end of the pipe, securing it with an elastic band.
Press the vacuum cleaner pipe against the drain hole. If possible, remove the grill first.
Turn on the vacuum cleaner for 1-2 minutes. Before turning off, first move the pipe to the side, and only then turn off the vacuum cleaner. If you do it in reverse order, the ring will fall into the drain again.
If the ring does not rise, clean the gauze from adhering debris and repeat the procedure again.

The peculiarity of this method is that it will only help if the loss is stuck at a distance of no more than 7 cm. If the jewelry has fallen deeper, then the force of the vacuum cleaner will not be enough to lift it.

Advice

Do not use a regular vacuum cleaner or a vacuum cleaner with a water filter for such actions. If water gets into their motor, then the breakdown of such equipment is guaranteed. Preliminary pumping out of water with rubber bulbs or syringes does not always ensure complete dryness. Water may remain in the horizontal pipe and then enter the vacuum cleaner.

Method No. 3

The most universal way is to remove the siphon sump. In this case, an object dropped into the washbasin will simply fall out. The sump is located at the bottom of the siphon, on the bend.

Disassembly is carried out as follows.

First you need to place a bucket under the siphon.
Then unscrew the nut with gasket holding the siphon cover.
After removing the lid, the accumulated debris will be poured into the bucket and the water remaining in the drain will pour out. Among the fallen debris you need to look for the lost ring.
If the decoration is not found, you need to carefully examine the side walls of the siphon and use a thin stick to check the adjacent pipe - maybe it is stuck there.

If there is no loss in the siphon, it’s time to call a plumber. He will disassemble the sink drain, remove the siphon and the pipe leading to the sewer. In this case, if the decoration is not washed into the general sewer, it will definitely be found.

How to get a ring or earring out of the toilet?

In order to remove an object that has fallen into the toilet, you will need rubber gloves (long). If the ring accidentally falls into the toilet, the first thing you need to do is turn off the water in the apartment (or not use the water). This is done to ensure that water draining through adjacent pipes does not change the water level in the toilet. And, of course, while the search work is going on, you cannot use the toilet.

The easiest way is to put on gloves and, putting your hand deeper, try to feel the jewelry. If the water pressure carried it into the drain pipe connecting the toilet and the sewer riser, then you will have to remove it - there is a chance that the earring is located there. This probability is especially high if the outlet is a corrugated pipe. To remove the tap, it is better to invite a specialist or ask someone knowledgeable about plumbing to do this.

When removing the corrugation, one nuance must be taken into account. Usually it is first removed from the toilet outlet and then from the sewer pipe. This is done in order to drain the remaining water into the sewer.If the task is to find an object in the pipe, then the sequence should be reversed - first the corrugation is removed from the sewer pipe, and then from the outlet. The remaining water in the corrugation needs to be poured into a bucket: perhaps the decoration will fall out along with the water. If this does not happen, then you need to carefully check the pipe and put your hand into the toilet from the outlet side. Usually at this stage the jewelry returns to its owner.

How to remove a ring using a plumbing cable?

A plumbing cable is practically the only way out if the decoration falls into a toilet with a cast-iron outlet or directly connected to a common riser. It can also be used when an object has fallen into the drain of a bathtub or washbasin with cast iron pipes and a siphon. This method is quite risky, and should be used only when there is no other way to get the jewelry. The fact is that the end of the cable can catch the decoration, and it can be taken out or pushed further into the general sewer.

If there is no other choice and you decide to take a risk, you need to follow these steps.

Find a plumbing cable with a hook-type attachment or a rope-type cable with a broken tip - a brush-shaped tip.
Insert the end of the cable into the toilet or bathtub drain until it stops.
Turn the handle in one direction until the cable goes no further.
If the cable gets stuck again, you need to take it out and look, perhaps the decoration has already caught. If not, clean the tip from dirt and continue further.

Advice

It is not recommended to use either a manual or pneumatic plunger to remove jewelry from a drain. The task of the plunger is not to pump out water and debris, but to move the blockage and push it further.

So you don't have to search

Losing jewelry and costume jewelry in plumbing drains happens very often. And this is not due to the inattention of women, but for a number of understandable reasons. Water and detergents make the surface of the hand and fingers slippery, so even a tightly fitting ring or bracelet can easily slip off, even unnoticed by the owner. Earrings often fall off and become unfastened when washing.

To avoid such situations, you can purchase inexpensive devices. This is a plastic grid with small cells for a kitchen sink or a fine mesh for a drain. The plastic mesh is installed on top of the main drain screen and can be cleaned at any time. Such a small and inexpensive detail will protect you from losing things dear to your heart.