We all have to face this situation at least once, when we accidentally drop a valuable item down the sink drain. It could be an engagement ring, a diamond earring or any other item which is very precious to you. Well, accidents happen like this and your very first reaction in such situation is getting panicked. But if it happens remember to stop and take a deep breath and try out these handy tips and tricks to retrieve your valuable item.
Some useful tricks to retrieve items:
- Magnet and string:
If you lost something that consist of iron or metal, it’s very easy to retrieve it with a magnet
Follow these simple steps:
- Immediately turn off the water
- Tie a magnet with a string and hang it down to the sink drain
Your lost item will come back with the magnet, but if it doesn’t, no need to get upset just try out the second trick.
- Vacuum cleaner:
You can try out vacuum cleaner to suck up the fallen item from the drain. The item will come up with the vacuum if it’s not gone too far. Its best to use a wet shop vacuum for this.
- Check out the P-trap:
If your lost item is not retrieved with the magnet or the vacuum, it’s possibly stuck into the P- trap. So, in this situation you need to do the following steps:
- Locate the P-trap pipe which is the U-shaped bend under the sink piping.
- Take a towel and put it under the sink piping to keep everything clean.
- Take a bucket and place it under the sink piping.
- Now, take the pipe wrench and loosen the P-trap pipe nuts that is connecting the P-trap with rest of the piping.
- Remove the P-trap carefully and turn it upside down into the bucket.
- Put on your rubber gloves and take out your valuable item from the bucket.
Some useful prevention tips:
- Use a drain guard in your sink to avoid losing your valuable items again.
- Don’t wear jewelry while washing the dishes or your hands.
- Don’t put slippery bracelets or necklaces over the sink.
- Take a simple jewelry holder and fix it near the sink, so you can always place the jewelry onto the jewelry holder while using the sink.
So, these were some of the simple tricks that can help you to retrieve your valuable item. But if all your efforts fail, this is the time to hire a professional to do the job. Rooter-Man understand your problem and we have an expert team of drain professionals that can help. Our services are available at any time you need, contact us and our experts will attempt to locate your lost item, and check your drain system in the process.
