Perhaps you forgot to take your earrings off before getting into the shower, or maybe you accidentally knocked your wedding ring into the kitchen sink. Fortunately, jewelry dropped down a drain usually isn’t lost forever. Below are a few ways to retrieve your treasured pieces even if you don’t have plumbing experience.
How to Get Jewelry Out of the Drain
1. Use a Magnet
If you’ve lost a piece of jewelry in the kitchen or bathtub, you might be able to fish it out with a magnet. Start by tying a fishing string to the end, then lower it into the drain.
If your jewelry isn’t made of gold, silver, or platinum, it may be attracted to the magnet. You might also be able to retrieve non-ferrous metals with a plastic drain snake, which you can pick up at any hardware store.
2. Remove the P-Trap
The P-Trap holds water, which keeps sewer gas from backing into your home. This curved piece of pipe will also trap your lost jewelry and is fairly easy to remove. Start by turning off the water supply and placing a bucket underneath the P-trap.
If your plumbing has a drain plug, pull it out to release the water outside, then loosen the slip nuts on either side of the P-trap. When you dump out the remaining water, your ring or earring should be inside.
3. Vacuum Out Shower Drains
Bathtubs and shower P-traps are usually sealed in the wall or underneath the floor, so a vacuum cleaner might be the best option. If your bathtub has a stopper, try rotating the cap until it comes off.
Use a shop-vac, which you can rent from a hardware store, to suck out the contents of the P-trap. Your lost jewelry should be trapped in the vacuum cleaner.
If you’re having trouble getting your jewelry out of the drain, call in the professionals at John Lockwood Plumbing. They’ve been serving homeowners throughout New York’s Ontario and Wayne counties since 1972 and have the expertise to handle all of your plumbing emergencies. Visit their website for more on their residential plumbing services, or call (585) 265-0736 to make an appointment.